Kartchner Caverns began with a drop of water--a shallow inland sea covered this area 330 million years ago, and deposited layers of sediment that hardened into limestone. Mountain building or an uplift dropped the limestone thousands of feet below the earth and below the mountains forming a hidden cavern.Kartchner Caverns was discovered by two brave souls Gary Tenen and Randy Tufts in 1974. I try to imagine what it would be like discovering a big cave in total
darkness. The discoverers squeezed though little tiny openings and chiseled for hours at a time to make some openings larger so they could discover the whole cave.
Then to protect the cave, Randy and Gary had to keep the cave a secret until they were sure it would be protected. At first, they thought the land was owned by the State of Arizona, but after research, they discovered was owned by the Kartchner family. They researched information about the family to see if they would work with them in preserving the cave and in February 1978, told the property owners, James and Lois Kartchner, about their discovery. The Kartchners did not have the funds to develop and protect the cave but were willing to work with Randy and Gary.
After inquiring about Federal and State Funds, they learned that Arizona was interested in establishing State Parks. They approached the State with the preservation conditions. The cave’s existence became public knowledge in 1988 when its purchase was approved as an Arizona State Park. $38 million later, the project is at its current state, a beautiful cavern with a variety of colors and formations.
Two tours are available in the winter months: the Rotunda/Throne Room Tour and the Big Room Tour. On April 15 of each year, the Big Room is sealed off so that the myotis bats can mate. During the summer months, the cave’s Big Room serves as a nursery roost for over 1,000 female cave bats.My friend Alex and I toured the Rotunda and Throne Room. We are briefed before entering the cave—no pictures and no clothing or accessories that can fall off can be taken into the cave. We are not allowed to touch the walls or rocks. After the briefing, we are carted by a tram to the man made opening of the cave. On the way up the mountain, the driver showed us the very small opening that Randy and Gary entered.
Upon entering the cave, there are two sets of doors. The first door opens and everyone enters into a small room. That door is closed before entering the second door. The State has installed lights to project the beauty of the formations hanging from the ceiling and extending from the walls and floors of the two rooms. The floor is covered with mud, which the discoverers preserved by using the same trail over and over again. Even today, workers use the same trail that Randy and Gary used.
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