Mammoth Cave

[agesilaus]

Let me mention something we discovered concerning Mammoth Caves: They do not allow you to use any federal pass: access, geezer pass etc, online to pay for tours.
When we inquired at the visitor's center we were laughable told:
1) They would refund the discount when you showed up for a tour. I do not know your experience but mine is the sum total of federal refunds I have received is exactly zero
2) You could donate it to them amounting to the same result
3) you could order tickets there, a joke, since they are all gone by that point

They claim people are gaming the system, but that is solved by every other federal facility requiring you to show the pass when you get there.

Edited July 14, 2022 by agesilaus

[Ray,IN]

Quote: "

Attention Pass Holders: Visitors with America the Beautiful Senior and America the Beautiful Access passes need to bring your cards and identification to the park, discounts will be applied at that time."

You are stating they did not offer you the discount after you showed your pass?

[franco-bolli]

I'm not sure what I was charged for at Mammoth cave.. My Wife and I did 2 tours that day (June 10th this year). I see a single charge on my account for $25.01 from the nationalparks, but there are no refunds to the account. I picked up the tickets showing the access pass. 
 

[agesilaus]

Tickets right now run about $21 a head for tours, we did not feel like spending $42 to take a cave tour so we did not purchase one once I failed to find the normal rec.gov pass entry on the order form. We have already taken all the normal tours multiple times over the years so it was not a major sacrifice.

My wife questioned the ranger at the order desk when we got to the visitor building. We considered Diamond Cave tours but never really investigated before we left the area.

[2gypsies]

When you return to Arizona be sure to take the Kartchner Caverns State Park Tour.  We gave tours of the Rotundra/Throne Room and the tour is absolutely beautiful.  It's a live cave meaning it's still growing and has a lot of cool dripping sounds.  Beautiful lighting.  Mammoth and Carlsbad aren't the same!  Very nice campground, also.

https://azstateparks.com/kartchner/tours/

[agesilaus]

Karchner has been on our todo list for a couple years. Getting a tour slot is the problem. Maybe this winter.

We've been in all the national caves except Timpanagoes, we went by there but didn't have a tour reserved and only were going to be there one day. Blanchard in Arkansas is a good tour but is run by the USFS and they aren't allowed to advertise and are not well known. I think we saw a road sign pointing to Blanchard and followed it over miles of Ozark county roads to find the place. My wife hasn't been to Oregon Caves and my visit was so long ago I don't recall what it was like.

[Kirk W]

1 hour ago, agesilaus said:

We've been in all the national caves except Timpanagoes,

I'm not sure how many caves are managed by the NPS, but we have take at least one tour in Mammoth Cave, Carlsbad Caverns, Jewell Cave, Wind Cave, Crystal Cave, but missed Oregon Cave Natl. Monument when we were nearby. We have been to Craters of the Moon Natl. Mon.  which some folks list as a cave. We have also been to Longhorn Caverns and Kickapoo Caverns in Texas but not many other state park caves as most states seem to have a few. I think that we may have been to a few more, but that's all that come to mind now and we really don't put caves high on our list any more. 

[agesilaus]

There is one in Great Basin NP in Nevada right on the Utah border. Lava Beds has a lava tube cave but it was closed when we were there. Craters has several short lava tubes. There is a large cave in the Carlsbad park that is not open to the public. Florida Caverns SP have a nice tour but it isn't to be compared with major NPS caves. Better than I recalled. There are lots of long caves in Florida but they are underwater, Manatee Springs has one that is ten miles long (probably longer), a deadly one too. Ginnie Springs is another. We have an unexplored one on our property.

[vermilye]

I I've visited many commercial, state & national park caves, and while not a National cave, the Caverns of Sonora in Sonora Tx is by far my favorite.  Wonderful color and formations that are rare in other caves.  They have a water & electric campground at the cavern.

[agesilaus]

2 hours ago, vermilye said:

I I've visited many commercial, state & national park caves, and while not a National cave, the Caverns of Sonora in Sonora Tx is by far my favorite.  Wonderful color and formations that are rare in other caves.  They have a water & electric campground at the cavern.

We have been by there and camped near there but have never stopped tho I have heard several people say it was worth it. Next time we are in the area we will check it out. The cg is supposed to be good for a transit stop too.