Craighead Caverns

Craighead Caverns is a limestone cave complex in eastern Tennessee noted for containing the Lost Sea, a large underground lake that is the site’s principal attraction. The cave operates as a commercial show cave with guided tours that include both walking sections and a boat ride across the lake.

The site includes decorated caverns with common speleothems such as stalactites and stalagmites, and the boated lake provides an unusual interior viewpoint for visitors. The attraction presents natural features and interpretive information about the cave environment during guided visits.

The caverns have long been known locally and were developed for public visitation and interpretation in the 20th century; the modern tour experience centers on access to the lake and the adjoining chambers. The cave is located near the town of Sweetwater in Monroe County, eastern Tennessee.

• Tour format: Guided tours combine a walking route through the cavern and a boat ride on the underground lake, which is the attraction's primary experience.
• Visitor note: The underground environment is cool and often damp; visitors are typically advised to bring a light jacket and wear sturdy shoes for uneven surfaces.

What to See #

• Lost Sea: A large underground lake inside the cave system that is operated as the show-cave attraction's central feature; boat tours cross portions of the water.
• Cavern passages and formations: Dry walking galleries and decorated chambers with stalactites, stalagmites and other cave formations that are included on the guided tour route around the lake.