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Events and things to do in North Carolina, with dates, prices and drive times checked at the source.

Linville Caverns

Linville Caverns is a show cave in Marion, McDowell County, in North Carolina's Asheville & Foothills. Admission: from $15. Hours: March – November: open Thursday through Monday 9 am – 5 pm; Sundays 1 pm – 5 pm; closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays; December – February: open weekends only; Closed Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Facts read from the official site on October 27, 2026.

  • Hours1 p.m.–5 p.m. (Sun)official hours below
  • AdmissionFrom $15
  • WhereMarionMcDowell County, Asheville & Foothills
  • DogsNot allowed
Good to know (read October 27, 2026): Food, drink (except bottled water), gum and smoking are not allowed in the cave; wear a jacket; do not touch formations.

About Linville Caverns

A guided tour through a living limestone cavern inside Humpback Mountain, open to the public since 1937, with trout swimming in an underground stream.

  • Guided tours leave every 10 minutes, limited to 15 people
  • Tour lasts about 35 minutes
  • Cavern stays 52 degrees Fahrenheit all year
  • Opened for public touring in 1937
  • Native trout live in the underground stream

Size and length: About a 35-minute guided tour

Plan It in Three Lines

  1. Getting In

    Admission: from $15.

    1 p.m.–5 p.m. (Sun)

  2. Bring The Dog?

    The tips page says both 'Visitors may carry a pet on the 35-minute tour' and 'Pets on a leash are not allowed within the caverns' (contradictory

    Full rule below

  3. Make It a Day

    Lake James State Park is about 11 miles away (straight line).

    6 places within 30 miles

Linville Caverns Hours

Hours at a Glance

Hours in a day

  • OpenSun1 p.m.–5 p.m.

Days of the week today is outlined

MonTueWedThuFriSatSun1 p.m.–5 p.m.closedclosedclosedclosedclosedclosedopen
  • March – November: open Thursday through Monday 9 am – 5 pm
  • closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
  • December – February: open weekends only.
  • Closed Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Bars that fade start at sunrise or end at sunset or dark, which move with the season. The full hours, word for word, are in the list below.

  • March – November: open Thursday through Monday 9 am – 5 pm; Sundays 1 pm – 5 pm; closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
  • December – February: open weekends only.
  • Closed Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
  • The final tour of the day leaves at closing time.

Hours source: official site, read October 27, 2026.

Admission and Parking

  • Adults $15.00; Seniors (62 and over) $14.00; Children (ages 4-12) $13.00.
  • Children under 4 admitted free with an adult or senior admission.
  • Online booking for tours is available (FareHarbor); walk-ins welcome at the counter.

Directions and Contact

Dogs and Accessibility

  • Dogs: The tips page says both 'Visitors may carry a pet on the 35-minute tour' and 'Pets on a leash are not allowed within the caverns' (contradictory wording).
  • Accessibility: Partially wheelchair-accessible. One step onto the covered porch where tours begin, then a concrete ramp with roughly a 30-degree slope to the cave door; walkway inside is fairly smooth and level. Two places a wheelchair cannot reach (a dead-end narrow passage and a back room with a few steps) where guests can wait or rejoin the tour. Strollers and child-carrying backpacks not allowed inside; baby front carriers allowed. No restrooms inside the cave.

Near Linville Caverns

Around Linville Caverns within 30 miles
10 mi20 mi30 miNSEW123456
  1. 1Lake James State ParkState Parkabout 11 mi
  2. 2Grandfather MountainNature Park With Hiking Trails and Suspension Bridgeabout 14 mi
  3. 3Grandfather Mountain State ParkState Parkabout 19 mi
  4. 4Mount Mitchell State ParkState Parkabout 22 mi
  5. 5Tweetsie RailroadTheme Park and Heritage Steam Railroadabout 24 mi
  6. 6South Mountains State ParkState Parkabout 29 mi

Straight-line distances between map points, not driving miles. Dots sit in their true compass direction; distance is stretched near the middle so close neighbors stay readable.

Coming Up in Marion

None of the events on our checked calendar name Marion right now. The venue's own site lists every show. See every North Carolina event we have checked.

Also see Asheville & Foothills events.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Linville Caverns cost?

From $15. Adults $15.00; Seniors (62 and over) $14.00; Children (ages 4-12) $13.00.; Children under 4 admitted free with an adult or senior admission.; Online booking for tours is available (FareHarbor); walk-ins welcome at the counter.

What are the hours at Linville Caverns?

March – November: open Thursday through Monday 9 am – 5 pm; Sundays 1 pm – 5 pm; closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.; December – February: open weekends only..

Can I bring a dog to Linville Caverns?

The tips page says both 'Visitors may carry a pet on the 35-minute tour' and 'Pets on a leash are not allowed within the caverns' (contradictory wording).

What We Could Not Verify

  • Parking was not stated on the pages read (driving directions page not read).
  • Pet policy on the tips page is self-contradictory; confirm by phone before you bring a dog.
  • Homepage banner says online booking is live for dates from August 20 on; the same page also says walk-ins are welcome.
  • Hours and prices change; check the official site the day you go.

Sources

  1. Linville Caverns: hours (read 2026-10-27)
  2. Linville Caverns: official site (read 2026-10-27)
  3. OpenStreetMap (map point)

Last checked October 27, 2026 by the It’s North Carolina editor. Spot something out of date? Tell us.

Cite this page: It's North Carolina, “Linville Caverns”, itsnorthcarolina.com/places-to-go-in-north-carolina/linville-caverns/ (updated ). By the It's North Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.