Discovered in 1937, Mystery Cave is the longest cave in Minnesota. It covers over 13 miles of underground passages that were created as moving water dissolved the rock. Each tour takes you underground through different parts of the cave, and will showcase features like stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, fossils, and beautiful underground pools as your tour guide explains how the cave and these features were formed.
Reservations recommended. Reserve online or by calling 866-857-2757. Reservations may be booked in advance or up until 2 p.m. on the day of the tour. Any unsold tickets are available for purchase at the cave on a first-come, first-served basis. Walk-ins may be accommodated based on availability.
Tours are available from Memorial Day weekend through mid-October each year.
20 tickets per tour maximum.
The cave temperature is 48°F (9°C), year-round. Dress warmly and wear sturdy walking shoes.
Flash photography is allowed.
All rocks and artifacts must be left in the cave.
There are NO restrooms underground.
- Scenic tour (one hour)
This one hour guided tour provides the best overall cave experience. You’ll see excellent examples of cave mineral deposits, along with the pools and long linear corridors that are typical for Mystery Cave. Many formations are actively dripping. These features are illuminated with dramatic lighting that accents the cave in light and shadow. This ADA accessible tour involves ¾ mile of walking on modern paved trails and bridges.
Please remember to bring a warm jacket and sturdy shoes. There are NO REFUNDS for missed tours or late arrivals. Visitors are encouraged to plan their schedules carefully and be on-site at least 30 minutes prior to their scheduled tour time.
2026 tour schedule
May 9 - May 22
Weekdays: Hourly at 2, 3 and 4 p.m.
Weekends: Every 20 minutes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Note: The 12:20 and 3:20 p.m. tours are not reservable, they are for walk-ins onlyMay 23 - September 7
Weekdays: Hourly from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturdays: 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., then every 20 minutes from 10 a.m. to 5:20 p.m.
Sundays: 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., then every 20 minutes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Note: The 12:20 and 3:20 p.m. tours are not reservable, they are for walk-ins only
Holidays (Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day): Same as the weekend scheduleSeptember 9 - October 16
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: Hourly from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Weekends: Every 20 minutes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Note: The 12:20 and 3:20 p.m. tours are not reservable, they are for walk-ins only.MEA Weekend October 17 & 18
Saturday: 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., then every 20 minitues from 10 a.m. to 5:20 p.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., then every 20 minitues from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Note: The 12:20 and 3:20 p.m. tours are not reservable, they are for walk-ins onlyTour rates
Aged 13 and up: $15
Aged 5-12: $10
Taxes are not included.
Under 5 years old: Free, but a ticket is still required.
- Wild caving tour (four hours)
Know Before You Go: Explore the cave away from the developed trails with this introduction to safe caving techniques. This is a strenuous and very physical tour. Cave passages are not lit, and trail surfaces are uneven. Some surfaces may be wet and slippery. Some of the cave ceilings are low and some passages have a very steep grade, requiring bending, stooping, crawling, and climbing. Most of the tour is spent crawling on your hands and knees. Due to the strenuous nature of the tour, persons with heart conditions, mobility and physical limitations should reconsider. Available by reservation only. Each tour must have a minimum of 2 participants with a maximum of 5 participants and the guide for a total of six in the group.
This tour is not available for children aged 12 years and under. There are NO restrooms underground.
Tour Requirements
This is a dificult tour with special requirements. Visitors must provide over-the-ankle laced boots with aggressive tread. No tennis or athletic-type shoes allowed during tour. Insufficient footwear will result in denied access, no refunds. All other equipment and outerwear including gloves are provided by Mystery Cave. Polypro long underwear recommended for wear under required coveralls - Mystery Cave is a constant 48 degrees. Participants may bring light uncrushable snacks. There are NO REFUNDS for missed tours or late arrivals. Visitors are encouraged to plan their schedules carefully and be on-site at least 30 minutes prior to their scheduled tour time.
2026 tour schedule
May 23 - September 6
Saturday: 10 a.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m.
Each tour has a minimum of two participants and a maximum of five.
Children must be accompanied by an adult. No participants under thirteen years old.Tour rates
$80 per person
Taxes are not included.
- Advanced education tour (two and a half hours)
Follow the journey of water from the surface to the underground in this guided exploration of Minnesota’s karst landscape. Learn how fields and streams are directly connected to the caves below. Begin your adventure underground in Mystery Cave, where dripping formations, and active pools reveal how surface water continues its slow movement through Minnesota’s karst landscape. This ADA accessible tour involves ¾ mile of walking on modern paved trails and bridges.
After exploring the underground, you’ll head back to the surface to discover where the journey of water begins. Participants follow a naturalist in their own vehicle to Cherry Grove Blind Valley Scientific and Natural Area, about 5.5 miles away. During a one-mile, one-hour hike, visitors will explore sinkholes, disappearing streams, and other karst features that show how surface water enters the ground. Be prepared to cross a small stream using steppingstones. By the end of the program, visitors will better understand how surface activities affect groundwater, caves, and the surrounding watershed.
Mystery Cave is accessible; however, the surface portion of this tour is not accessible.
Tour Requirements
Participants should have a strong interest in geology. Please bring a warm jacket and hiking boots.
This tour is recommended for ages eight and older. Visitors check in at the William Morrisey Visitor Center. The surface part of the program requires visitors driving their personal vehicle to a nearby Scientific and Natural Area. There are NO REFUNDS for missed tours or late arrivals. Visitors are encouraged to plan their schedules carefully and be on-site 30 minutes prior to their scheduled tour time.
2026 tour schedule
May 23 - September 7
Saturday: 9:45 a.m.
Sunday: 9:45 a.m.Tour rates
$25 per person (ten person minimum).
Taxes are not included.
- K-12 school groups
K-12 school tours of Mystery Cave are customized to students' level of study. All school tours must be pre-arranged. Call 507-808-8000 to reserve. Students will be exposed to speleothems, rocks, and groundwater, and they will be introduced to the fundamental processes that involve limestone cave formation around the globe.
Tour rates
Scenic tour: $5 per person
Advanced education tour: $18 per person (ten person minimum)
Taxes are not included, but school group tour rates are exempt from tax.
- About White-nose syndrome and the bats in the cave
A fungus that causes White-nose syndrome (WNS) in bats has been confirmed at Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park. WNS is a disease that is killing hibernating bats in eastern North America. It is believed that more than 5.7 million bats have died as a result of the disease, so far. WNS is not dangerous to humans or other animals. It is transmitted primarily from bat to bat, but can be spread by people and animals who visit infected caves or mines. Public tours of Mystery Cave will continue. To help keep the fungus from spreading, visitors are required to walk across special mats designed to remove spores from footwear. Visitors are advised not to visit other caves or mines with any clothing, footwear or other gear they have used in areas where WNS or the associated fungus is present, because washing alone cannot sufficiently disinfect clothing. Learn more about White-nose syndrome and what you can do to help slow its spread.
- Visitor center and nature store
William H. Morrissey Visitor Center
Open when the cave is open - see cave hours above. The visitor center is located just steps away from the cave entrance. Purchase tour tickets, receive an orientation to the cave and the park, and explore exhibits explaining the geology and history of the area. The building hosts an information center, interactive exhibits, lecture/exhibit room, nature store and restrooms.
Nature store
The store is open during visitor center hours, and offers a wide variety of nature-related gifts and books. Proceeds fund resource and interpretive projects in state parks.
- How to get there
Do not use your phone's GPS to direct you to Mystery Cave! They are often not accurate. Follow these instructions instead.
Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park is located in southeastern Minnesota (Fillmore County) between Spring Valley and Preston. Entrance to the park is four miles south of State Highway 16 on Fillmore County Highway 5, then two miles east on Fillmore County 118.
To get to Mystery Cave from the park:
Take County Road 118 west to County Road 5.
Turn left and follow County Road 5 south for two miles.
Turn right onto 180th Street. Go west three quarters of a mile.
At the next intersection, turn right onto Old Cave Road.
Proceed north one half mile to the Mystery Cave Entrance Road on the left.