List of longest caves

Short description: none

Mammoth Cave, the world's longest known cave system

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]

## Contents

* 1 Geographical distribution
* 2 List
* 3 See also
* 4 References
* 5 External links

## 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.[3] 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.[3]

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

|
|
|
|
|
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1  | Mammoth Cave  | 685.6 km (426.0 mi)[4][5] | near Brownsville, Kentucky, United States |  [ ⚑ ] 37°11′15″N 86°06′13″W﻿ / ﻿37.18758°N 86.10357°W﻿ / 37.18758; -86.10357﻿ (Mammoth cave historic entrance) | Prehistoric  | Mammoth Cave National Park, also a World Heritage Site, International Biosphere Reserve, and International Dark Sky Park
2  | Sistema Ox Bel Ha | 541.7 km (336.6 mi)[6][1][7] | near Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico  |  [ ⚑ ] 20°09′37″N 87°29′15″W﻿ / ﻿20.16028°N 87.48750°W﻿ / 20.16028; -87.48750﻿ (Sistema Ox Bel Ha) | Prehistoric  | southern parts in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve
3  | Shuanghedong Cave Network  | 440.9 km (274.0 mi)[8][9] | Guizhou, China  |  [ ⚑ ] 28°14′31″N 107°16′34″E﻿ / ﻿28.24199°N 107.27608°E﻿ / 28.24199; 107.27608﻿ (Shuanghe Dongqun) | 1988  | Suiyang Shuanghedong National Geopark
4  | Sistema Sac Actun / Sistema Dos Ojos | 387.1 km (240.5 mi)[2] | near Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico  |  [ ⚑ ] 20°14′48″N 87°27′51″W﻿ / ﻿20.246556°N 87.464111°W﻿ / 20.246556; -87.464111﻿ (Gran Cenote) | Prehistoric  |

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5  | Jewel Cave  | 354.59 km (220.3 mi)[10][11] | near Custer, South Dakota, United States |  [ ⚑ ] 43°43′46″N 103°49′46″W﻿ / ﻿43.72944°N 103.82944°W﻿ / 43.72944; -103.82944﻿ (Jewel Cave) | 1900  | Jewel Cave National Monument
6  | Wind Cave  | 270.4 km (168.0 mi)[12][13] | near Hot Springs, South Dakota, United States |  [ ⚑ ] 43°33′29″N 103°28′46″W﻿ / ﻿43.55804°N 103.47955°W﻿ / 43.55804; -103.47955﻿ (Wind Cave) | 1881  | Wind Cave National Park
7  | Clearwater Cave System  | 268.6 km (166.9 mi)[14][15] | near Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia  |  [ ⚑ ] 4°03′55″N 114°49′54″E﻿ / ﻿4.06529°N 114.83176°E﻿ / 4.06529; 114.83176﻿ (Clearwater Cave) | 1978  | Gunung Mulu National Park, also a World Heritage Site
8  | Optymistychna Cave  | 264.5 km (164.4 mi)[16] | near Korolivka, Ukraine  |  [ ⚑ ] 48°44′20″N 25°59′22″E﻿ / ﻿48.738830378°N 25.989496042°E﻿ / 48.738830378; 25.989496042﻿ (Grotte Optimiste) | 1966  | Dniester Canyon National Nature Park
9  | Lechuguilla Cave | 244.7 km (152.0 mi)[17][18] | near Carlsbad, New Mexico, United States |  [ ⚑ ] 32°11′26″N 104°30′12″W﻿ / ﻿32.1906420°N 104.5033091°W﻿ / 32.1906420; -104.5033091﻿ (Grotte de Lechuguilla) | 1900  | Carlsbad Caverns National Park
10  | Sistema del Alto Tejuelo  | 218.5 km (135.8 mi)[19] | Cantabria, Spain  |  [ ⚑ ] 43°15′11″N 3°40′51″W﻿ / ﻿43.2530670°N 3.6807990°W﻿ / 43.2530670; -3.6807990﻿ (Sistema del Alto Tejuelo) | 1965  |

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11  | Fisher Ridge Cave System | 215.9 km (134.2 mi)[12] | near Brownsville, Kentucky, United States |  [ ⚑ ] 37°11′30″N 85°58′48″W﻿ / ﻿37.191736°N 85.980122°W﻿ / 37.191736; -85.980122﻿ (Fisher Ridge Cave System) | 1981  | partly within Mammoth Cave National Park
12  | Hölloch  | 213.2 km (132.5 mi)[20][21] | Muotathal, Switzerland |  [ ⚑ ] 46°58′36″N 8°47′18″E﻿ / ﻿46.976670°N 8.788330°E﻿ / 46.976670; 8.788330﻿ (Hölloch) | 1875  |

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13  | Siebenhengste-Hohgant-Höhle  | 164.5 km (102.2 mi)[22][23] | Switzerland |  [ ⚑ ] 46°47′02″N 7°54′04″E﻿ / ﻿46.783822°N 7.901231°E﻿ / 46.783822; 7.901231﻿ (Siebenhengste-Hohgant-Höhle) | 1966  |

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14  | Schönberg Cave System  | 156.9 km (97.49 mi)[24][25][26] | Austria  |  [ ⚑ ] 47°42′06″N 13°46′20″E﻿ / ﻿47.701528°N 13.772333°E﻿ / 47.701528; 13.772333﻿ (Schönberg Cave System) | 1976  |

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15  | Mortillano system  | 147.8 km (91.84 mi)[27] | Cantabria, Spain  |  [ ⚑ ] 43°13′51″N 3°33′43″W﻿ / ﻿43.23082°N 3.56197°W﻿ / 43.23082; -3.56197﻿ (Mortillano system) | 1960  |

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16  | Priest's Grotto | 142.1 km (88.30 mi)[28] | Ukraine  |  [ ⚑ ] 48°45′52″N 25°57′57″E﻿ / ﻿48.7644444°N 25.9658330555°E﻿ / 48.7644444; 25.9658330555﻿ (Priest's Grotto) | 1940  |

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17  | Schwarzmooskogel-Höhlensystem | 137.7 km (85.56 mi)[25] | Austria  |  [ ⚑ ] 47°39′43″N 13°48′11″E﻿ / ﻿47.661940°N 13.803060°E﻿ / 47.661940; 13.803060﻿ (Schwarzmooskogel-Höhlensystem) | 1929  |

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18  | Marosakabe cave system  | 132 km (82.02 mi)[29][30][31] | Madagascar |  [ ⚑ ] 16°27′07″S 45°20′08″E﻿ / ﻿16.45189°S 45.33543°E﻿ / -16.45189; 45.33543﻿ (Zohy Tsongom'omby) | 2006  | Tsingy de Namoroka Strict Nature Reserve
19  | Réseau Félix Trombe  | 127.6 km (79.29 mi)[32] | France  |  [ ⚑ ] 42°58′21″N 0°51′59″E﻿ / ﻿42.972500°N 0.866390°E﻿ / 42.972500; 0.866390﻿ (Réseau Félix Trombe) | 1908  |

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20  | Bullita Cave  | 123 km (76.43 mi)[33][34] | Australia  |  [ ⚑ ] 16°03′48″S 130°23′00″E﻿ / ﻿16.063330°S 130.383330°E﻿ / -16.063330; 130.383330﻿ (Bullita Cave) | 1990  | Gregory National Park
21  | Helms Deep Cave  | 119.8 km (74.44 mi)[12][35] * [36] | Perry County, Tennessee, United States |  [ ⚑ ] 35°34′00″N 87°41′00″W﻿ / ﻿35.566667°N 87.683333°W﻿ / 35.566667; -87.683333﻿ (Helms Deep Cave) | 1970  |

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22  | Sistema del Gandara  | 119.0 km (73.94 mi)[37][38] | Cantabria, Spain  |  [ ⚑ ] 43°11′34″N 3°34′46″W﻿ / ﻿43.1927260°N 3.5794850°W﻿ / 43.1927260; -3.5794850﻿ (Sistema del Gandara) | 2005  |

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23  | Hirlatzhöhle  | 117.8 km (73.20 mi)[24] | Austria  |  [ ⚑ ] 47°32′42″N 13°37′51″E﻿ / ﻿47.544975°N 13.630953°E﻿ / 47.544975; 13.630953﻿ (Hirlatzhöhle) | 1949  |

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24  | Toca da Boa Vista | 114 km (70.84 mi)[39] | Brazil  |  [ ⚑ ] 10°09′45″S 40°51′35″W﻿ / ﻿10.162500°S 40.859722°W﻿ / -10.162500; -40.859722﻿ (Toca da Boa Vista) | 1987  |

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25  | Ojo Guareña  | 111 km (68.97 mi)[40][41] | Spain  |  [ ⚑ ] 43°02′02″N 3°37′50″W﻿ / ﻿43.03376°N 3.63059°W﻿ / 43.03376; -3.63059﻿ (Ojo Guareña) | 1956  |

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26  | Sistema K'oox Baal  | 103.9 km (64.56 mi)[2][42] | near Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico  |  [ ⚑ ] 20°22′21″N 87°25′02″W﻿ / ﻿20.372622°N 87.417239°W﻿ / 20.372622; -87.417239﻿ (Sistema K'oox Baal) | 1987  |

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27  | Sistema Purificacion  | 101.4 km (63.01 mi)[43][44] | Mexico  |  [ ⚑ ] 24°04′03.30″N 99°33′54.93″W﻿ / ﻿24.067583°N 99.5652583°W﻿ / 24.067583; -99.5652583﻿ (Sistema Purification) | 1970  |

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28  | Sistema Huautla | 100.2 km (62.26 mi)[45][43] | Mexico  |  [ ⚑ ] 18°07′16.37″N 96°48′00.03″W﻿ / ﻿18.1212139°N 96.8000083°W﻿ / 18.1212139; -96.8000083﻿ (Sótano de San Agustin, Sistema Huautla) | 1965  |

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Map all coordinates in "List of longest caves" using: OpenStreetMap

Download coordinates as: KML * GPX

## See also

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

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "List of Long Underwater Caves in Quintana Roo Mexico". Quintana Roo Speleological Survey. Quintana Roo Speleological Survey. 2025-01-19. https://qrss.caves.org/qrlong.htm.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Dry Caves and Sumps of Quintana Roo Mexico". Quintana Roo Speleological Survey. National Speleological Society. 2025-01-19. https://qrss.caves.org/qrdry.htm.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Zerga, Belay (2024). "Karst topography: Formation, processes, characteristics, landforms, degradation and restoration: A systematic review". Watershed Ecology and the Environment 6 (252-269). doi:10.1016/j.wsee.2024.10.003. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589471424000202. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
4. ↑ "Exploration in the World's Longest Cave". http://www.smithriveroutfitter.com/uploads/1/3/9/6/13962054/roppel_x_2017.pdf. .
5. ↑ Emily Deletter (September 13, 2022). "Mammoth Cave discovers 6 more miles, still the longest cave system in the world". Cincinnati.com. https://eu.cincinnati.com/story/news/2022/09/13/mammoth-cave-national-park-adds-6-miles/69491921007/. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
6. ↑ "CINDAQ 2025 Annual report". El Centro Investigador del Sistema Acuífero de Quintana Roo A.C.(CINDAQ). February 18, 2026. https://www.cindaq.org/en/tag/reports/.
7. ↑ Bill Mixon. Mexico news. 34. p. 22. http://www.mexicancaves.org/nl/34.pdf. Retrieved 2014-06-01. .
8. ↑ "Grottes et karsts de Chine-Shuanghedongqun - 双河洞". https://www.grottes-et-karsts-de-chine.org/npds/gkc_rsd_gro.php?gro_id=606&gro_id_res=606&gro_nom=Shuanghedongqun. .
9. ↑ "Grottes et karsts de Chine - Sur les traces de Xu Xiake - Shuanghedong 双河洞 400 km !". 23 April 2023. https://www.grottes-et-karsts-de-chine.org/npds/article.php?sid=731&fbclid=IwAR31VixowPmnUl2FHMG8AVnqcSyIBh4rPcuvdpRJs7Rj7Fh7ALKhOj-tXsw.
10. ↑ "Jewel Cave Cave Exploration". National Park Service (NPS). January 10, 2024. https://www.nps.gov/jeca/learn/nature/caveexploration.htm. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
11. ↑ "Jewel Cave Reaches 200 Miles". National Park Service (NPS). December 19, 2018. https://www.nps.gov/jeca/learn/news/jewel-cave-reaches-200-miles.htm. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Paul Burger (2025-01-25). "USA Long Cave List". https://cave-exploring.com/index.php/long-and-deep-caves-of-the-world/usa-long-cave-list/.
13. ↑ "150 miles and counting: Wind Cave celebrates significant milestone". National Park Service (NPS). October 18, 2019. https://www.nps.gov/wica/learn/news/10182019pr.htm. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
14. ↑ Eavis, Rob (April–May 2016). "What a Rollercoaster". Descent (249): 24–29.
15. ↑ "The Clearwater Cave System". https://mulucaves.org.uk/. Retrieved 2025-12-05.
16. ↑ "optymistychna is the longest cave in ukraine". 2014-06-04. http://ukrainegoodnews.com/optymistychna_is_the_longest_cave_in_ukraine.html.
17. ↑ "Lechuguilla Cave Info". 2022. https://www.lechuguilla-cave.info/cave/. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
18. ↑ "Lechuguilla Cave". National Park Service (NPS). July 17, 2019. https://www.nps.gov/cave/learn/nature/lechuguilla_cave.htm. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
19. ↑ David García. "Alto del Tejuelo" (in es). http://www.altodeltejuelo.com/tabladesarrollos.html.
20. ↑ Arbeitsgemeinschaft Höllochforschung AGH. "Offizielle Vermessungs-Werte AGH" (in de). https://www.hoellochforschung.ch/forschung/hoehlenliste. Retrieved 2026-02-05.
21. ↑ "Arbeitsgemeinschaft Hoellochforschung AGH" (in de). https://www.hoellochforschung.ch/. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
22. ↑ Anonyme. "Grandes cavités suisses" (in fr). http://cavelist.naeff.ch/cavelist.php?. .
23. ↑ Philipp Häuselmann (2016) (in de, fr). Le karst Siebenhengste-Hohgant-Schrattenfluh : essai d'une synthèse. 66. pp. 28–41. http://www.isska.ch/refbase/pdf/Hauselmann_2016.pdf. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Die tiefsten Höhlen Österreichs" (in de). 2024-04-01. https://hoehle.org/downloads/laengste.pdf.
25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Verein für Höhlenkunde (2023-01-25). "Die längsten Höhlen des Dachsteins und des Toten Gebirges" (in de). http://www.hoehle.at/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Die-längsten-Höhlen-des-Dachsteins-und-des-Toten-Gebirges-steirischer-Teil6.pdf.
26. ↑ Harald Zeltlhofer (2022-09-12). "Schönberg Höhlensystem" (in de). https://www.hoehlenforschung.at/caves/schonberg-hohlensystem/.
27. ↑ "Mortillano !!!! 146,5 Km.!!!!" (in es). http://www.aer-espeleo.com/iniciocentral.htm#. .
28. ↑ "Найдовші печери України (від 1000 м.)" (in uk). https://speleo.land.kiev.ua/list-caves2.html. .
29. ↑ "Expédition spéléologique à Madagascar, 7900 m de galeries topographiées" (in fr). https://blog.crei.ffspeleo.fr/?p=1495.
30. ↑ "Expédition Malagasy 2018" (in fr). 31 August 2018. https://blog.crei.ffspeleo.fr/?p=778.
31. ↑ Jean-Nicolas Delaty; Eric Sibert (June 2023). "Malagasy 2022-Tsingy de Namoroka". Spelunca (Fédération française de spéléologie) 170: 3. ISSN 0249-0544. .
32. ↑ "Le réseau Félix Trombe Henne Morte" (in fr). https://coume-ouarnede.fr/le-reseau/.
33. ↑ Grimes, K. G.; Martini, J. E. (2016). "Bullita cave system, Judbarra / Gregory Karst, tropical Australia". Boletín Geológico y Minero 127: 21–44. doi:10.21701/bolgeomin.127.1.002. http://www.igme.es/Boletin/2016/127_1/BG_127-1_Art-2.pdf. Retrieved 2023-10-13. .
34. ↑ Ellery, David (26 January 2013). "John's journeys are all about his passion". The Canberra Times (Fairfax Media). https://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/act/johns-journeys-are-all-about-his-passion-20130125-2dckg.html. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
35. ↑ "National Speleological Society 2024 Convention Program Guide-Helms Deep Symposium Abstracts". National Speleological Society- Convention Program Guide (National Speleological Society): 91-95. https://caves.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2024_NSS_Convention_Program.pdf. Retrieved 2025-02-01.
36. ↑ "Tennessee’s Most Enigmatic Cave - Helm's Deep symposium". https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=Helms+Deep+Cave,+tennessee&mid=C18FD85BA8212B04DD62C18FD85BA8212B04DD62&FORM=VIRE.
37. ↑ "Classement des plus grandes cavités" (in fr). https://karstexplo.fr/CuevasAson/Classement-cavites.htm. .
38. ↑ "Le réseau de la Gandara" (in fr). https://karstexplo.fr/CuevasAson/Secteur9-cav.htm. .
39. ↑ Sociedade Brasileira de Espeleologia. "As maiores cavernas do Brasil" (in pt). http://cnc.cavernas.org.br/. .
40. ↑ Ana I. Ortega and M. Martín. "Complejo Kárstico de Ojo Guareña. Endokarst" (in es). https://grupoedelweiss.com/web/index.php/catastro-de-burgos-mainmenu-71/principales-zonas-estudiadas/34-ojo-guare/51-complejo-ktico-de-ojo-guare.
41. ↑ G.E. Edelweiss (2024-02-15). "Catálogo de Cuevas de Burgos" (in es). https://grupoedelweiss.com/web/index.php/catastro-de-burgos-mainmenu-71/grandes-cavidades-mainmenu-75/161-ojo-guarecomplejo-karstico-de.
42. ↑ Zdeněk Motyčka. K'oox baall, the fourth-longest underwater cave system in the world. 37. pp. 149–155. http://www.mexicancaves.org/nl/37.pdf. Retrieved 2014-05-01. .
43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 Mark Minton. "Long Caves of Mexico February 2024". http://www.mexicancaves.org/geninfo/longcaves.pdf.
44. ↑ Hose Louise D (April 1996). "Geology of a large, hight-relief, subtropical cave system: sistema Purification, Tamaupilas, Mexico". Journal of Caves and Karst Studies 58 (1): 6–21. https://caves.org/pub/journal/PDF/V58/V58N1-Hose-Geology.pdf. Retrieved 2024-05-06.
45. ↑ "The PESCH Mission". http://www.peshcaving.org/.

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