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the secrets within a mountain

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Welcome to Linville Caverns

Linville Caverns is an ideal destination for visitors of all ages. The beauty of our mountains is echoed within Humpback Mountain and visitors are invited to explore the splendor and wonders of nature created “inside a mountain.” We invite all families vacationing in the North Carolina mountains to check us out.


As of January 30th, 2025, we are open to the public with updated hours. We are open 5 days a week, Thursday-Monday 9-5 PM, and closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Please come by and see us!

PLAN A VISIT

Guided Tours

Guided tours leave every 10 minutes. Tours are limited to 15 people total, including underage children.

We recommend you arrive early in the day to purchase tickets for the next available tour. You can also purchase tickets for a later time, leave the grounds, and then return 15 minutes before your tour time. We operate on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no internet access on site and we cannot take reservations or phone sales.

Ticket Pricing

Adults: $14 | Seniors 62 & Over: $13 | Children 5-12: $12 | Children Under 4: Free

We are open Thursday through Monday from 9 AM to 5 PM. We are closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
We invite you to visit often and experience the beauty of these age-old mountains from the inside!

Explore the Surroundings - Humpback Mountain

Located at the southern gateway to western NC's High Country region, Linville Caverns is an ideal destination for visitors of all ages.


For centuries, the marvels of Linville Caverns were unknown to man. In the early 1800s, a fishing expedition headed by Henry E. Colton, of eastern NC, were astounded to see fish swimming in and out of what appeared to be solid rock. A small opening in the mountainous terrain allowed them to enter the subterranean recess that is still home to native trout in an underground stream. Colton, who later served as the state geologist of Tennessee, wrote of his exploration in an 1858 issue of NC Presbyterian, “...now began the wondrous splendors of the hidden world...we emerged into an immense passage, whose roof was far beyond the reach of the glare of our torches, except where the fantastic festoons of stalactites hang down within our touch. It looked like the arch of some grand old cathedral, yet it was too sublime, too perfect in all its beautiful proportions, to be anything of human, but a model which man might attempt to imitate. It was not a large, gross cavern,...pendants were of a delicate lightness, and a most beautiful hue...”

 

Linville Caverns was opened for public touring in 1937. Since that time, many upgrades to the pathways and lighting system have enhanced the safe touring experience that now exists. Courteous and experienced guides take you into the subterranean world, giving you the history of the caverns and allowing you to view the grand work of nature.

LEARN MORE

Driving Directions & Hours

Some GPS systems will not recognize a mountain as a physical address. For the most helpful directions, please check out our Driving Directions page to find the best route for you to take.


ADDRESS:

19929 US 221 North, Marion, NC 28752


HOURS:

Thursday through Monday,

open from 9 AM to 5 PM.


We are closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

*Days and times vary depending on the season. Open all year round.