secret caverns

It is a good visit! I've lived in this area my whole life, and only saw it a year or so ago ... it's truly a CAVE, plenty of wet, low areas to navigate. i was entertained!

We did both Howe's Caverns and Secret Caverns and would pick this over Howe's because it's not as developed, more like what it might have been like back in 1929, although the stairs are an improvement to the ladders. We were there right at 10 when it opened, a group of 8, but had to wait for a tour for 25 minutes. The decor in the sales room goes back to the look of the 40's. One caveat… the bathrooms was filthy and there was no water to wash hands in sink in men's or women's bathroom. Use the Howe's rest rooms before going here. Had the department of health inspected, they would be shut down. Sad ending to a lovely cave adventure.

We visited this past weekend and enjoyed it. It is different than the 2 caves I have visited in Kentucky. Not for those with a fear of tight spaces. There appeared to be very little altering and I felt like it was the raw, real deal.

The bats are gone; but the slippery steps, dripping walls and narrow passageways are here, along with beautiful reflecting ponds and a stunning waterfall! Loved it!

this place is amazingly impressive . going down through staircase is classic and make you feel that it is the real deal that you are going under ground. it has also a waterfall at the end . totally worth for what they charge . wear properly if you are planning to visit the cave is around 52 degree year around .

Well, at the start of the tour you have to climb down 100+ steps so you better wear comfortable walking shoes. It had rained the day before I took the walking tour and it was pretty wet down there. The steps were a little slippery so the guide tried to sweep off the access water. The walkways are narrow, and the walls were wet. One section even looked like it had a stream running along side it, and that was pretty cool. I lucked out and had a small group for the tour, I couldn't imagine having to travel on the narrow, cave-like pathway with lots of tourists. At the end of the trail is the 100 foot waterfall. The mist hitting us from the falling water was quite refreshing after this little hike thru the caves.

Upon purchasing our tickets we were told there would be a 15 minute wait, which was no problem as that is quite usual for most cave tours. About a half hour later a tour bus of no less than 50 people came in and lined up at the entrance of the cave. We were then told that we would be going down in a second tour after the bus people were taken into the cave. 15 minutes after that the bus people were still taking bathroom breaks and preparing to go into the cave....we had waited long enough. We asked for our money back and were given it without any apology for having wasted 45 minutes of our time. I'm sure once in the cavern it is beautiful as we have been to at least a dozen others in a few different states, however we did not have the opportunity to find out. I'm confused still why we had to wait a half hour, after being told 15 minutes, while no other customers came and then were pushed aside when a tour bus arrived, the workers were just plain rude...if in the area I highly suggest Howe Caverns as it is gorgeous, unique, and we weren't treated as if our business meant nothing!!

My 14 year old daughter wanted to go to Howe Caverns because she had never been there before. Since it was a hot day and I had not been there for some time, I thought this was a great idea. While looking at the Howe Caverns site, I saw a link to Secret Caverns. I had never heard of Secret Caverns and decided we should go there as well, since it is only five minutes away. Apparently, Secret Caverns was discovered by an engineer working on the Howe Caverns site (and by two unfortunate cows) Howe Caverns has elevators down to the caverns, paved walkways, handrails, boat rides and more. It is slickly operated, well known and it is a great place. But, Secret Caverns is the cool place, the lesser known caverns. I was pleasantly surprised by its simplicity when we got there. There is a 103 walk down to the cavern floor, many of the steps cut out of the rock. The walkway, while paved, has not been updated for many years. And I don’t think the walls are further than six or seven feet wide. But, don’t let that deter you because there are fabulous limestone formations and at the end, there is a 100 foot underground waterfall. All of this is what makes it a hidden gem. Our guide was humorous and folksy and made it a fun tour. The only caveat is that you have to walk back up those 103 steps. If you don’t get winded easy, it shouldn’t be a problem. I would recommend good shoes such as sneakers or hiking boots and a light jacket or sweater; like Howe Caverns, the temperature is about 50 degrees.

I love Secret Caverns! Fascinating, really beautiful! Great prices, great gift ideas! I loved all the many colors that were unexpected to find. All the staff were friendly & helpful!

This was my second time here and it's still very cool. The marketing is a bit hokey but the caverns are neat. I'd say if you have the time or you come back, doing both Howe and the Secret caverns is worth it but if the line is too long at Howe, head on down to Secret, it costs less and there's usually little to no wait. The caverns are wet and chilly (50 degrees), so be prepared to wear pants, a sweatshirt and sneakers (no sandals). The floor can be slippery. The waterfall at the end is the best part and if you bring a change of clothes/shoes you can walk right in (the water is much warmer than the air). There are 103 stairs and the whole tour is walking.

This cavern is fantastic -- as close to spelunking as the unathletic can get! The features are very interesting to see and the waterfall is awesome. Be prepared for a wet path -- flip flops and sandals are not the best footwear for this tour. The only entry is by 108 damp steps of varying heights to walk down into the cave and back up at the end of the tour, but they do have a handrail. And of course the cavern is the usual 50 degree temperature of underground places. Don't miss seeing the ice cave near the entrance. We had a young man as our tour guide whose youthful laid back humor none the less provided good laughs and chuckles. There are picnic tables under shade trees which would be a great spot for lunch or a bite to eat; however, the only food available when we visited was from a food cart. All in all, it was a very interesting, fun, and worthwhile visit.

Enjoyed the caverns. The waterfall is beautiful. If your coming up to Howe Caverns, take the extra trip up the road to secret cavern. Both places are unique in their own right. Neither should be missed.

My husband and I decided to stop at Howe Caverns on our way home from Cooperstown (A few years back). Once we started seeing the campy, tourist trap signs, we decided Secret Caverns was right up our alley and detoured. We absolutely loved the caverns. We were part of a very small group (6 people) and our tour guide was great. She was energetic, engaging, I don't think anyone in our group was disappointed.

We wanted to see the caverns but didn't think our five year old would last the 90 minute tour at Howe Caverns. The Secret Caverns are great. The entire tour is interactive and kept the attention of my five year old (plus he was free to get in). We had a great day and memories that will last a life time. I'm so glad we decided to go to the secret caverns.

My husband & I have already been to Howe Caverns so we wanted something different. Enter Secret Caverns...it's a bit quirky with the signage but totally worth it. Our guide (I think his name was Joel or Josh - can't remember) did a great job explaining things and he had an awesome sense of humor. On the return trip back up, we walked in the dark (eerie but it definitely puts perspective on things). We liked this better than Howe because it's not as touristy and the cave (other than installing lights and stairs) is relatively untouched. We loved it.