United States
Wisconsin (WI)
Blue Mounds
Things to Do in Blue Mounds
Cave of the Mounds

Cave of the Mounds, Blue Mounds: Hours, Address, Cave of the Mounds Reviews: 4.5/5

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Cave of the Mounds

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See all things to do
Cave of the Mounds
4.5
569
#1 of 6 things to do in Blue Mounds
Caverns & Caves • Geologic Formations
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9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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About
The most beautiful cave in Wisconsin and the upper Midwest, Cave of the Mounds lies just off U.S. Highways 18/151 in Blue Mounds, WI. The United States Department of the Interior and the National Park Service designated Cave of the Mounds a National Natural Landmark because the site possesses "exceptional value as an illustration of the nation's natural heritage and contributes to a better understanding of man's environment". Curious tourists and budding cave enthusiasts have been enjoying an introduction to caving in the midwest for years while visiting Cave of the Mounds. Commonly referred to as the "jewel box" of America's major caves for the variety and delicacy of its formations, Cave of the Mounds is recognized by the Chicago Academy of Sciences as "the significant cave of the upper Midwest".
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
569 reviews
Excellent
317
Very good
193
Average
44
Poor
11
Terrible
4
PMZ77
Brookfield, WI96 contributions
Face Your Claustrophobic Fears
Oct 2020
Driving up to the Cave of the Mounds, you would never guess what lies beneath the ground. The cave has beautiful formations and rivers, and worth seeing once. We went in October and paid extra to “Trick or Treat”, which was fun because our “treats” were some cool looking minerals. The “trick” though was maneuvering our way through the cave on our self-guided tour. Thanks to covid, they suspended the formal tours, so tourists can go at their own pace. But beware, some of the paths and caverns were really tight and not for the claustrophobic. The cave contains a lot of beautiful formations, but it’s not all totally natural. There has been a lot of construction to make it safe and easy for tourists to navigate, so it is not really for the hardcore caver. After touring the cave, we had a coupon for a free bag of sand to “pan” for stones and minerals. These two 40 year olds actually liked playing in the sand and water better than the cave itself, ha!
Written November 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
casinoguymichigan
michigan323 contributions
Great And Wonderful! A Must Do!
Jul 2021
This is 5 star and as far as I'm concerned, well wort the time and ticket price and a must do! There is a bit of a drive to get there if you are staying in Wisconsin dells, but the rock formations were stunning! The tour is self paced which is all the better. You can take your time and spend as much as you like at the different formations taking video or photographs. Take as many pictures as you like with or without flash.

There is some walking in the cave as well as up and down the stairs but that wasn't a big issue even though I am overweight and have a mild heart issue. There are personnel placed throughout the cave ready to answer your questions and that is nice. They seem very knowledgeable. The formations are spectacular, nothing quite as big as Merimac Caverns, for example, but this is a cave, not a cavern and it's plenty big. Again, it's nice to be able to walk it at your own pace without some guide rushing you along.

There is a really nice gift shop with many aggregate and other polished gems for purchase at reasonable prices. They said the temperature is around 50 degrees and dress appropriately so I wore jeans, t-shirt and a light jacket. I would say maybe upper 50's lower 60's and I was quite comfortable. Shorts if you like, just be aware of the cooler temperatures. I can't say enough on how great my visit here was! Not expensive and anyone in the area should do this!.
Written August 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Trevor P
Regina, Canada475 contributions
Amazing!
May 2022
We made the trek here to check out the caves, were not disappointed. The history is amazing. The staff were knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and since we were one of the last groups, they even turned out the lights and played with a uv light to make the cave glow! It was awesome!
Written May 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
mdfstephens2017
Fitzgerald, GA138 contributions
Short self-tour, worth the visit
Jun 2022
About an hour's self tour, reasonable cost for attraction. Nice rock shop gift shops (2), plus a BEER stand, which was quite welcome. It was the shortest cave tour I've ever been on (more than a dozen in various states). Still worth seeing. Some stairs, so mobility can be an issue, and caves drip, so the pathways are wet (this is normal). I was "baptized" several times. The tour guides stationed throughout the cave are quite knowledgeable and it is worth asking questions. You can rent a black light flashlight for an extra $10 bucks and several formations "lit up" quite nicely.
Written June 9, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Fred_A
Gurnee, IL38 contributions
A Perfect Activity on a Rainy Day
Sep 2020
We decided to visit the cave since it was a rainy at Wisconsin Dells. The drive to the cave took around an hour. The admission was $20 per person, which includes some above ground attractions and trails.

Since this was during the pandemic, we were required to wear masks and keep our distances 6 feet apart. The entry into the cave was staggered based on the ticket colors (about 15 minutes apart). Within the group color itself, it was about 5 minutes apart. After a briefing session, we started our self-guided tour inside the cave. It was amazing to see the rock formations in different shapes and sizes, carved by nature.
It took us about an hour to cover the entire tour (depending on your pace) since we love to admire each formation for quite a while (while others just breeze through them).

This is a good place to spend with kids, especially on a rainy day where outdoor activities are limited. Just a footnote, the official photo op at the beginning of the tour didn't turn out well. We couldn't find our photo at the exit. The photographer apologized and offered to take our photo again but we declined (and saved $10). It was nothing but a cave wall background for a memento, so we didn't miss anything.
Written September 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Mindy K
1 contribution
Last minute stop ant the end of open hours
Aug 2021 • Family
Eight of us arrived at the last minute before 4:00 to sneak in on their final tour of the day. All the staff was very accommodating and moved quickly to get us in on the tour. The self guided pace was nice and having hosts in the "rooms" to tell us a little about the cave as we wondered through was helpful. But the cherry on top was when Chris offered to give us a bonus cave adventure as all the other guest groups had left. He safely showed us which formations glowed under black light and shut off the lights to show us the natural cave environment. Everyone (ages 11 and up) had a great experience! Thanks Chris, and the rest of the staff, for making out last minute stop extra special!
Written August 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Michele1012013
Sun Prairie, WI38 contributions
A great family experience
Jan 2022 • Family
Our family was in awe of the beauty of this natural wonder. We recommend renting the blacklight flashlight, and be sure to ask the guides for interesting facts and points of interest. We especially liked "discovering" fossils and great blacklight spots. The river was a favorite, and turning off the lights was amazing! We went on a very cold day,, but it's always 50 degrees in the cave! Our boys can't wait to return!
Written January 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Peggy B
Bettendorf, IA52 contributions
Best experience
Oct 2020 • Couples
We have visited many other caves, however this was the first one were you could guide yourself and stay as long as you wanted. There were staff placed around to ask questions. The cost is $18.95/adult. Tall people will have to duck in some places. Larger, wider people may have a difficult time as some places were tight to walk through (I am a 5'7" 265lb lady - no wide body areas and fit very well). There are many steps as well. This would not accommodate a wheelchair.
Written October 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Tate P
2 contributions
Family Get Together!
Jul 2021
Every time I visit this place, it is an extraordinary experience. The people who work here are real and fun to be around. They answer my questions and we chat as if we are old friends. I bring my family here (aunts, cousins, parents, siblings, etc.) and every time I do I learn something. The self-paced guided tours are the best! They allow my EXTREMELY SLOW, inquisitive family members to take their time and ask questions. Let me tell you, they ask the weirdest questions but this staff doesn't bat a lid at them and answers them with ease. Thank you for your patience Cave of the Mounds as well as giving us a place to go for a couple of hours that is unique.
Written January 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Chris_626
West Palm Beach, FL145 contributions
Impressive Trip & It's Mid Winter
Feb 2020 • Family
The location was easily accessible, and they had handicap parking. The location offers a gift shop, nature trail and gem mining. In the middle of winter, the gift shop and cave were available.
I'm rating this location high due to the friendliness of all staff members, and the patience and education level of our tour guide Christopher. We had a claustrophobic person in our group, and he was well trained, and patient to get her through the experience. Also, he was extremely knowledgeable on the cave! The cave tour itself was paced perfectly! Not too fast, not too slow, plenty of time for questions and pictures.

Note: Portions of the cave use stairs (about a flight), and the tour runs about an hour.

I really recommend it as a must do! The value and experience were fantastic.
Written February 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Cave of the Mounds
Cave of the Mounds is open:
  • Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM