Kartchner Caverns Big Room Re-opens

The Big Room re-opens and Big Room Tours resume Oct. 14th, at Kartchner Caverns State Park. Explore the cave, hike, camp, & attend special Oct. programs featuring bats, snakes & cave eco-systems. It is also time to think about your families coming in for the holidays & getting cave tours booked in advance. Some days are already sold out.

On Oct. 14th, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., Peggy Quiatt presents "Bats: Friend or No?" In Chinese lore bats are considered symbols of good luck & happiness. Join us to find out what bats are, how they live & reproduce, what is harmful to them, what benefit they are to humans, & why they have been revered in other parts of the world. (Open to visitors 4th grade & above.)

On Oct. 17th, from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m., Ed Moskwa will show you how to make your own bat house. Have you ever been sitting in your yard & been bothered by mosquitoes, flies, or other flying insects? Have you planted a garden & had your plants destroyed by insects? We have the answer for you at "BATS (Bats Are Truly Sensational)."

On Oct. 21 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., come & join Susan Stucker on an adventure as she unveils the small world that lives inside our caves. Where did the animals come from that live inside Kartchner Caverns? What do they eat? Where does their food come from? How do they get around in the dark & why would they rather live inside a cave?

On Oct. 24 from 11 a.m. to 12 noon, explorers can discover historic mining in nearby Coronado National Forest with Mike Woods. See a display of mining photos & artifacts as Woods talks about the 20th century mining of tungsten, quartz, fluorite & uranium.

On Oct. 28 from 11 to 11:45 a.m., Emily Bennett will give you an up-close & personal look at a live, common desert snake as you learn more about its fascinating behavior & physiology. Whether you love them or loathe them, join us for insights into the integral role snakes play in our desert ecosystem.

Make reservations for guided tours inside the cave & experience the wonder of cave discovery. Rotunda Tours are available for $18.95 for ages 14 & up & $9.95 for those aged 7 to 13 (children 6 & younger are free). Big Room Tours are available for $22.95 for ages 14 & up & $12.95 for those aged 7 to 13 (children 6 & younger are not allowed on the Big Room Tour). Reservations are not required but are recommended. Reservations can be made by calling (520) 586-CAVE (2283) or at azstateparks.com.

Kartchner Caverns State Park is located on Highway 90, nine miles South of I-10 near Benson, Arizona. Park is open daily. Park hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. & Discovery Center hours are 7:30 AM to 6 PM.

Park Entrance Fee is $5 per vehicle for up to 4 adults. There's an additional charge of $2 per adult for more than 4 adults. (The Park Entrance fee's waived with a tour reservation). An Arizona State Park Annual Pass is sold for $45 (some restrictions apply) & a Premium Annual Pass is sold for $100.

To book a tour or get info about Kartchner Caverns State Park call (520) 586-2283.

For info about Arizona State Parks call (602) 542-4174 (outside of the Phoenix metro area call toll-free (800) 285-3703) or visit the website at azstateparks.com.