Journey Into a Cave

It’s a bright winter day. Golden sunlight dances off the grass. Birds chirp as they fly through the blue sky. You’re about to leave this sunlit meadow and travel deep underground . . . into a giant cave.

Parts of it have been explored. Others are completely unknown. You take a deep breath. Then you begin to climb down into the dark and dangerous world below. 

It’s a bright winter day. Golden sunshine covers the grass. Birds chirp as they fly through the blue sky. You’re about to leave this sunny meadow and travel deep underground . . . into a giant cave.

Parts of it have been explored. Other parts are completely unknown. You take a deep breath. Then you begin to climb down into the dark and dangerous world below. 

Caves are large, open areas beneath Earth’s surface. The oldest caves are millions of years old. You can find caves in every part of our planet: in the sea, in the ice, even in volcanoes! 

The U.S. has about 45,000 caves scattered across the country. Many are filled with breathtaking wonders. In Tennessee, a giant waterfall gushes into the caves at Lookout Mountain. In Kentucky, more than 400 miles of mazelike passages stretch out from Mammoth Cave. And in South Dakota, dazzling crystals line Jewel Cave.

Lured by the beauty and mysteries of these caves, millions of Americans set out each year on bold—and sometimes risky—cave adventures . . . including you! 

Caves are large, open areas below Earth’s surface. The oldest caves are millions of years old. You can find caves in every part of our planet: in the sea, in the ice, even in volcanoes! 

There are about 45,000 caves across the U.S. Many are filled with amazing sights. In Tennessee, there is a giant waterfall in the caves at Lookout Mountain. In Kentucky, there are 400 miles of passages in Mammoth Cave. And in South Dakota, there are shining crystals in Jewel Cave.

Millions of Americans visit these caves every year. They go on exciting—and sometimes risky—adventures. You’re one of them!  

You’re now hundreds of feet below Earth’s surface. There’s no sunshine down here. No plants grow. No birds chirp. The air is thick and heavy.

Suddenly, you spot something crawling in the darkness. You realize . . . you’re not alone. A ghostly white spider scurries past you. It doesn’t have eyes! 

Like many cave animals, this spider doesn’t need eyes to see. It spends its whole life in darkness, using its other senses to feel its way around. More creepy creatures, like scorpions and salamanders, lie hidden in the darkness. Time to get out of here!

You’re now hundreds of feet below Earth’s surface. There’s no sunshine down here. No plants grow. No birds chirp. The air is thick and heavy.

Suddenly, you spot something crawling in the darkness. Then you realize something. You’re not alone. You see a ghostly white spider run past you. It doesn’t have eyes! 

Like many cave animals, this spider doesn’t need eyes to see. It spends its whole life in darkness. It uses its other senses to feel its way around. In the darkness, there are even more creepy creatures like scorpions and salamanders. Time to get out of here!

Swoosh! Hundreds of bats soar over your head. They’re flying up a giant cliff, toward the fading sunlight.

As you begin your climb back to the cave’s entrance, you feel lucky. You’ve just visited one of Earth’s oldest natural wonders. You’ll never forget the sights you saw in this deep, dark cave! 

Swoosh! Hundreds of bats soar over your head. They’re flying up a giant cliff into the fading sunlight.

You climb back to the cave’s entrance. You feel lucky. You’ve just visited one of Earth’s oldest natural wonders. You’ll never forget what you saw in this deep, dark cave!