Skip to content
BusinessesGrow
Cave of the Mounds, Blue Mounds, WI

Photo: Caves Rock, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

AttractionsFamily FavoriteRainy-Day Pick

Cave of the Mounds

2975 Cave of the Mounds Rd · Blue Mounds, WI

Why you should go…

Cave of the Mounds was found by accident in 1939 when a quarry blast opened its entrance, and it opened to visitors with lights and walkways in May 1940. Guides lead you through fully lit rooms, some two stories tall, past stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, helictites and cave pearls tinted red, brown and blue by iron and manganese. It is a National Natural Landmark. Above ground, hiking trails and prairie, rock and butterfly gardens come with admission.

  • #show cave
  • #cave tour
  • #national natural landmark
  • #geology

Good to know

General attractions guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Book the time slot, not just the ticket

    Timed entry is now the norm at big-draw attractions, and online tickets are often cheaper than the gate.

  • Grab the daily schedule on arrival

    Feeding times, keeper talks, and shows run on a posted timetable that changes day to day.

  • The first hour is the quietest

    Queues build through late morning and peak after lunch, so an early start buys you the shortest waits.

  • Budget past the ticket price

    Parking, lockers, strollers, and food inside the gates are common extras worth planning for.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Cave of the Mounds, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Taliesin

    $50+

    Tour Frank Lloyd Wright's own home and studio on a 600-acre estate in the hills of Wisconsin's Driftless Area.

    15 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Eat & Drink
    Foodie Favorite

    New Glarus Brewing Company

    Free

    Wisconsin's hometown craft brewery, maker of Spotted Cow, with a tasting room, gift shop and free self-guided tour of its Riverside brewery.

    17 mi awaySwitch it up: Eat & Drink

  • Attractions
    Quirky Fun

    The House on the Rock

    $25–$50

    Walk through a house built atop a rock column, the 218-foot Infinity Room and an indoor carousel of 269 animals and 20,000 lights.

    17 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Local Gem

    Olbrich Botanical Gardens

    Free

    Sixteen acres of free outdoor gardens near Lake Monona, with a Thai pavilion and a tropical conservatory under a glass pyramid.

    25 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Noah's Ark Waterpark

    $25–$50

    Spend a summer day on more than 70 acres of water slides, raft rides, wave pools and lazy rivers in the Wisconsin Dells.

    40 mi awayMore like this

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park

    $25–$50

    A Greek-mythology themed resort where you ride roller coasters, go-karts and waterslides in both indoor and outdoor parks.

    41 mi awayMore like this