Educational Tours

Get deep into learning, 350 ft. deep underground that is!

Cumberland Caverns offers 6 unique educational programs designed to both excite and inform students about the wonders of the underground. Each program includes a fully guided tour of a lighted developed area of Cumberland Caverns where students will learn about the fascinating geology, unique history and wildlife that inhabits the cave.

After the tour each program is designed for your group to eat lunch (provided by you) in one of the largest rooms of the caverns, the Volcano Room. Here you will dine under our ¾ ton chandelier while watching an all new A/V presentation about the formation of caves and other unique features about caves and caverns.

When you exit the cave don’t forget to stop by our newly remodeled educational resource center (gift shop) where students and adults can purchase a souvenir of their visit.

These programs are available year-round for booking around your busy school schedules.

Please call (931-668-4396) or email our office for available dates.

Education Field Trip Options

Download PDF of
Educational Field Trip Options

Attention Tennessee Teachers: Your ID Badge gets you in free! TN Teachers receive a free Daily Scenic Walking Tour, all year round. You deserve a field trip for yourself. So come on by, and let us give you a tour of Cumberland Caverns, free of charge.

50-60 minute tour of the cavern

30 minute lunch

15 minute walking time to and from cave

This is a shorter cave tour, which does not include crossing the Mountain Room, and does not include the creation pageant.

TOUR TAKES 2 HOURS

50-60 minute tour of the cavern

30 minute lunch

30-45 minute candlelight ghost story

15 minute walking time to and from cave

50-60 minute tour of the cavern

30 minute lunch

15 minute walking time to and from cave

30-60 minutes of panning for gems or fossils*

*This program includes one bag of pre-seeded gems or fossils mix for each student.  The students go to our mining sluice to find out what is hidden in their bag.  Each bag has several different varieties of gems or fossils

90 minute tour of the cavern

30 minute lunch

15 minute walking time to and from cave

This is the full walking tour including the world-famous creation pageant, a beautiful poetic retelling of the creation story with music and lights. A favorite of school groups for years.

TOUR TAKES 2 1/2 HOURS

For those that want to answer "All of the Above" Cumberland Caverns is now offering a full-day experience at the cave.

A 5 hour, all you can do, cave field trip

• Full tour of cave, including light show
• Lunch in the Volcano Room, w/ video
• Candle-lit ghost story
• Gem mining

If you've got the time, we've got the cave! With all the field trip options open, your "Day at the Cave" will be one your students will always remember.

Find out more here: Adventure Trips Page

Optional 90 minute Scenic Wa liking Tour of the cavern for daytime adventure trips

30 minute lunch

90-120 minute adventure tour through "untamed" portions of the cave.

15 minute walking time to and from cave

Printable Daytime Adventure Trip Brochure
Printable Daytime Adventure Trip Request Form

• Rocky Topper
4-4½ hour daytime spelunking adventure, perfect for youth groups
& first time adventure seekers.
• Higgenbotham’s Revenge
5-5½ hour daytime spelunking adventure, more challenging trip, Includes mountain hike. (ages 12 & up)
• What Waits Below
15 hour overnight spelunk-tacular adventure, perfect 56 degree year-round camping, fully-functional rest rooms facilities in the cave at campsite, great church or corporate retreat!
• All Around the Mountain
17 hour overnight spelunk-tacular adventure for the group that wants to do more. By popular demand we have combined our Overnight "What Waits Below" tour with "Higgenbotham's Revenge" tour taken the following morning.

There is a fifteen person minimum for all of these tours and are reserved for schools and home-schools only.

• For your safety, PLEASE wear good walking shoes.
• Pack all lunches into cardboard boxes or plastic tubs so that we can easily transport them to the cave.
• Full payment should be made at the door the day of your trip. We accept American Express, Discover, Mastercard, and Visa. Checks should be made payable to: Cumberland Caverns.
• Cumberland Caverns is happy to accept your school system's Purchase Order (PO's) for payment.

Home-School groups are always welcomed. The same group rates and prices above are offered to home-school groups. Please call ahead and let us know when you want schedule any of the above tours for your group.

All Reservations are requested be made a minimum of 14 days prior to the date of the trip. We will try to arrange trips with less than 14 days notice but it is subject to staff availability. To make reservations contact us at:

Cumberland Caverns
1437 Cumberland Caverns Road
McMinnville, TN 37110
(931) 668-4396
Email: info@cumberlandcaverns.com

Cumberland Caverns gladly accepts your school systems Purchase Orders for payment on your field trips.

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