List of longest caves in the United States

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Mammoth Cave, the longest known cave system in the world Mammoth Cave tour.jpg
Mammoth Cave, the longest known cave system in the world

The following is a list of the longest caves in the United States per length (over 50 kilometres or 30 miles) of documented passageways. Many passageways are still being discovered; this list is based on the latest verifiable data. [1] Some caves and cave systems are partially accessible to the general public. Other caves have restricted access; restrictions may include limiting access to experienced spelunkers or scientific research teams.

Contents

#SystemLengthLocationCoordinatesAssociated parks,
protected areas		Access
1 Mammoth Cave 685.6 km (426.0 mi) [2] [3] near Brownsville, Kentucky 37°11′15″N86°06′13″W / 37.18758°N 86.10357°W / 37.18758; -86.10357 (Mammoth cave historic entrance) Mammoth Cave National Park, also a World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve. Longest cave in the world.Some public access [4]
2 Jewel Cave 353.69 km (219.8 mi) [5] [6] near Custer, South Dakota 43°43′46″N103°49′46″W / 43.72944°N 103.82944°W / 43.72944; -103.82944 (Jewel Cave) Jewel Cave National Monument Some public access [7]
3 Wind Cave 266.8 km (165.8 mi) [8] near Hot Springs, South Dakota 43°33′29″N103°28′46″W / 43.55804°N 103.47955°W / 43.55804; -103.47955 (Wind Cave) Wind Cave National Park Some public access, suspended as of May 2024 for elevator replacement [9] [10]
4 Lechuguilla Cave 244.7 km (152.0 mi) [11] [12] near Carlsbad, New Mexico 32°11′26″N104°30′12″W / 32.1906420°N 104.5033091°W / 32.1906420; -104.5033091 (Grotte de Lechuguilla) Carlsbad Caverns National Park Restricted access, requires authorization [13]
5 Fisher Ridge Cave System 212.1 km (131.8 mi) [1] near Brownsville, Kentucky 37°11′14″N85°58′30″W / 37.1873°N 85.9751°W / 37.1873; -85.9751 (Fisher Ridge System Historic Entrance) partly within Mammoth Cave National Park
6Helms Deep Cave112.8 km (70.09 mi) [14] [15] Perry County, Tennessee None.Entrances are on private property.Restricted access, requires authorization
7Great Savannah Cave System,(Maxwelton Sink Cave [16] -McClung Cave [17] )82.5 km (51.26 mi) [18] near Greenbrier County, West Virginia 37°51′35″N80°24′22″W / 37.859703°N 80.406044°W / 37.859703; -80.406044 None. Entrances are on private property. [16] Restricted access, requires authorization [16]
8 Friars Hole Cave System 81.2 km (50.46 mi) [19] near Renicks Valley, West Virginia 38°04′02″N80°19′47″W / 38.067203°N 80.329775°W / 38.067203; -80.329775 (Friars Hole Cave) None. Multiple entrances, most on private property.Some entrances closed. Some entrances require authorization. Some entrances accessible. [20]
9 Binkley's Cave System 72.4 km (44.99 mi) [1] near Corydon, Indiana 38°10′57″N86°09′01″W / 38.1824995°N 86.1501717°W / 38.1824995; -86.1501717 None. Entrance on private property.Some public access [21]
10 Fort Stanton Cave 71.7 km (44.55 mi) [1] near Lincoln County, New Mexico 33°30′24″N105°29′37″W / 33.506670°N 105.493610°W / 33.506670; -105.493610 Fort Stanton–Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area May require special permits. [22]
11 Hellhole 70.1 km (43.56 mi) [1] Germany Valley, West Virginia 38°46′17″N79°22′41″W / 38.771361°N 79.378103°W / 38.771361; -79.378103 None. Entrance is privately leased and owned. Home of two federally protected bat species.No public access at any time. Restricted scientific access. [20]
12 Kazumura Cave 65.5 km (40.70 mi) [1] Pahoa, Hawaii 19°31′08″N155°01′52″W / 19.518890°N 155.031110°W / 19.518890; -155.031110 None. Entrance on private property. [23] Some public access for fee. [23]
13Double Bopper Cave65.3 km (40.58 mi) [24] Coconino County, Arizona Grand Canyon National Park Restricted access, requires authorization [25] [26]
14 Blue Spring Cave 64.4 km (40.02 mi) [1] near Sparta, Tennessee 35°57′46″N85°23′07″W / 35.962811°N 85.385311°W / 35.962811; -85.385311 noneRestricted access, requires authorization [20]
15 Carlsbad Caverns 63.5 km (39.46 mi) [1] near Carlsbad, New Mexico 32°10′37″N104°26′28″W / 32.177057°N 104.441039°W / 32.177057; -104.441039 Carlsbad Caverns National Park Public access. [27]
16 Organ Cave 61.9 km (38.46 mi) [1] Greenbrier County, West Virginia 37°43′05″N80°26′11″W / 37.7181564°N 80.4362982°W / 37.7181564; -80.4362982 None. Entrances on private property.Some entrances closed. Some entrances require authorization. Some entrances accessible. [20]
17 Wakulla-Leon Sinks Cave System 56.6 km (35.17 mi) [28] Wakulla County, Florida 30°14′07″N84°18′10″W / 30.2354147°N 84.3028754°W / 30.2354147; -84.3028754 None. Underwater cave system.
18 Whigpistle System 55.7 km (34.61 mi) [29] [30] Edmonson County, Kentucky 37°07′11″N86°08′10″W / 37.1196°N 86.1362°W / 37.1196; -86.1362 (Whigpistle System Whigpistle Entrance) none
19 Crevice Cave 50.2 km (31.19 mi) [31] Perry County, Missouri 37°45′10″N89°52′30″W / 37.7527°N 89.8749°W / 37.7527; -89.8749 (Crevice cave) none
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See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Gulden, Bob (August 10, 2022). "USA Longest Caves by State" . Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  2. ↑ "Additional Miles Added to Mammoth Cave - National Park". National Park Service (NPS). September 11, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Mammoth Cave just got a little more "Mammoth"". National Park Service (NPS). September 8, 2022. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Cave tours - Mammoth Cave National Park". Mammoth Caves National Park. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  5. ↑ "Jewel Cave Cave Exploration". National Park Service (NPS). January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Jewel Cave Reaches 200 Miles". National Park Service (NPS). December 19, 2018. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Guided Tours". Jewel Cave National Monument. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  8. ↑ "150 miles and counting: Wind Cave celebrates significant milestone". National Park Service (NPS). October 18, 2019. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  9. ↑ National Park Service (April 15, 2024). "Superintendent's Compendium, Wind Cave National Park". Wind Cave National Park . Section 1 (a) (2).
  10. ↑ "Basic Information - Alerts in effect". Wind Cave National Park. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  11. ↑ "Lechuguilla Cave Info". 2022. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  12. ↑ "Lechuguilla Cave". National Park Service (NPS). July 17, 2019. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Lechuguilla Cave". Carlsbad Caverns, National Park Service.
  14. ↑ Paul Burger (2025-01-25). "USA Long Cave List" . Retrieved 2025-02-01.
  15. ↑ "National Speleological Society 2024 Convention Program Guide-Helms Deep Symposium Abstracts" (PDF). National Speleological Society- Convention Program Guide. National Speleological Society: 91–95. Retrieved 2025-02-01.
  16. 1 2 3 West Virginia Cave Conservancy. "Management plan for the preserve of great Savannah cave system's lightner entrance to Maxwelton Sink Cave".
  17. ↑ West Virginia Cave Conservancy. "Management plan for the preserve of great Savannah cave system's lightner entrance to historic McClung Cave".
  18. ↑ Dave Socky (June 2022). "Great Savannah Cave System - 51 miles". The Carbide Dump, Journal of the Blue Ridge Grotto of the National Speleological Association. 57 (6): 40. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  19. ↑ "Projects - West Virginia Association for Cave Studies" . Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  20. 1 2 3 4 "VAR Limited Access Cave List - National Speleological Society" . Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  21. ↑ "Cave Tours". Indiana Caverns Family Adventure Park. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  22. ↑ "Special Rules". Fort Stanton - Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area. Bureau of Land Management.
  23. 1 2 La Vigne, Patrice (31 May 2022). "The curious case of Harry Shick's backyard cave". Adventure.com. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
  24. ↑ "Grand Canyon's Double Bopper Cave. Reaches 40 Miles Long". caves.org. Retrieved 18 October 2021..
  25. ↑ National Park Service (September 20, 2024). "Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent's Compendium" (PDF). Superintendent's Compendium, Grand Canyon National Park. p. 16.
  26. ↑ "Cave/Karst Systems". Grand Canyon National Park. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  27. ↑ "Things to do". Calsbad Caverns National Park. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
  28. ↑ Todd Kincaid; C.L. Werner (2008). "Karst Hydrogeology of the Woodville Karst Plain Florida" . Retrieved 2023-05-05.
  29. ↑ Glennon, J.A. (2001). "Narrative of the Exploration and Survey of the Martin Ridge Cave System Edmonson County, Kentucky" . Retrieved 2023-05-05.
  30. ↑ Patricia Kambesis; Joel Despain; Chris Groves (2013). "The Making of a Connection: Exploration/Survey in Whigpistle Cave System" . Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  31. ↑ The Missouri Speleological Survey. "Crevice Cave" . Retrieved 2023-05-06.
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