Kids Underground: California Cave Adventures

If your family has never toured underground caverns, you’ll be fascinated by how beautiful they are. On a hot summer day in Gold Country, it’s totally cool to see fantastic crystalline formations; gigantic, multicolored mineral towers; and stalagmites and stalactites. Caverns are not particularly claustrophobic— believe me, I would know.

Family members do need to be able to walk easily up and down stairs. No children carried in backpacks; front packs and slings are okay. Toddlers might be scared if/when the lights are turned off for a moment, which is sometimes done to show how dark the dark can be; ask about this possibility before you buy a ticket.

• California Caverns, 8 miles east of Highway 49 off Mountain Ranch Road, San Andreas; (866) 762–2837; http://www.caverntours.com/CalifRt.htm. Open to the public since 1850. Eighty-minute tours wind through narrow passageways and limestone chambers 200 feet high. Adults $$$; ages 3–12 $$; under 3 free.

• Mercer Caverns, 1 mile north of Murphys, at 1667 Sheep Ranch Road; (209) 728–2101; www.mercercaverns.com. This one-hour tour features magnificent mineral formations. Aduts $$$; ages 5-12 $$; under 5 free.

• Moaning Caverns, Parrots Ferry Road, 2 miles south of Vallecito; (866)762–2837; http://www.caverntours.com/MoCavRt.htm. This forty-five minute tour features a 100-foot spiral staircase. For the adventurous, this cavern offers a three-hour, 180-foot descent by rope in the main chamber, with equipment supplied. Adults $$$; ages 3–12 $$; under 3 free.

• Black Chasm, between Volcano and Pinegrove, off the Volcano- Pinegrove Road; (866) 762–2837; http://www.caverntours.com/BlackRt.htm. Descend steep and narrow stairways into a dreamlike world of wavering, dripping draperies of flowstone, glowing subterranean lakes, crystal formations, stalactites, and stalagmites. It is a steady, damp sixty degrees year-round. Adults $$$; ages 3 to 12 $$; under 3 free.

Rates for tickets
$    = up to $5 per person
$$    = up to $6 to 10 per person
$$$     = up to $11 to $20 person
$$$$     = more than $20 per person

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By Karen Misuraca. This article is from Globe Pequot Press’ Fun with the Family – Northern California 2007 edition.