Exploring the Coolest Caves in Arizona, California and Utah

There are a number of caves my brothers and I visited over the years and here are some of our favorites. Whenever we plan to visit National Parks, we look for caves in the surrounding area and sometimes, we’re pleasantly surprised at how many there are. We’ll add to this post as we visit more caves/caverns. Keep reading to learn about each location. 

The Grand Canyon Caverns - Peach Springs, Arizona

Located 300 feet below ground, visitors can take a 45-minute tour around the caverns, equivalent of three football fields! We considered this tour similar to an easy hike as there were some uphill and downhill sections of the tour. This cavern even has a full room that you can rent, complete with a bed, two loveseats, fridge, bathroom, TV, microwave, and supposedly, it’s haunted. We loved the cool lights that lit up the cavern. Did you know this cavern was a fallout shelter during the Cuban Missile Crisis? Read our full post for more information. 

Location: Route 66 Mile Marker 115 Peach Springs, Arizona

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Belly of the Dragon, Utah

Belly of the Dragon was the cave we visited near our AIRBNB in Orderville. This cave was originally a manmade drain pipe so it was easy to get into to and didn’t require any difficult rock scrambling. Inside, it was pitch black so we used our cell phone flashlights to guide us to the other end of the cave. Luckily, there weren’t any snakes or scary creatures inside the cave. To read our full post, click here. 

Inside the Belly of the Dragon

Moqui Cave, Utah

Getting inside Moqui cave required some rock scrambling, which was a bit scary to me but, the views were worth it and I conquered my fears. My brothers coached me to stay close to the ground, crouching down to prevent from slipping, and to follow their route up and down the cliff. We met with a group of strangers, age ranges between 20s and 40’s, who also expressed fear as we made our way up the side of a mountain. Note, this is not recommended for those with mobility issues. In the end, we were all happy we conquered the challenge. For more information, read our full post here. 

Address: 4581 US-89, Kanab, UT 84741

Map:

 

Valley of Fire State Park Caves, Nevada

Bright colored rocks and caves you can walk into made for a great visit at Valley of Fire State Park. We saw petroglyphs, took photos inside multiple caves and explored a variety of different rock formations. For our full recap, click here. 

Walk into the picture frame cave

Valley of Fire rock formations

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Hudson's Bluff Sea Cave / The Lost Boys Lair, California

Fans of the 80s vampire classic film, The Lost Boys, can hike their way down a bluff trail at Terranea Resort and make their way to the lair where the characters in the film would hang out. On the trail, you can see ocean views and perhaps spot a whale in the distance. Getting to this cave requires a bit of rock climbing so it’s not recommended for those with flip flops or with mobility issues. 

Lost Boys Lair

Map

Sea Caves at Refugio State Beach, California

During low tide, visitors can explore sea caves at Refugio State Beach near Solvang, CA. This state beach requires a $15 fee to get into and it also has a campground on site. This beach attracted paddle boarders, surfers and families camping nearby. For the full post recap, click here. 

Sea cave at Refugio State Beach

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Overall, these caves were fun to visit and easy to get to, with the exception of the Moqui Cave. Which cave is your favorite? Our goal is to visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico soon.

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