Cumberland Caverns

Cumberland Caverns was the goal for day two and, despite some drama, it was pretty cool!

Sign for Cumberland Caverns

We arrived in time to hop on the noon day tour which we were both thankful for as it put us in a small group of only six people and the guide.

The temperature outside was bouncing around the mid-to-high 80s, and the walk to the cave entrance was silent, long, and humid thanks to the earlier downpour. I was sweating bullets before we'd even started.

Approaching the entrance was heavenly.

Entrance to Cumberland Caverns

The cave stays at a cool, crisp 55 degrees year-round, and was just the thing we needed on such a hot day. Even if my glasses kept fogging up.

It is a live cave and still growing, but there are very few water features, so it's often deathly silent when no one is speaking (or in my case, panting). Probably a good thing, considering the rains.There were still a few water features in the first room. Including a pool that looked to be maybe a foot deep but was actually almost nine, and a waterfall (more like a quick leak in the roof in appearances) that had been pouring every day nonstop since the cave was discovered.

The magnesium magnified, nine-foot pool lit in blue

Rock formation over a small pool

The Hall of the Mountain King was the true test of physical prowess, but I did it! I forgot the exact number but a literal ton of stairs in varying degrees of steepness and slipperiness had to be crossed through the massive 'hall' and then back again. I didn't really see much through this part as I was so busy looking at my feet to keep moving I missed out on looking at the actual cave itself.

On the way back out of the cave we were warned by the latest tour guide entering that it had started raining yet again, so mom and I whipped out a pair of disposable rain ponchos I'd packed for the trip. The rest of the group managed to snag some of the "seen-better-days" umbrellas the tourists are allowed to use to get to the cave and back when it rains.

I was high on the hog with swagger that my forethought had paid off when we exited the cave. The change in both temperature and humidity caused my glasses to fog to the point of blindness and with the rain threatening to soak them, I pulled them off and tucked them into my shirt pocket.

At least, I thought I had...

Mom stopped under the roof where the tours started wanting to take photos before we took off the ponchos but when I reached for my glasses I felt sudden dread. Nothing was there. Apparently when I thought I had tucked them into my pocket they had missed and fallen to the ground just outside the cave.

Me, blind as a bat, managed to get back to the car and dig out my prescription sunglasses to help search with mom and two tour guides to find them. Finally one of he tour guides, Peyton, found them. Said he'd been at just the right angle to see light glint off of them despite the rain. So my near panic attack and ruination of the trip before it even hardly started was prevented.

We spent the next few hours chilling in the gift shop, finding souvenirs and talking with the clerks and guides in the building.

Me digging out polished rocks as a souvenir for Kayla(Mod Weird)

It was during this time we found out about Twin Falls and since we were still ahead of schedule at the time it was a no-brainer. As soon as we arrived at Twin Falls, though, my phone signal went out and it didn't return until we were leaving the Rock Island Market & Cafe for Dollywood.