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    The Lost Sea

    4.3 (242 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

    The Lost Sea Photos

    Recommended Reviews - The Lost Sea

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    David P.

    This is another unique place. How often do you see a 4 acre lake underground. Pretty cool. This place is a little remote, but worth the detour if you have the time. You'll start by going down a long tunnel and entering the cave system. The walk is pretty easy and there are various formations you get to see. The discovery of the cave was around the late 1800s and an adjoining cave (not on the basic tour) was a designated a fallout shelter in the 50's. After venturing around a bit, you come to a large open room where the lake is. It's really pretty neat to see. There you take a short boat ride around the lake before heading back to the entrance. The tour takes about an hour+. They also have a few other attractions at the location. Most were closed when I was there.

    Stephanie K.

    Pictures don't do it justice since it's dark and you're underground but wow! What a neat experience. They emphasize the importance of physical fitness in trekking down and back but it's really not that bad. Maybe we had the same amount of stops going down as going up but I remember the stops going up lasted longer as some people needed to catch their breath. There are benches to sit. Mind you, our guide was a teenager in jeans (and possibly crocs?) leisurely walking. There are lots of railings too. Our guide clearly has a rehearsed spiel but was very informative and didn't sound robotic, answered questions professionally, and appeared to enjoy her job. The coolest part for me was when they turned off the lights to experience total natural darkness. It's a well run tour, great for families (but no bathrooms underground so be mindful of that!) - Make sure not to touch unless told you can!

    Trout in the lake
    Alex E.

    Very interesting and informative tour. Loved the boat portion and our host Kieran was especially fun! Everyone from the front desk to the shop was polite and helpful! Definitely a muse see in TN. Must be sure of foot and capable of a short hike. There is uneven terrain and some wet ground.

    Underground lake

    My 8 y.o. and I very much enjoyed the tour and learning a lot. It was a great pit stop on a long journey. We think our tour guide Logan was funny and knowledgeable. Thanks for a good time!

    This place is beautiful. The under lake looks pretty cool it's a fun experience to see the Lost sea cave . Property has nice attraction buildings . It's easy to book online reservations so I can know I will be able to do tour when I was down here . Ticket taking was very friendly people . The tour guide very in depth knowledgeable on lost sea cave and lake . The only thing I had was the tour guide could be more helpful and friendly and thank me for traveling to see the attraction . I thought the tour guide just needs to fine tune their people skills instead of joking around . The pictures came out amazing. Attraction was good to see . It's been a National covered attraction on cbs and wanted to see what was special about the attraction. It's something different to do .its just a lot of walking and step paths that climb up and done .

    Cave flowers
    Grace D.

    Pictures really don't do this justice.... But... it's a lake, underground, which is just mind-blowing really. The cave also has cave flowers, the highest concentration in the world, and they are really pretty! Like purple crystal flowers growing out of the ceiling! There was a prehistoric jaguar, confirmed to have been huge, that was found in the cave, and you can see a skull casting replica in the gift shop. The little village on site looked like it would be pretty fun in season, too, but was mostly closed in March. Had tour guide Logan and he was hilarious! Absolutely worth the ticket price!!

    Susan C.

    Took a guest visiting from Germany to The Lost Sea on the outskirts of Sweetwater, TN. Our young witty guide, Noah, led a large group of us through Craighead Caverns, with its stalactites and stalagmites, and to America's largest underground lake. There we boarded 2 small boats and slowly drifted around the lake to see schools of rainbow trout swimming in the cold water, eager to snap up "Purina trout kibbles" that our guide sprinkled in the water. The terrain throughout the cave is mostly level but also steep in parts, though there's a handrail along the sides for safety. The best part: 58 degrees Fahrenheit inside the cave with a fair amount of humidity -- a pleasant contrast to the 92-degree temperature above. Ten years ago, the modern Visitors Center didn't exist. Now 1.5 years old, it includes a gift shop, and on the premises, a sweet shop and a glass blowing workshop.

    Izzy A.

    You go down approximately 7 stories down to see the America's second largest underground lake inside a cave. You will get to go on a boat ride and see the fish. Is an amazing experience. Is a little of a workout walking those incline ramps.

    Nash W.

    The Lost Sea is misleading but it's a decent stop to check things out. Quite a hike in the cave up and down a pretty good clip. The sea is basically a very small lake... Kind of like a below ground pond. They continually add fish because they die off with no oxygen in the water and no natural light. Very strange. Not a lot to see in the cave except for the history behind it. There are many caves in Tennessee that are amazing compared to this.

    Underground lake

    The majority of the tour is walking to and from the lake. Down down down and up up up. Not recommended for anyone with asthma as conditions are damp with mold and mildew especially in the yellow metal tunnel. Steep climb and poor breathing conditions triggered an asthma attack.

    Beautiful colors
    Sally H.

    The Lost Sea is America's largest underground lake and Registered National Landmark located in beautiful Sweetwater, Tennessee. The visible portion of the lake is 800 feet long by 220 feet wide. You go deep into the Craighead Caverns walking, and by glass bottom boat.( Lots of rainbow trout) 140 feet below ground, the Lost sea is the largest under ground lake in North America. 4 acres of the lake are visible, there are at least 13 more discovered acres beneath the surface. Divers have uncovered a series of rooms beneath the water. Way cool! So there is more to someday explore! It's in the 50's down there so be sure to dress for cool. And get ready to walk, on uneven terrain and there is darkness. It is amazing, beautiful and there is a lot of history.Cherokees Indians used artifacts have been discovered. During the 1800's: When the first white settlers arrived in the Tennessee Valley in the 1820's they also discovered the cave and used it for storing potatoes and other vegetables. One of the cave's earliest visitors was a giant Pleistocene jaguar whose tracks have been found deep inside the cave. Some 20,000 years ago the animal apparently lost his way in the darkness and wandered for days before plunging into a crevice far from the daylight he sought. Some of the bones, discovered in 1939, are now on display in the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

    Diane W.

    My husband and I adventured to this place while on a camping trip. We did one of the late afternoon time slots and booked/paid online. We didn't have any issues booking or finding parking. The tunnel is pretty cool looking. There aren't really steps to deal with, BUT coming back up all the inclines was a lot for me. I am admittedly out of shape and overweight. If you are too, then just keep in mind that going down the inclines is much easier than coming back. There were times I felt like I was fighting for my life!! My heart was beating out of my chest and I was breathing hard. My face was super red when I made it out. I stopped 3 times on the way back out....so I could rest and catch my breath. The boat ride was cool. It's not super long but you get to see the fish. Getting in and out of the boat was a little scary for me, but overall not bad. I hope this review helps someone in a similar situation be able to make an informed decision.

    Rita L.

    Did a tour today and enjoyed it :) Chuck was a funny tour guide for our group, kept us entertained with jokes here and there. The tour itself was about an hour and half, you walk down the yellow tunnel at the beginning and then walk in and out different caves, the whole hike would be like walking 5 flights up which is not too bad especially since they built in different rest stops too. Boat ride was cool at the bottom, with wide caves. Cool to check out. Wear comfy walking shoes, the red dirt will get on a bit but washable with soap or toothpaste.

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    Super cool little side trip highly recommended for kids lots of walking uphill so be prepared and wear the right shoes.

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    Tour guide's name was Bella. I've been a few times, but this was the best guide I've had. She made the experience a lot better.

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    Page 1 of 7

    Ask the Community - The Lost Sea

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    21.99 for adults

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    Review Highlights - The Lost Sea

    You go down approximately 7 stories down to see the America's second largest underground lake inside a cave.

    Mentioned in 36 reviews

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    Sir Goony's Family Fun Center

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    Our family frequently played mini-golf here in the 2000s, and I returned in 2026 to play another…read moreround. It's a fun set of courses with every option from challenging to easy. They also have paintball, go-karts, a snack shack and more. This is easily your best option for playing miniature golf in the Knoxville area.

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