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Inside Black Chasm Cavern
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California cave guides

California’s cave guides are split between Gold Country and northern reservoir country. Choose the region that matches your trip before comparing cave names on a state map.

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Overview

Choose a California region before choosing a cave

MetricCave’s California coverage includes several Gold Country caverns as well as Lake Shasta Caverns in the north. That is enough range to make the state hub useful, but not enough to treat the caves as one touring circuit.

Gold Country caves work naturally with foothill towns and history; Lake Shasta is a different water-and-north-state day built around a boat transfer, bus climb, and guided tour. Open the individual guides once you know which side of California fits the trip.

Featured Caves

Start with these cave pages in California

These are the strongest starting points on this page.

Stop 03

Lake Shasta Caverns

Lakehead, California / Late spring through fall, though tours generally operate year-round when weather cooperates

Official Map

Stop 04

Mercer Caverns

Murphys, California / Late spring through fall, with reduced Thursday-through-Monday operations outside summer

Official Map

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Search by cave name or town, then sort the current list.

California cave pages

Current cave pages in California

Showing 5 cave pages in California.

01 Inside Black Chasm Cavern

CA / Volcano, California

Black Chasm Cavern

While Black Chasm Cavern was likely known about by the local Miwok people who existed in this area long before the gold rush, the first documented exploration occurred in 1854 when a grou...

Trip shape
Not yet verified
Booking
Not yet verified
Official Map
02 Inside California Cavern, State Historic Landmark

CA / Mountain Ranch, California

California Cavern, State Historic Landmark

Calaveras County cave near Mountain Ranch with seasonal guided walking routes, one of California's oldest public cave histories, and reservation-only spelunking trips that go far beyond a standard show-cave walk.

Trip shape
Not yet verified
Booking
Not yet verified
Official Map
03 Inside Lake Shasta Caverns

CA / Lakehead, California

Lake Shasta Caverns

Shasta County cave trip that starts with a catamaran ride and bus climb before a guided limestone tour through decorated rooms, humid air, and more than 600 stair steps.

Trip shape
Half day or Shasta County outing
Booking
Tour availability and weather conditions
Official Map
04 Inside Mercer Caverns

CA / Murphys, California

Mercer Caverns

Gold Country cave near Murphys with a compact 45-minute guided tour, an older stair-heavy feel, and a stronger history than its short route suggests.

Trip shape
Not yet verified
Booking
Not yet verified
Official Map
05 Inside Moaning Caverns, Adventure Park

CA / Vallecito, California

Moaning Caverns, Adventure Park

Gold Country cave stop known for California's largest public chamber, a 100-foot spiral staircase, and a split between the family Spiral Tour and the high-effort Expedition Tour.

Trip shape
Not yet verified
Booking
Not yet verified
Official Map