Is Cave of the Winds Worth Going to?

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When I recently visited Cave of the Winds with my daughter and sister, I couldn’t help but wonder as I paid for the various activities, am I wasting my money and time? Afterall, there are SO many activities to choose from in this area of Colorado! It helps to know ahead of time which activities are worth it.

So Is Cave of the Winds worth it? 

Cave of the Winds Mountain Park is an outstanding afternoon for the whole family! First, it is well priced. Second, there is more than just the amazing cave tour. There are hours and hours of family activities for a great all-day price. Cave of the Winds is definitely worth going to!

First, the cave tour: Three choices

• Discovery Tour
• Lantern Tour
• Caving 101

I’ve been on many a cave tour in my lifetime. Maybe one day I will find them uninteresting, but that day has not come! We took the Discovery Tour which is the most popular tour offered and welcomes all ages. $16 for kids and $22 for adults is the current price for this hour-long tour. We were fascinated by the 15 rooms we were led through, sometimes walking up and down staircases, sometimes ducking through 4 foot high corridors. There was plenty of history about the early cave explorers, as well as the cave formation itself, mixed in with enough cheesy cave jokes to keep the youngsters entertained.

The Lantern Tour is also an option for age 6 to adult, but is not really about the cave and rock formations itself. It’s more about a wild way to experience what an old-time lantern tour would have been like. We were more interested in SEEING the cave formations, not trying to see the path ahead in dim lantern light! Plus we definitely didn’t dress for that type of tour! You need good walking shoes, and comfortable clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty on the mile-long trek through rougher, muddier terrain. But it’s still a good bargain at $20 for kids and $32 for adults.

Even if that sounds like a fun experience to you, I’d read a few reviews beforehand. You may be looking for a more genuine cave experience. If so, the 2-hour Caving 101 tour may be a better fit. On this tour, you bring your own headlight, gloves and knee pads and be ready for an introduction to spelunking! This needs advanced reservations, is only available on saturdays, and for ages 13 to adult only.

Cave of the Winds Attractions: Above Ground

• Geronimo’s Leap
• Cliffhanger Climbing Wall
• Windwalker Challenge Course
• Bat-a-Pult
• Magic Lantern Ride
• Terror-Dactyl
• Ziplining
• Via Ferrata Canyon Tour

Back on the earth’s surface, you may find yourself spending the afternoon with your kids climbing through a maze of ropes and beams that are hanging over the cliffs of the mountain, rappelling down on your safety harness after your climb up the tall pilons of Geronimo’s Leap or the Cliffhanger Climbing Wall.

This is all found right at the entry of Cave of the Winds, at the Wind Walker Challenge Course. There are 3 stories of tight ropes, steel beams, and obstacle courses of all shapes and sizes to wind your way through.

But DON’T FORGET THIS!!… wear closed shoes or at least sandals with a strap around the back of the heel! Otherwise, you will be turned away!

The Bat-A-Pult is a thrill ride that somewhat looks like a glorified ski lift. You sit belted into a double chair that shoots you over the canyon below and then pulls you back again. It’s not as thrilling or scary as a bungie jump, so bungie cord jumpers will most likely find it boring. But those of us who’d never be crazy enough to bungie jump may be willing to try this one! And my daughter Agnes who’d LOVE to bungie jump but is still too young for it, this was a happy compromise for both she and her nervous mom!

The Magic Lantern virtual reality ride speeds you up and down and around on a motorcycle race! I found it amusing just to watch at the open door!

How much do these Above-Ground Activities Cost at the Cave of the Winds?

For a single ride on one of their main attractions, it is an expensive $15! But for $30 you get a wrist band and can spend all afternoon with unlimited rides on 5 of the attractions at the Cave of the Winds: the Wind Walker Challenge Course, Geronimo’s Leap, the Cliffhanger Climbing Wall, the Bat-A-Pult, and the Magic Lantern ride.

You do have to be at least 42 inches tall to go on these attractions, so this place is not much fun for toddlers. But my 11 year old had an awesome time testing her nerve on these ropes and beams. 

What is NOT included in the wrist band price is the Terror-Dactyl ride and Ziplining. The Terror-dactyl is $50 a ride and zip lining right next door is $65 a person. But they do offer better deals on packages if you are getting the unlimited wristband. There are three different packages available that include a variety of activities, so make sure to check the Cave of the Winds website here for which package works for your family, and you can purchase them right there online to avoid the lines.

On the Terror-dactyl you are strapped into a seat and basically dumped off the side of the cliff to fall and then you swing back and forth above the canyon below.  And the Ziplining can either be purchased separately for $65 a person, or as part of the Via Ferrata Canyon tour, for $99. Again, the packages offer the best deals when you are bunching together your activities with the unlimited wristband.

My daughter wasn’t quite old enough to do the Via Ferrata Canyon Tour this time around. Climbers and Zipline riders must be at least 12 years old and accompanied by an adult. The minimum height to ride is 48 inches. The minimum weight to ride is 90 pounds. So we are putting this three and a half-hour excursion on our list for next year when she’s 12!

The harness, helmet, and gloves that are needed are provided to you and included in the $99 fee, and the trek is set up with the inexperienced climber in mind. So what a great introduction to rock climbing for our kids!

If you combine this tour with the unlimited wrist band, and a terrorizing dump of the cliff on the Terror-Dactyl, you can get it all in a well-priced Mountain Man Package. So the Cave of the Winds is worth going to NEXT year as well!

Smaller people activities include gold panning and a fun climbing slide. There aren’t too many activities for toddler size visitors, but a few may keep them busy long enough to let the older kids try their skills on the bigger activities.

What I Love About Cave of the Winds:  

I am always looking for ways to teach my kids new skills, and to give them new experiences that I am not always qualified to teach myself! This isn’t always easy to find at an affordable price tag, and lots of times smaller tykes are not allowed to participate.

I love that Cave of the Winds allows younger kids to learn how to do some rock climbing, zip-lining, even some spelunking in a safe environment with skilled trainers. The treks are set up with the inexperienced in mind, so what a great introduction to these outdoor/underground sports for our kids!

So YES! The Cave of the Winds is very much worth going to!

Related questions 

What do I wear at Cave of the Winds?

Comfortable walking shoes are recommended for the Cave of the Winds. The floor can be slippery and uneven, with lots of narrow, steep stairways. A light jacket also is nice as the caves are around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. For the activities above ground, wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes or sandals that have a strap behind the heel. If not, you are not allowed to climb. 

Is Cave of the Winds toddler-friendly? 

There is no age limit for visiting the cave for the Discovery Tour. Front facing baby pouches are allowed as well. But to enjoy most of the activities up top, you have to be 42 inches tall.

Is Cave of the Winds wheelchair accessible? 

Unfortunately, there is no accessibility to the cave for those who cannot walk and climb up and down narrow stairways.

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