List of longest caves

This list of longest caves includes caves in which the combined length of documented passageways exceeds . In some of these caves, passageways are still being discovered.

Geographical distribution

Caves are found around the world, though the largest tend to form in karstic landscapes, where soluble rocks such as carbonates and evaporites are dissolved by groundwater. Though karst cave formation is complex, preferable conditions include a high density of joints or fractures in the rock, suitable rainfall to maintain groundwater levels, and low topography to allow for ease of infiltration.

The highest concentrations of long caves in the world are found in the Pennyroyal Plateau of southern Kentucky, United States, in the Black Hills of South Dakota, United States, and in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico.

List #SystemLengthLocationCoordinatesDiscoveryAssociated parks,protected areas 1Mammoth Cave.near Brownsville, Kentucky, United StatesPrehistoric Mammoth Cave National Park, also a World Heritage Site, International Biosphere Reserve, and International Dark Sky Park 2Sistema Ox Bel Ha.near Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico Prehistoricsouthern parts in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 3Shuanghedong Cave Network.Guizhou, China 1988Suiyang Shuanghedong National Geopark 4Sistema Sac Actun / Sistema Dos Ojosnear Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico Prehistoric 5Jewel Cavenear Custer, South Dakota, United States 1900Jewel Cave National Monument 6Wind Cavenear Hot Springs, South Dakota, United States 1881Wind Cave National Park 7Clearwater Cave Systemnear Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia 1978Gunung Mulu National Park, also a World Heritage Site 8Optymistychna Cavenear Korolivka, Ukraine 1966Dniester Canyon National Nature Park 9Lechuguilla Cavenear Carlsbad, New Mexico, United States 1900Carlsbad Caverns National Park 10 Sistema del Alto TejueloCantabria, Spain 1965 11Fisher Ridge Cave Systemnear Brownsville, Kentucky, United States 1981partly within Mammoth Cave National Park 12HöllochMuotathal, Switzerland 1875 13 Siebenhengste-Hohgant-Höhle.Switzerland 1966 14 Schönberg Cave SystemAustria 1976 15 Mortillano system.Cantabria, Spain 1960 16 Priest's Grotto.Ukraine 1940 17 Schwarzmooskogel-HöhlensystemAustria 1929 18 Marosakabe cave system.Madagascar 2006 Tsingy de Namoroka Strict Nature Reserve 19 Réseau Félix TrombeFrance 1908 20 Bullita Cave.Australia 1990 Gregory National Park 21 Helms Deep CavePerry County, Tennessee, United States 1970 22 Sistema del Gandara..Cantabria, Spain 2005 23HirlatzhöhleAustria 1949 24 Toca da Boa Vista.Brazil 1987 25 Ojo GuareñaSpain 1956 26 Sistema K'oox Baal.near Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico 1987 27 Sistema PurificacionMexico1970 28 Sistema HuautlaMexico1965

See also List of caves List of longest caves by country List of longest Dinaric caves List of deepest caves Show cave Speleology

References

External links World's Deepest Caves World's Longest Caves