List of longest caves

This list of longest caves includes caves in which the combined length of documented passageways exceeds 100 kilometres (62 mi). In some of these caves, passageways are still being discovered.^[1][2]

Mammoth Cave, the world's longest known cave system

Geographical distribution

Caves are found around the world. The largest form in areas of karst landforms whose rocks dissolve easily. Preferable conditions for karst cave formation are adequate precipitation, enough plants and animals to produce ample carbon dioxide, and a landscape of gentle hills which drains slowly.^{[citation needed]} 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

#	System	Length	Location	coordinates	Discovery	Associated parks, protected areas
1	Mammoth Cave	685.6 km (426.0 mi)[3][4]	near Brownsville, Kentucky, United States	37.18758°N 86.10357°W / 37.18758; -86.10357 (Mammoth cave historic entrance)	1791	Mammoth Cave National Park, also a World Heritage Site, International Biosphere Reserve, and International Dark Sky Park
2	Sistema Ox Bel Ha	524.1 km (325.7 mi)[5][1][6]	near Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico	20.16028°N 87.48750°W / 20.16028; -87.48750 (Sistema Ox Bel Ha)	1996	southern parts in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve
3	Shuanghedong Cave Network	437.4 km (271.8 mi)[7][8]	Guizhou, China	28.24199°N 107.27608°E / 28.24199; 107.27608 (Shuanghe Dongqun)	1988	Suiyang Shuanghedong National Geopark
4	Sistema Sac Actun / Sistema Dos Ojos	386.1 km (239.9 mi)[2]	near Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico	20.246556°N 87.464111°W / 20.246556; -87.464111 (Gran Cenote)	1987	{{{1}}}
5	Jewel Cave	354.07 km (220.0 mi)[9][10]	near Custer, South Dakota, United States	43.72944°N 103.82944°W / 43.72944; -103.82944 (Jewel Cave)	1900	Jewel Cave National Monument
6	Wind Cave	266.8 km (165.8 mi)[11]	near Hot Springs, South Dakota, United States	43.55804°N 103.47955°W / 43.55804; -103.47955 (Wind Cave)	1881	Wind Cave National Park
7	Optymistychna Cave	264.5 km (164.4 mi)[12]	near Korolivka, Ukraine	48.738830378°N 25.989496042°E / 48.738830378; 25.989496042 (Grotte Optimiste)	1966	Dnistrovskyy Canion
8	Clearwater Cave System	258.5 km (160.6 mi)[13][14]	near Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia	4.06529°N 114.83176°E / 4.06529; 114.83176 (Clearwater Cave)	1978	Gunung Mulu National Park, also a World Heritage Site
9	Lechuguilla Cave	244.7 km (152.0 mi)[15][16]	near Carlsbad, New Mexico, United States	32.1906420°N 104.5033091°W / 32.1906420; -104.5033091 (Grotte de Lechuguilla)	1900	Carlsbad Caverns National Park
10	Fisher Ridge Cave System	215.9 km (134.2 mi)[17]	near Brownsville, Kentucky, United States	37.191736°N 85.980122°W / 37.191736; -85.980122	1981	partly within Mammoth Cave National Park
11	Sistema del Alto Tejuelo	212.2 km (131.9 mi)[18]	Cantabria, Spain	43.2530670°N 3.6807990°W / 43.2530670; -3.6807990	1965	{{{1}}}
12	Hölloch	212.1 km (131.8 mi)[19][20]	Muotathal, Switzerland	46.976670°N 8.788330°E / 46.976670; 8.788330	1875	{{{1}}}
13	Siebenhengste-Hohgant-Höhle	164.5 km (102.2 mi)[21][22]	Switzerland	46.783822°N 7.901231°E / 46.783822; 7.901231	1966	{{{1}}}
14	Schönberg Cave System	156.9 km (97.49 mi)[23][24][25]	Austria	47.701528°N 13.772333°E / 47.701528; 13.772333	1976	{{{1}}}
15	Mortillano system	146.5 km (91.03 mi)[26]	Cantabria, Spain	43.23082°N 3.56197°W / 43.23082; -3.56197	1960	{{{1}}}
16	Priest's Grotto	142.1 km (88.30 mi)[27]	Ukraine	48.7644444°N 25.9658330555°E / 48.7644444; 25.9658330555	1940	{{{1}}}
17	Steinbrücken Cave	137.7 km (85.56 mi)[24]	Austria	47.661940°N 13.803060°E / 47.661940; 13.803060	1929	{{{1}}}
18	Marosakabe cave system	124 km (77.05 mi)[28][29]	Madagascar	16.45189°S 45.33543°E / -16.45189; 45.33543 (Zohy Tsongom'omby)	2006	Tsingy de Namoroka Strict Nature Reserve
19	Bullita Cave	123 km (76.43 mi)[30][31]	Australia	16.063330°S 130.383330°E / -16.063330; 130.383330	1990	Gregory National Park
20	Sistema del Gandara	119.0 km (73.94 mi)[32][33]	Cantabria, Spain	43.1927260°N 3.5794850°W / 43.1927260; -3.5794850	2005	{{{1}}}
21	Hirlatzhöhle	117.8 km (73.20 mi)[23]	Austria	47.544975°N 13.630953°E / 47.544975; 13.630953	1949	{{{1}}}
22	Réseau Félix Trombe	117.2 km (72.82 mi)[34]	France	42.972500°N 0.866390°E / 42.972500; 0.866390	1908	{{{1}}}
23	Toca da Boa Vista	114 km (70.84 mi)[35]	Brazil	10.162500°S 40.859722°W / -10.162500; -40.859722 (Toca da Boa Vista)	1987	{{{1}}}
24	Helms Deep Cave	112.8 km (70.09 mi)[17][36]	Perry County, Tennessee, United States		1970	{{{1}}}
25	Ojo Guareña	111 km (68.97 mi)[37][38]	Spain	43.03376°N 3.63059°W / 43.03376; -3.63059	1956	{{{1}}}
26	Sistema K'oox Baal	103.8 km (64.50 mi)[2][39]	near Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico	20.372622°N 87.417239°W / 20.372622; -87.417239 (K'oox Baal)	1987	{{{1}}}
27	Sistema Purificacion	101.4 km (63.01 mi)[40][41]	Mexico	24°04′03.30″N 99°33′54.93″W	1970	{{{1}}}
28	Sistema Huautla	100.2 km (62.26 mi)[42][43]	Mexico	18°07′16.37″N 96°48′00.03″W	1965	{{{1}}}

See also

• List of caves
• List of longest caves by country
• List of longest Dinaric caves
• List of deepest caves
• Show cave
• Speleology

External links

• World's Deepest Caves
• World's Longest Caves