The Grand Canyon Caverns is a roadside attraction just off of Route 66 in Arizona. Our first voyage through this particular stretch of tarmac was over three years ago. At that time, we were unable to stop and partake of this specific sight because Harvey was with us. Andrea had been here once before many years ago.
Driving along the entrance road, we sauntered past an old police car hiding behind a tree. At the end, we reached the building that houses the opening to the cavern.
first impressions
The main entrance area was not quite what I was expecting!
The decor outside was a mixed-up jumble of things. A giant Dinosaur stands next to a rusted-out lawnmower; an old motor-less motorboat sits beside a petrified log and there is no cohesiveness to the items. Strange, in my opinion!
We went inside to find the times for the next tour, and wow, does this place need a renovation! Should have guessed that from the decor outside. Yet despite all of this, I was still excited to see the cavern. There is something incredibly fascinating about how nature creates these fantastic locations around the world and the circumstances of their discovery.
220 feet below the surface
The tour guide emerged from the depths; his previous clientele had disembarked from the elevator and had gone on their merry way.
Our group consisted of eight. The guide gave us a few facts about the cavern, made attempts at some jokes, which were terrible but had us laughing, before being ushered into the elevator for the 220-foot descent.
As the doors open the smell and air changed. It stays a consistent 62 degrees down here all year round, and you can instantly feel the dryness in the atmosphere.
Rope lights were lining the pathway and around the handrails of the stairs.
a brief history of the Grand Canyon caverns
This particular cave is “dead”. Because there is no moisture, no stalactites or stalagmites grow. The only stalactite that exists is a mere seven inches, and that would have taken 70,000 years to build. There are no animals, insects or creepy crawlies of any kind found because the air is too dry so nothing can survive for long periods.
Walter Peck found the cavern on his way to a poker game in the 1920s. He came back the next day with his poker buddies to explore it more. He decided to charge people an entry fee by tying them to a rope and lowering them down the hole, coining the phrase “Dope on a Rope”.
In the 1960s during the Cuban missile crisis, the government designated the cavern as a fallout shelter. They loaded it with supplies for 2,000 people. These supplies are still here on full display.
hotel suite and wedding hotspot
You can order yourself some food or wine at the eatery upstairs and eat or drink it in the cavern at the recently built grotto.
Or, for around $1,000 per night, you can book the open-air room. All the amenities of a real hotel room await. Except for high-speed internet and T.V. service!
They have thought long and hard about a way around that though, installing a television with DVDs such as Lethal Weapon 3, Kindergarten Cop and Demolition Man. Only the best Hollywood blockbusters will do for this special occasion!
I feel that this spoils this unique environment!
Fun Fact; Ozzy Osbourne and his son Jack spent the night in this room for their T.V. show.
You can even book your wedding down here. Several bouquets have been left on the rock wall to see how long they will survive (the flowers, not the marriages)!
OTHER visual stimuli
I have to say the way the cavern opens up in spots is impressive and there are quite peculiar rock formations especially when you see the elevation change by standing at the top and bottom of the main stairwell.
There is still active archaeology in one section of the cavern, and they believe that the airflow makes the 65-mile journey to the Grand Canyon itself. A dye was pumped into this cavity to see where the airflow travelled. Two weeks later, the coloured air appeared out of the side of the Grand Canyon!
Our guide, however, said he could neither confirm nor deny that report. If you would like to find out for yourself, then you can pay to be a part of that project and get the real scoop.
We saw the dried remains of a small bobcat which had fallen into the cavern, unable to escape it became mummified.
Just further along there’s a replica of a giant sloth. You can see claw marks on the wall where it attempted to climb out.
There are more in-depth tours you can take. You can find the information on their website here.
Our takeaway on the Grand Canyon caverns
So I will conclude by saying that the third-largest dry cave in the world was worth a stop. I do believe anyone who appreciates how nature paints works of art, will find the Grand Canyon Caverns a worthwhile visit.
If you are short of time and are continuing through to Chicago on Route 66, there are two other caverns you may want to consider visiting. We would suggest researching all of them and choosing which one takes your fancy.
- Meramac Caverns – near Stanton, Missouri
- Fantastic Caverns – Springfield, Missouri.
Side note – as of writing this blog, we have not visited either Meramac or Fantastic Caverns and are unable to advise.
GRAND CANYON CAVERNS – in a nutshell
- Address: Route 66, East of Peach Springs, AZ
- https://gccaverns.com/about/A
- Admission fees: Regular Tour (45 min):
- Adults: $20.95 + tax
- Seniors 65+: $15.95 + tax
- Children (ages 5 – 12): $13.95 + tax.
- There are more in-depth tours you can take. You can find the information on their website here
- Wear sturdy shoes and take a jacket, as it can be cold in the caves
- Steep stairways in some areas
- Not WHCH accessible (although they may have tours to accommodate)
location map
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