It is standard to go wild caving with two leads.  In most cases, one guide will stay at the front, one at the back and the rest of the cavers stay in between.  This type of practice is best to prevent participants from getting lost in the midst of caving maze.

Another technique to keep the group together is each individual is responsible to ensure the immediate person in front and behind are within his/her visual proximity.  This method does not always work well especially when the member does not hold a sense of integrity, responsibility, or lack of patience.

It is very easy to get lost on a wild cave tour because almost all cave walls look similar and sometimes even if you’re just a few feet behind, you could lose sight of the the track, especially on a sharp, small and tight corner turn.

Each person will be provided a map; however, most likely you will not use it because — first, you will be led by experienced guides.  Second, you are not allowed to explore cracks and paths that aren’t part of the route. Third, after all, you’re not supposed to find your way out when you are lost; you need to stay, shout out loud so people can gage where you are at, and let the guide to come and find you.

Caving adventure generally takes 2.5 to 6 hours long, depending on how long or difficult the passage is.  Normally, we took the same route going in and out of the cave. However, if the passage is complete, you will be able to go in from one entrance and come out from a different entrance, called one-way-passage.

There is no bathroom facility inside the cave.  Whatever you carry in, you’ll need to carry them out, including trash, urine and feces.  Mystery cave is considered the longest cave in Minnesota, and even so, it does not come with bathroom luxury.

Our Experiences

• Mystery cave in MN
• Mammoth cave in KY