Kartchner Caverns AZ State Park
Overview
Overview| Climate/Map | Description | Things to Do | Camping/lodging | Nearby
General Information
Kept secret since its discovery in 1974, Kartchner Caverns, 12 miles south of Benson, Arizona, was announced to the world in 1988. Still virtually pristine, this massive limestone cave has 13,000 feet of passages and two rooms as long as football fields. Finally opened as a state park November 12, 1999, this underground wilderness will remain protected while offering visitors a rare tour through multi-colored cave formations. The temperature inside the caverns averages 68°F year round, with the humidity at 99%. See video on the description page.
Seasons / Hours
Kartchner Caverns State Park is open seven days a week from 7:30 am until 6:00 pm MST. Cave tours are scheduled every 20 minutes starting at 8:40 am to 4:40 pm each day. The park is closed on Christmas Day, and no tours will be taken after noon on Christmas Eve Day.
Visitor Center
23,000 square-foot Discovery Center housees world-class exhibits (including a replica of the cave), a large gift shop, regional and interactive displays, and educational information
Features
- Picnic Area
- Shaded Dining Area
- Vending Area
- Amphitheater
- Hummingbird Garden
- Hiking Trails
- Campgrounds
Accessibility
The Discovery Center is fully compliant with ADA guidelines. Ramps are provided with slopes, there is complete access to the auditorium with special seating for wheelchairs, and turn-around restrooms. The phone, drinking fountains, signage, and doors are all designed to be ADA compliant.
The Throne, Rotunda and Imaginary rooms tunnels and trail are entirely barrier-free for wheel chairs. The concrete cave trail with hand railings is about is 40" inches wide. The entire length of the tunnel and trails is approximately 1/2 mile. There are only a few areas with slightly steep grades that may require extra help to push someone in a wheelchair. As was mentioned before, guests who are visually impaired are provided the opportunity to touch fiberglass stalagmite reproductions inside the Discovery Center.
Big Room Tour: Length: 1/2 mile Time: 1 3/4 hr. The Kartchner Caverns story is one of amazing discoveries...both past and present. Stand where the discoverers first entered the cave. Marvel at the strange and colorful formations. Learn about cave inhabitants, both ancient and living. As scientific studies continue, discoveries are yet to be made. The Big Room tour is a longer and more physically challenging tour. Children age 6 and under are not allowed on the tour.
Rates & Fees
Pictures copyright Arizona State Parks.
Kartchner Caverns State Park
P.O. Box 1849
Benson, Arizona 85602
Phone information (520) 586-4100
Phone reservations: (520)-586-2283
DesertUSA Newsletter -- We send articles on hiking, camping and places to explore, as well as animals, wildflower reports, plant information and much more. Sign up now. (It's free.)
| THE DESERT ENVIRONMENT | |||
| The North American Deserts | |||
| Chihuahuan Desert | Great Basin Desert | Mojave Desert | Sonoran Desert |
| Glossary of Desert & Geological Terms | |||
Animals - Wildlife | Wildflowers-Plants | Minerals - Geology | Desert People
SEARCH THIS SITE
The Saguaro Video
The Saguaro often begins life in the shelter of a "nurse" tree or shrub which can provide a shaded, moister habitat for the germination of life. The Saguaro grows very slowly -- perhaps an inch a year -- but to a great height, 15 to 50 feet.
Desert Food Chain Video
A food chain constitutes a complex network of organisms, from plants to animals, through which energy, derived from the sun, flows in the form of organic matter and dissipates in the form of waste heat.
Prickly pear cactus Video
Prickly pear cactus are found in all of the deserts of the American Southwest. Most prickly pears have large spines on their stems and vary in height from less than a foot to 6 or 7 feet.
Are you interested in the temperatures in the
desert?Click here to see current desert temperatures!
DesertUSA is a comprehensive resource about the North American deserts and Southwest destinations. Learn about desert biomes while you discover how desert plants and animals learn to adapt to the harsh desert environment. Find travel information about national parks, state parks, BLM land, and Southwest cities and towns located in or near the desert regions of the United States. Access maps and information about the Sonoran Desert, Mojave Desert, Great Basin Desert, and Chihuahuan Desert.
