Indiana Caverns : A Learning Adventure for your Kids

***Disclaimer- My family was provided entry to the caverns and nearby accommodations in exchange for this post. Rest assured, all opinions expressed in this post are my own. This post also may contain affiliate links. This simply means that if you make a purchase through one of these links, I may be compensated at no additional cost to you.***

Cave adventures and novices alike, get ready for a summer experience that will blow your kids minds! Indiana Caverns will be a summer activity your kiddos will not soon forget.

Upon conducting my search for fun, yet educational experiences for my family to embark on this summer, I found the Indiana Caverns. While this cave system is a fairly recent discovery in Indiana in comparison to other caves in the area, it offered more than it’s fair share of adventure.

From mining your own gemstones, to getting up close and personal with fossil excavation sites in the caverns. There is so much to do and see on the property! Need a taste of the activities available before you plan your own trip?

Check these out!

Education before Entry

Have your kids ever wondered how caves were formed? Maybe you yourself need to brush up on your cave knowledge.

Either way, you are sure to be impressed by the vast array of knowledge that Indiana Caverns provides. Before you ever begin the cave tour, you are invited to view a film explaining the history of the caverns, including how they were created.

Following the story of the creation of the caverns, you also get to learn about the caverns discovery. This was especially exciting to my oldest, who related the discovery story to the original cavern entrance shown on the tour.

Note to Moms: This video may not be suited well to small children who do not sit well for videos. While it is only about 10 minutes’ worth of screen time, the video is not a cartoon, and thus may not appeal to all littles. Luckily, the staff is super accommodating! There is place outside of the viewing area where you and your little can await the rest of your party to begin the tour if your little is not in the mood for a movie.

Breathtaking Cave Formations

Upon entering the caverns, prepare to have the sights take your breath away! As the lights are turned on throughout the cavern tour, I literally heard the gasps from my 9 year old, and found myself in just as much awe.

All of your usual cave formations can be found within the Indiana Caverns. From stalagmites and stalactites, to columns and draperies. My children loved testing their newfound cave formation knowledge as we progressed through the tour.

One of my entire group’s favorite sights was a formation called Big Bone Mountain! This mountain underground was absolutely unreal, and something that your kids will be talking about for days. Also on the tour was a waterfall that got both of my older kids talking, and even had Ellie giggling from her Tula.

Overall, the open panoramic views of the Indiana Caverns stunned my kiddos and left me fascinated. As more of is cave system, the largest in Indiana, continues to be discovered, I will be excited to see how this tour expands in the future!

Best of Both Worlds

During our tour of the Indiana Cave Trail, my 4 year old was beyond enthused to get to go on a boat ride.

I on the other hand, was beyond nervous.

A 4 year old (along with my 9 year old, and Tula bound 1 year old), on a boat, on an underground river, in a cave. Yes, this sounds like fun.

Great news moms!
Indiana Caverns has the perfect mix of walking AND boat ride during their tour. This allowed me to get over my fear of putting all of these children onto a boat underground. Also, Brendan and Addi were DAZZLED by the sights of the caverns by boat! The river is brilliantly lit by blue lights enabling you to see through the water as you float through the cavern.

Also, for you mama’s out there who have safety concerns, get ready. The staff expertly balance the pontoons that carry you throughout your cavern journey during loading. They also make unloading a breeze by unloading in pairs. Staff are quick to point out life preservers upon loading, and enforce all safety rules throughout the ride. (Hubby’s, this means you WILL get called out for trying to rock the boat.)

Fossils, Fossils and More Fossils

One of the amazing qualities of this tour vs. the others on the Indiana Cave Tour were the amount of fossils that you see! Indiana Caverns hosts several fossilized species in the caves, and allows you to see some of these up close.

Also along the tour, you are able to see fossil excavation sites up close! While my children have seen fossils at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum, here they were able to see where these fossils come from!

Plus, did you know that the Children’s Museum even houses one of the fossilized skulls from the Indiana Caverns?

I love it when a lesson comes full circle!

Added Extras

Gem Mining

While we were on site at Indiana Caverns, my oldest two kiddos were able to try their hand at gemstone mining!

Addi was thrilled to sluice her way through the dirt and sand to discover beautiful gemstones. She then was classified them according to the card provided with her mining bag.

Brendan on the other hand, was excited to play in the water while finding “pretty rocks” as he called them.

Interpretive Trail and Nature Trail

On the property, there are two trails that allow you and your kiddos to get out and run around!

During our visit, we went on the interpretive trail, and boy, was there a lot to learn! During the experience, you visit several sites on an open trail. Here, you are able to read from signs at each site to further learn about the area. Addison was able to read the signs aloud (with a little help) and we all were able to learn some great information.

While we did not have time for the nature trail, we were informed that the trail promised a peaceful, short walk in the Indiana outdoors.

Cavern of the Sabertooth

This experience was a unique one, and one that I had not seen before! For a few extra bucks, your kiddos are able to experience what it is like for real cave explorers. They get to strap on a hardhat, grab a flashlight, and go spelunking through manmade tunnels.

If you or your husband are feeling especially limber, you are able to join the kids on this adventure!

While your little ones are exploring, you get to relax on the beautiful patio area found at the mouth of this small cave. Doesn’t get much better than that!

Deep Darkness Challenge

If you just cannot get enough of the caves life, you NEED to look into the Deep Darkness Challenge! While this one is probably not for the kiddos (experiences start at age 14+) this could make for a totally unique date.

Four hours of cave exploring will take you through the cave in an experience much different than the day to day cave tour. You will get to crawl, climb and kayak your way through an unforgettable cave experience.

Sounds like a rather exciting date experience, no?

**For those interested in the Deep Darkness Challenge, keep in mind that this tour does require a special reservation! While tours can be conducted 7 days a week, reservations must be made and paid in full at least 10 days in advanced.***

Accommodations

While traveling through the Indiana Cave Trail, my crew stayed in the Hampton Inn by Hilton in nearby historic Corydon, IN. The hotel provided my kids with a much needed swim following a warm day of spelunking through the caves. The hotel also boasts wonderful accommodations that were enjoyed by all!

The staff was beyond amazing, and very friendly. Also, the complimentary breakfast had something for everyone in our group to enjoy! I cannot thank them enough for accommodating our crazy, and would definitely stay with them in the future!

You can make your own reservations with the Hampton Inn in Corydon by visiting their website here.

All in all, my family loved our trip to Indiana Caverns, and hope to return in the near future! The caves were the perfect escape from the heat of the day, (a consistent 56 degrees year round), and the property offered so many fun activities.

Are you planning to visit Indiana Caverns in the near future? Have you been there and have some tips to share of your own? Let me know in the comments below!

Want to learn about other caves on the Indiana Cave Trail? Check out my post on the nearby Squire Boone Caverns here!