Explore Raccoon Mountain Caverns

Raccoon Mountain caverns is famous in the state of Tennessee for being a site where true exploring can take place. Raccoon Mountain Caverns contains at least 5 1/2 miles of underground passageways many of which are only accessible by crawling, squeezing, and crouching through the dozens of tunnels throughout the cave. The cave opened commercially in June of 1931 and some twenty years later they found an opening in the main room which was known as The Crystal Room. This crack which was barely big enough for most people to squeeze through led to the discovery of a room larger than the original main attraction. The discovery in the 1950s was an area which was added on to the tour called The Crystal Palace Tour. The Crystal Palace Tour today is a 45-minute mostly guided, walking tour that covers a quarter mile of area which is easily accessible compared to a lot of the terrain of the cave. Most of the Crystal Palace Tour has concrete steps on elevation changes and gravel paths elsewhere.

The thing Raccoon Mountain Caverns is known for is the Wild Cave Expeditions that allow would-be explorers to investigate the tunnels and passageways of Raccoon Mountain Caverns like a pioneer. The Wild Cave Expeditions last anywhere from an hour and a half to overnight expeditions deep into the cave. There are eight levels to the Wild Cave Expeditions that cost from as little as $20 to about $90. The cost of the expedition you choose depends on the number of people going. The more people that go, the cheaper it is for everyone. Visitors on the Wild Cave Expedition are given gloves, helmets, and lights. Inside the cave you can find a 75-foot waterfall. There are passages in which you need to crawl through water and mud; other paths might lead you to a rope climb. As in the rest of Raccoon Mountain Caverns you'll see stalactites, stalagmites, and a lot of other interesting and unusual rock formations. There are even sections where you rappel down cliff walls to continue the journey. As spelunkers (cavers) know you get muddy in exploring remote sections of caves and Raccoon Mountain Caverns has private showers and toilets for after an adventure crawling through all sorts of terrain. A change of clothing is a good idea for going home after your expedition into the wilderness of Raccoon Mountain Caverns.

While you're at Raccoon Mountain Caverns you can ride a go-kart which has a rink at the edge of the property. There are five cabins for rent at the base of Raccoon Mountain below the caverns. Gem panning is available for those who want to experience the way pioneers looked for gemstones in the 1800s.

Prices of Admission
Crystal Palace Tour...
Adults...$13.95
Seniors (over 65)...$11.95
Children (5 to 12)...$ $6.50

Wild Cave Expeditions
Prices vary for the eight different expeditions; they also vary according to how many are in the group.
Check the website of Raccoon Mountain Caverns---www.raccoonmountain.com---to see all the different expeditions available.

Hours of Operation
Open seven days a week except for Thanksgiving and Christmas
Sunday through Friday...9 to 5
Saturday...9 to 7

Contact Information
Phone...423-821-9403 or 1-800-823-2267
Website...www.raccoonmountain.com
Address...
Raccoon Mountain Mountain Caverns
319 West Hills Drive
Chattanooga, Tn 37419

Resources:
www.raccoonmountain.com

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