List of longest caves in the United States

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.

#	System	Length	Location	Coordinates	Associated parks, protected areas	Access
1	Mammoth Cave	685.6 km (426.0 mi)[2][3]	near Brownsville, Kentucky	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	43.72944°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	43.55804°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]
4	Lechuguilla Cave	244.7 km (152.0 mi)[10][11]	near Carlsbad, New Mexico	32.1906420°N 104.5033091°W / 32.1906420; -104.5033091 (Grotte de Lechuguilla)	Carlsbad Caverns National Park	Restricted access, requires authorization[12]
5	Fisher Ridge Cave System	212.1 km (131.8 mi)[1]	near Brownsville, Kentucky	37.1873°N 85.9751°W / 37.1873; -85.9751 (Fisher Ridge System Historic Entrance)	partly within Mammoth Cave National Park
6	Great Savannah Cave System,(Maxwelton Sink Cave[13]-McClung Cave[14])	82.5 km (51.26 mi)[15]	near Greenbrier County, West Virginia	37.859703°N 80.406044°W / 37.859703; -80.406044	None. Entrances are on private property.[13]	Restricted access, requires authorization[13]
7	Friars Hole Cave System	81.2 km (50.46 mi)[16]	near Renicks Valley, West Virginia	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.[17]
8	Binkley's Cave System	72.4 km (44.99 mi)[1]	near Corydon, Indiana	38.1824995°N 86.1501717°W / 38.1824995; -86.1501717	None. Entrance on private property.	Some public access[18]
9	Fort Stanton Cave	71.7 km (44.55 mi)[1]	near Lincoln County, New Mexico	33.506670°N 105.493610°W / 33.506670; -105.493610	Fort Stanton–Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area	May require special permits.[19]
10	Hellhole	70.1 km (43.56 mi)[1]	Germany Valley, West Virginia	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.[17]
11	Kazumura Cave	65.5 km (40.70 mi)[1]	Pahoa, Hawaii	19.518890°N 155.031110°W / 19.518890; -155.031110	None. Entrance on private property.[20]	Some public access for fee.[20]
12	Double Bopper Cave	65.3 km (40.58 mi)[21]	Coconino County, Arizona		Grand Canyon National Park	Restricted access, requires authorization[22]
13	Blue Spring Cave	64.4 km (40.02 mi)[1]	near Sparta, Tennessee	35.962811°N 85.385311°W / 35.962811; -85.385311	none	Restricted access, requires authorization[17]
14	Carlsbad Caverns	63.5 km (39.46 mi)[1]	near Carlsbad, New Mexico	32.177057°N 104.441039°W / 32.177057; -104.441039	Carlsbad Caverns National Park	Public access.[23]
15	Organ Cave	61.9 km (38.46 mi)[1]	Greenbrier County, West Virginia	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.[17]
16	Wakulla-Leon Sinks Cave System	56.6 km (35.17 mi)[24]	Wakulla County, Florida	30.2354147°N 84.3028754°W / 30.2354147; -84.3028754	None. Underwater cave system.
17	Whigpistle System	55.7 km (34.61 mi)[25][26]	Edmonson County, Kentucky	37.1196°N 86.1362°W / 37.1196; -86.1362 (Whigpistle System Whigpistle Entrance)	none
18	Crevice Cave	50.2 km (31.19 mi)[27]	Perry County, Missouri	37.7527°N 89.8749°W / 37.7527; -89.8749 (Crevice cave)	none

See also

• List of caves
• List of longest caves
• List of deepest caves

References

1. 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. "Basic Information - Alerts in effect". Wind Cave National Park. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
10. "Lechuguilla Cave Info". 2022. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
11. "Lechuguilla Cave". National Park Service (NPS). July 17, 2019. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
12. "Lechuguilla Cave". Carlsbad Caverns, National Park Service.
13. West Virginia Cave Conservancy. "Management plan for the preserve of great Savannah cave system's lightner entrance to Maxwelton Sink Cave".
14. West Virginia Cave Conservancy. "Management plan for the preserve of great Savannah cave system's lightner entrance to historic McClung Cave".
15. 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.
16. "Projects - West Virginia Association for Cave Studies". Retrieved 18 October 2021.
17. "VAR Limited Access Cave List - National Speleological Society". Retrieved 23 January 2025.
18. "Cave Tours". Indiana Caverns Family Adventure Park. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
19. "Special Rules". Fort Stanton - Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area. Bureau of Land Management.
20. La Vigne, Patrice (31 May 2022). "The curious case of Harry Shick's backyard cave". Adventure.com. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
21. "Grand Canyon's Double Bopper Cave. Reaches 40 Miles Long". caves.org. Retrieved 18 October 2021..
22. "Cave/Karst Systems". Grand Canyon National Park. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
23. "Things to do". Calsbad Caverns National Park. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
24. Todd Kincaid; C.L. Werner (2008). "Karst Hydrogeology of the Woodville Karst Plain Florida". Retrieved 2023-05-05.
25. Glennon, J.A. (2001). "Narrative of the Exploration and Survey of the Martin Ridge Cave System Edmonson County, Kentucky". Retrieved 2023-05-05.
26. Patricia Kambesis; Joel Despain; Chris Groves (2013). "The Making of a Connection: Exploration/Survey in Whigpistle Cave System". Retrieved 2023-10-13.
27. The Missouri Speleological Survey. "Crevice Cave". Retrieved 2023-05-06.

External links

• USA Long caves by state: [1]