Top Caves in Colorado

Did you know there are hundreds of caves in Colorado? That’s right, this state has more than mountains to offer adventurous visitors. Millions of years of geologic activity has created unique and impressive cave formations throughout the state. Don’t grab your hardhat and rope just yet, though. Spelunking is serious business, despite how fun the word is to say. Deep cave exploration is for experts or for those who are led by an experienced guide. That’s why we created this list of more accessible and popular caves in Colorado. Amateur cave enthusiasts get all of the joy of experiencing these natural wonders in a safer, more accessible way. Let’s start exploring!

Cave of the Winds in Colorado Springs

Cave of the Winds is located just west of Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs along Highway 24. Of all the caves on this list, it is the closest to the state’s two major airports and the most easily accessible for a day trip.

Cave of the Winds is millions of years old. It is made up of Manitou limestone, which is only found in Southern Colorado. Long before Colorado was a vacation destination — about 500 million years — the area was completely under water. The sea eventually disappeared, leaving the rock vulnerable to a different type of water: rain. Acidic rainwater ate away at the rock over time, creating open pockets. Over time, water also contributed to the magnificent formations found in the caves.

The attraction’s website notes that the caves were first mentioned by the Jicarilla Apaches, who claimed the Great Spirit of the Wind dwelled within. The indigenous Utes were also familiar with the system. In the 1800s, brothers brothers George and John Pickett discovered the caves while exploring William’s Canyon. In the late 1800s, Ohio stonecutter George Washington Snider began to excavate the caves to make them easier to explore. These adaptations also made it possible for more visitors to tour the geological marvel.

Popular Cave Tours

Cave of the Winds offers two different tours to visitors. The most popular tour is also the most family-friendly, the Discovery Tour. Lasting about an hour, the Discovery Tour leads guests through 15 different rooms via a half-mile of concrete pathways and up and down stairs. Visitors will get to see impressive formations like stalactites, stalagmites, crystals and more.

If you would like a longer, more hands-on experience, the Haunted Lantern Tour might be the best choice. The Haunted Lantern tour is 90 minutes long and covers nearly a mile of the cave system. In addition to exploring parts of the cave rarely seen by the majority of visitors, guests also get treated to spookly folklore about the caves and the Pikes Peak region. Did we mention all of this is done only by the light of a lantern?

Outside of the cave, the park also provides a lot of entertainment, including thrill rides, an obstacle course and gem panning. Get to know more about the park beyond the caves here. 

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Glenwood Springs

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is a bit of a long drive no matter whether you are visiting from Colorado Springs or the slightly closer city of Denver. However, it is worth a visit and, like every other part of Colorado, the drive is beautiful.

Glenwood Caverns is designated as a National Natural Landmark due to the size of the caves and the unique formation. Cave formation dates back 1.34-1.69 million years ago but recorded human discovery only dates back to the 1800s. About three miles of the cave have been mapped, but more passage ways are purported to exist.

Until the early 1990s, the caves were privately owned and closed to the public. Spelunkers Steve and Jeanne Beckley eventually persuaded owner Pete Prebble to let them explore the system and later purchased the property from him in 1998. They soon began operating it as a popular Colorado attraction.

Glenwood Cave Tours

Glenwood Caverns offers several tours. The Historic Fairy Caves are incredibly popular because they are easy and accessible to most visitors. The tour lasts about 40 minutes and includes several “rooms” including the Cloud Room, Head Office, Pendant Room and the Eternal Towers. Participants will also encounter a gorgeous array of colors and geological features within the caves, including subterranean tree roots, springs and more.

The Wild Tour is also very popular, especially with people who are longing for a more interactive caving experience. The tour lasts two hours and requires crawling, squeezing through tight spaces and using headlamps to show you the way. You will be led by an experienced guide the entirety of your tour. The system includes rare rooms and formations you won’t see on the traditional tours. Review all recommended fitness requirements before signing up. This is a more strenuous experience than other caves in Colorado so be prepared.

King’s Row is the last tour on the list and Glenwood Caverns describes it as the “most decorated” cave in Colorado. It is a 40-minute experience that includes an enormous cave room called The Barn, plus plentiful stalagmites, stalactites and other formations.

Like Cave of the Winds, Glenwood Caverns also provides non-cave entertainment. Visitors can enjoy their mountaintop amusement park before or after their cave tour. 

Rifle Ice Caves

The Rifle Ice Caves are a popular attraction during the winter months. Located in Rifle Mountain Park, the ice formations can begin as early as November, but generally start peak formation in December. The caves are created by a perpetual melt and freeze cycle that causes water to run down the walls and freeze.

Over time, this builds up layer upon layer of ice to create walls and caverns. In fact, these ice formations are very similar to the rocky stalactites and stalagmites that form in other caves. They just don’t take tens of thousands of years to form and they disappear when spring and summer come along. There are other caves and nooks to be found in Rifle Mountain Park throughout the year, but the Ice Caves offer a uniquely Colorado experience.

How to Find the Rifle Ice Caves

The Rifle Ice Caves are located about four to five hours northwest of Colorado Springs. I-70 is the most popular route, but many travelers enjoy skipping the Denver portion of the drive and taking Highway 24 to CO-9 and picking up I-70 in Frisco. It’s a little bit less stressful and you won’t end up trapped in the Eisenhower Tunnel if there’s a blizzard or an accident. Once you get to Rifle Mountain Park, you’ll locate the parking area on the left side of CO-Rd 217 and seek out the trailhead from there. There are three ice caves, upper, middle and lower. Trail signage is here to guide you, although it can get confusing with all of the rock climbing routes in the area.

The Rifle Ice Caves do require special planning. The majority of hikers strongly recommend that you wear spikes in order to safely navigate the frozen water in and around the caves. You may also want to being hiking sticks to help with your balance. Remember, hitting ice can hurt a lot more than a simple fall on the sidewalk. You want to manage your balance at all times. Hikers should also be aware that the trail can occasionally become buried in snow.

Dress in layers and bring water for the hike. Even though it isn’t a long hike, winter conditions can make it take longer to get there and back. The increased potential for injury makes it important to plan ahead. Last, watch for falling ice. The formations are fragile and can be quite heavy if they fall.

Glenwood Vapor Caves in Colorado

For a caving experience that is more relaxing than any other on this list, check out the Yampah Spa and Vapor Caves in Glenwood Springs. You might not expect the words “spa” and “cave” to be in the same sentence, but that’s exactly what you’ll find here. It’s safe to say these are some of the most luxurious caves in Colorado!

Vapor caves are natural underground “rooms” that fill with steam from mineral-rich hot springs that flow through them and around them. Many vapor cave fans believe that the steam has beneficial healing properties. However, that relief might just be a result of the dark, calm environment created by the caves themselves.

What to Expect at the Glenwood Vapor Caves in Colorado

A visit to the Yampah Spa and Vapor Caves is as unique as it is rejuvenating. Guests descend into cave rooms filled with marble benches surrounded by natural rock walls. Most caves maintain temperatures around 50°F (10°C). The Glenwood Vapor Caves hit temperatures of 110°F-113°F (43°C-45°C). The heat is only tolerable and safe for 10-15 minutes at a time, so the spa provides a cooling room in the caves and access to a solarium above ground. Cold water showers and small tubs are also situated in the caves to offer more cooling options. The hot spring that powers the vapor caves is about 125°F (52°C). It contains dozens of minerals that are beneficial to humans in addition to being a very neat form of natural heat and steam.

Guests typically enjoy the caves by lounging on the marble benches in dark alcoves. They use the cooling rooms and showers to break up time in the heat. It is a popular destination for couples and the spa offers several packages focused on tranquility and wellness. Visitors can also enjoy pre-cave mineral baths, massages, facials and other treatments in addition to the vapor caves. Larger groups should check out the party packages, which are popular for bachelorette and bachelor parties, and friend staycations and getaways.

Historic Wiesbaden Vapor Cave in Ouray

The last entry on this list of caves in Colorado is the smallest: the historic Wiesbaden Vapor Cave. It’s also the most difficult to experience because the attraction requires you to be a hotel guest or day guest to access it. While that can make it harder to visit, it does provide you the benefit of a much more private experience than more accessible caves. 

The vapor cave is located underneath the lodge of the Wiesbaden Lodge in the town of Ouray, Colorado. As far as the scenic atmosphere goes, you really cannot beat the Wiesbaden Vapor Cave. Rock formations, steaming pools and running streams create a cozy and picturesque subterranean experience that makes you feel as if you’ve stumbled upon a secret retreat. 

The Underground Pool at Wiesbaden

The vapor cave can get incredibly hot. The first chamber has a relatively cool spring running through it, coming in at about 78°F (25°C). That spring pours down the wall. The main chamber is significantly hotter. The temperature is a result of the hot spring pool that fills the space from its underground source. It generally sits at around 108°F (42°C). Most guests have noted in reviews that the pool can be too hot for a soak but that the steam it provides is extremely therapeutic. Guests can also use the outdoor hot spring or reserve the use of the lodge’s private pool, The Lorelei.

The history of the site is just as impressive as the cave and springs. The springs were once used by the indigenous Ute. Chief Ouray of the Uncompahgre Ute built a home at the hot springs and hosted many meetings to broker peace for the Ute people. The waters are still important in many ceremonies held today. 

Wiesbaden does not allow tobacco use anywhere on the property. In fact, visitors are asked not to use the facilities or stay if they have used tobacco in the last 30 days. We also recommend that you call ahead to confirm they allow day guests if you do not plan to stay. Occasionally, the lodge restricts the vapor cave to registered guess. 

Get Down in the Coolest (or Hottest) Caves in Colorado

We hope this list of Colorado caves provides you with inspiration for your next adventure. Remember to stay safe, take pictures and have a whole lot of cavernous fun.