List of longest caves

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]

## Geographical distribution

[edit]

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

[edit]

#  | System  | Length  | Location  | coordinates  | Discovery  | Associated parks,
protected areas

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1  | Mammoth Cave | 685.6 km (426.0 mi)[3][4] | 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) | 1791  | Mammoth Cave National Park, also a World Heritage Site, International Biosphere Reserve, and International Dark Sky Park
2  | Sistema Ox Bel Ha | 496.8 km (308.7 mi)[5][1][6] | 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) | 1996  | southern parts in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve
3  | Shuanghedong Cave Network | 437.4 km (271.8 mi)[7][8] | 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 | 386.1 km (239.9 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) | 1987  |

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5  | Jewel Cave | 354.07 km (220.0 mi)[9][10] | 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 | 266.8 km (165.8 mi)[11] | 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  | Optymistychna Cave | 264.5 km (164.4 mi)[12] | near Korolivka, Ukraine | 48°44′20″N 25°59′22″E﻿ / ﻿48.738830378°N 25.989496042°E﻿ / 48.738830378; 25.989496042﻿ (Grotte Optimiste) | 1966  | Dnistrovskyy Canion
8  | Clearwater Cave System | 257.8 km (160.2 mi)[13][14] | 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
9  | Lechuguilla Cave | 244.7 km (152.0 mi)[15][16] | 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  | Fisher Ridge Cave System | 212.1 km (131.8 mi)  | near Brownsville, Kentucky, United States | 37°11′30″N 85°58′48″W﻿ / ﻿37.191736°N 85.980122°W﻿ / 37.191736; -85.980122 | 1981  | partly within Mammoth Cave National Park
11  | Hölloch | 211.2 km (131.2 mi)[17][18] | Muotathal, Switzerland | 46°58′36″N 8°47′18″E﻿ / ﻿46.976670°N 8.788330°E﻿ / 46.976670; 8.788330 | 1875  |

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12  | Sistema del Alto Tejuelo  | 208.9 km (129.8 mi)[19] | Cantabria, Spain | 43°15′11″N 3°40′51″W﻿ / ﻿43.2530670°N 3.6807990°W﻿ / 43.2530670; -3.6807990 | 1965  |

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13  | Siebenhengste-Hohgant-Höhle | 164.5 km (102.2 mi)[20][21] | Switzerland | 46°47′02″N 7°54′04″E﻿ / ﻿46.783822°N 7.901231°E﻿ / 46.783822; 7.901231 | 1966  |

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14  | Schönberg Cave System | 156.9 km (97.49 mi)[22][23][24] | Austria | 47°42′06″N 13°46′20″E﻿ / ﻿47.701528°N 13.772333°E﻿ / 47.701528; 13.772333 | 1976  |

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15  | Mortillano system | 146.5 km (91.03 mi)[25] | Cantabria, Spain | 43°13′51″N 3°33′43″W﻿ / ﻿43.23082°N 3.56197°W﻿ / 43.23082; -3.56197 | 1960  |

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16  | Priest's Grotto | 142.1 km (88.30 mi)[26] | Ukraine | 48°45′52″N 25°57′57″E﻿ / ﻿48.7644444°N 25.9658330555°E﻿ / 48.7644444; 25.9658330555 | 1940  |

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17  | Steinbrücken Cave | 137.7 km (85.56 mi)[23] | Austria | 47°39′43″N 13°48′11″E﻿ / ﻿47.661940°N 13.803060°E﻿ / 47.661940; 13.803060 | 1929  |

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18  | Marosakabe cave system | 124 km (77.05 mi)[27][28] | 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  | Bullita Cave | 123 km (76.43 mi)[29][30] | Australia | 16°03′48″S 130°23′00″E﻿ / ﻿16.063330°S 130.383330°E﻿ / -16.063330; 130.383330 | 1990  | Gregory National Park
20  | Sistema del Gandara  | 119.0 km (73.94 mi)[31][32] | Cantabria, Spain | 43°11′34″N 3°34′46″W﻿ / ﻿43.1927260°N 3.5794850°W﻿ / 43.1927260; -3.5794850 | 2005  |

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21  | Hirlatzhöhle | 117.8 km (73.20 mi)[22] | Austria | 47°32′42″N 13°37′51″E﻿ / ﻿47.544975°N 13.630953°E﻿ / 47.544975; 13.630953 | 1949  |

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22  | Réseau Félix Trombe | 117.2 km (72.82 mi)[33] | France | 42°58′21″N 0°51′59″E﻿ / ﻿42.972500°N 0.866390°E﻿ / 42.972500; 0.866390 | 1908  |

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23  | Toca da Boa Vista | 114 km (70.84 mi)[34] | 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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24  | Ojo Guareña | 111 km (68.97 mi)[35][36] | Spain | 43°02′02″N 3°37′50″W﻿ / ﻿43.03376°N 3.63059°W﻿ / 43.03376; -3.63059 | 1956  |

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25  | Sistema K'oox Baal  | 103.8 km (64.50 mi)[2][37] | near Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico | 20°22′21″N 87°25′02″W﻿ / ﻿20.372622°N 87.417239°W﻿ / 20.372622; -87.417239﻿ (K'oox Baal) | 1987  |

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26  | Sistema Purificacion  | 101.4 km (63.01 mi)[38][39] | Mexico | 24°04′03.30″N 99°33′54.93″W﻿ / ﻿24.0675833°N 99.5652583°W﻿ / 24.0675833; -99.5652583﻿ (Sistema Purification) | 1970  |

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27  | Sistema Huautla | 100.2 km (62.26 mi)[40][41] | 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
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* GPX (primary coordinates)
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## See also

[edit]

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

## External links

[edit]

* World's Deepest Caves
* World's Longest Caves

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "List of Long Underwater Caves in Quintana Roo Mexico". Quintana Roo Speleological Survey. National Speleological Society. 2023-01-10. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
2. ^ a b c "Dry Caves and Sumps of Quintana Roo Mexico". Quintana Roo Speleological Survey. National Speleological Society. 2023-01-10. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
3. ^ "Exploration in the World's Longest Cave" (PDF). Retrieved 2017-12-03..
4. ^ Emily Deletter (September 13, 2022). "Mammoth Cave discovers 6 more miles, still the longest cave system in the world". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
5. ^ "CINDAQ 2023 Annual report". El Centro Investigador del Sistema Acuífero de Quintana Roo A.C.(CINDAQ). February 15, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
6. ^ Bill Mixon. Mexico news (PDF). Vol. 34\. p. 22. Retrieved 2014-06-01..
7. ^ "Grottes et karsts de Chine-Shuanghedongqun - 双河洞". Retrieved 2023-12-06..
8. ^ Jean Pierre Barbary; Jean Bottazzi (23 April 2023). "Grottes et karsts de Chine - Sur les traces de Xu Xiake - Shuanghedong 双河洞 400 km !". Retrieved 2023-04-29.
9. ^ "Jewel Cave Cave Exploration". National Park Service (NPS). January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
10. ^ "Jewel Cave Reaches 200 Miles". National Park Service (NPS). December 19, 2018. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
11. ^ "150 miles and counting: Wind Cave celebrates significant milestone". National Park Service (NPS). October 18, 2019. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
12. ^ "optymistychna is the longest cave in ukraine". ukrainegoodnews.com. 2014-06-04.
13. ^ Eavis, Rob (April–May 2016). "What a Rollercoaster". Descent (249): 24–29.24-29&rft.date=2016-04/2016-05&rft.aulast=Eavis&rft.aufirst=Rob&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:List+of+longest+caves" class="Z3988">
14. ^ "The Clearwater Cave System". mulucaves.org. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
15. ^ "Lechuguilla Cave Info". 2022. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
16. ^ "Lechuguilla Cave". National Park Service (NPS). July 17, 2019. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
17. ^ Arbeitsgemeinschaft Höllochforschung AGH. "Offizielle Vermessungs-Werte AGH". hoellochforschung.ch (in German). Retrieved 2023-02-05.
18. ^ "Arbeitsgemeinschaft Hoellochforschung AGH" (in German). Archived from the original on 2019-01-19. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
19. ^ David García. "Alto del Tejuelo" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-07-25.
20. ^ Anonyme. "Grandes cavités suisses" (in French). Retrieved 2020-02-20..
21. ^ Philipp Häuselmann (2016). Le karst Siebenhengste-Hohgant-Schrattenfluh : essai d'une synthèse (PDF) (in German and French). Vol. 66\. pp. 28–41. Retrieved 2020-04-06.28-41&rft.date=2016&rft.au=Philipp+Häuselmann&rft_id=http://www.isska.ch/refbase/pdf/Hauselmann_2016.pdf&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:List+of+longest+caves" class="Z3988">
22. ^ a b Theo Pfarr; Robert Seebacher; Lukas Plan (2024-04-01). "Die tiefsten Höhlen Österreichs" (PDF) (in German). Retrieved 2023-02-05.
23. ^ a b Verein für Höhlenkunde (2023-01-25). "Die längsten Höhlen des Dachsteins und des Toten Gebirges" (PDF) (in German). Retrieved 2023-02-05.
24. ^ Harald Zeltlhofer (2022-09-12). "Schönberg Höhlensystem" (in German). Retrieved 2023-02-05.
25. ^ "Mortillano !!!! 146,5 Km.!!!!" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2016-09-13..
26. ^ "Найдовші печери України (від 1000 м.)" (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2022-03-27..
27. ^ "Expédition Malagasy 2018" (in French). 31 August 2018. Retrieved 2018-08-31.
28. ^ Jean-Nicolas Delaty; Eric Sibert (June 2023). "Malagasy 2022-Tsingy de Namoroka". Spelunca. 170. Fédération française de spéléologie: 3. ISSN 0249-0544..
29. ^ Grimes, K. G.; Martini, J. E. (2016). "Bullita cave system, Judbarra / Gregory Karst, tropical Australia" (PDF). Boletín Geológico y Minero. 127: 21–44\. doi:10.21701/bolgeomin.127.1.002. Retrieved 2023-10-13.21-44&rft.date=2016&rft_id=info:doi/10.21701/bolgeomin.127.1.002&rft.aulast=Grimes&rft.aufirst=K.+G.&rft.au=Martini,+J.+E.&rft_id=http://www.igme.es/Boletin/2016/127_1/BG_127-1_Art-2.pdf&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:List+of+longest+caves" class="Z3988">.
30. ^ Ellery, David (26 January 2013). "John's journeys are all about his passion". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
31. ^ "Classement des plus grandes cavités" (in French). Retrieved 2024-01-17..
32. ^ "Le réseau de la Gandara" (in French). Retrieved 2024-01-17..
33. ^ "Le réseau Félix Trombe Henne Morte" (in French). Retrieved 2024-02-14.
34. ^ Sociedade Brasileira de Espeleologia. "As maiores cavernas do Brasil" (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2018-12-08..
35. ^ Ana I. Ortega and M. Martín. "Complejo Kárstico de Ojo Guareña. Endokarst" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2015-08-26.
36. ^ G.E. Edelweiss (2024-02-15). "Catálogo de Cuevas de Burgos" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-05-06.
37. ^ Zdeněk Motyčka. K'oox baall, the fourth-longest underwater cave system in the world (PDF). Vol. 37\. pp. 149–155. Retrieved 2014-05-01.149-155&rft.au=Zdeněk+Motyčka&rft_id=http://www.mexicancaves.org/nl/37.pdf&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:List+of+longest+caves" class="Z3988">.
38. ^ Mark Minton. "Long Caves of Mexico February 2024" (PDF). Retrieved 2024-05-06.
39. ^ Hose Louise D (April 1996). "Geology of a large, hight-relief, subtropical cave system: sistema Purification, Tamaupilas, Mexico" (PDF). Journal of Caves and Karst Studies. 58 (1): 6–21. Retrieved 2024-05-06.6-21&rft.date=1996-04&rft.au=Hose+Louise+D&rft_id=https://caves.org/pub/journal/PDF/V58/V58N1-Hose-Geology.pdf&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:List+of+longest+caves" class="Z3988">
40. ^ "The PESCH Mission". Retrieved 2023-04-06.
41. ^ Mark Minton. "Long Caves of Mexico February 2024" (PDF). Retrieved 2024-05-06.

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