The Spooky Caverns of Colossal Cave

Posted: 04.20.2021 | Updated: 10.27.2025

Just a few miles south of Tucson lies Colossal Cave, an often overlooked natural landmark with well over a thousand years of history. The roofs of the cave are blackened from centuries of Native American bonfires and ceremonies. The bones of human and animal remains litter the ground.

With no flowing water, the cave is no longer actively growing. But the ghosts and spirits inside Colossal Cave are very active.

Keep reading to learn the shadowy truth behind this haunted cave system. And when you are ready to visit haunted places in Arizona for yourself, book an Arizona ghost tour with Phoenix Ghosts!

Who Haunts Colossal Cave?

Ghost experts have determined that at least four ghosts live in the cave system.

• The most encountered ghost is that of Frank Schmidt, one of the early developers of the cave. His spirit accompanies visitors to the caves, often smelling of smoke.
• The ghosts of the dead train robbers wander around the caves looking for their lost loot.
• The ghost of a Native American woman moans and sobs in the night.
• The ghost of a lady in white sometimes floats around the entrance.

These hauntings occur due to the rich and often dark history of the caves.

Early History of the Colossal Caves

Over a thousand years ago, around 900 AD, local Indigenous peoples discovered the Colossal Caves. The Hohokam, Sobaipuri, and Apache tribes all used the caves for various purposes, including ceremonies, rituals, and protection from the elements as well as other tribes.

Some say that they may have even lived in the caves. The ceilings in some areas are blackened from centuries of bonfires, and bones are straddled along the floors of the caves. Early European settlers found hundreds of antlers piled high inside. Human remains also littered the cave floor.

The Native Americans evacuated the caves around the time of European conquest, sometime between 1450 and 1600.

Arrival of Americans

Americans came across the Colossal Caves in 1879. Solomon Lick, a former Union soldier, and owner of a nearby ranch, stumbled upon the cave while surveying his newly acquired property. He originally called it Mountain Springs Cave, after his ranch and the accompanying hotel.

Lick and his search party began exploring the cave, noting the massive piles of bones, as well as the strong stench from the years of bat guano that had been building up over the centuries. Due to the physical limitations of the cave at the time, Lick and his crew only ventured about half a mile in before turning around.

The cave was further explored by William Shaw after his takeover of the Mountain Springs Ranch. A five-hour excursion into the cave revealed its true depth. Shaw and his men were awed at the size of the caverns, and some holes were so deep, that one could drop a stone and never hear a sound.

Over the next few decades, the cave began to generate revenue. Guano from the cave was extracted and shipped to Los Angeles. Tunnels were bored into the cave to get better access. In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps helped create a walking path through the Colossal Cave. The area was named Colossal Cave Mountain Park and became a tourist attraction over the years.

Despite the natural beauty of the Colossal Cave, it’s still relatively unknown to many. The park has grown to add a number of other attractions in an attempt to bring more guests. Ghosthunters often come to the cave to capture evidence of spirits.

The Bandits of the Southern Pacific Express

Sometime in the 1880s, a group of train robbers discovered the cave and decided that it would be a good place to set up their base of operations. The Southern Pacific Express railroad wasn’t too far off, and the Colossal Cave provided protection from the authorities. Their first heist was a success,  they got away with over $3,000 in straight cash. The bandits wanted to try their luck again.

The second robbery netted the bandits a ton of gold and silver Mexican coins. After the second heist, however, local authorities caught wind of the bandits. A tip came in that the robbers could be hiding out in the cave system near the Mountain Springs Ranch.

Police sprang into action. They surrounded the cave and found the bandits upon entry. After a lengthy shootout, two of the bandits were killed, while the others escaped. The stolen goods were never recovered from the caves.

Local legends say that the loot is still somewhere in the Colossal Cave, hidden among the complex maze of stalactites and deep crevasses. The money and coins they stole were said to be stashed in Wells Fargo stamped bags, and as of yet, no one has found the bags.

The ghosts of the bank robbers who were shot dead in the shootout are said to still haunt the Colossal Caves. Visitors and staff have seen the shadows of men in cowboy gear wandering around, who then disappear into thin air.

Some say it’s actually the ghost of Frank Schmidt, but those who are familiar with the cave and its ghosts say that Frank has a much friendlier vibe. Supposedly the ghost bandits are still in the cave guarding their precious loot.

Ghosts of the Colossal Cave

While some visit the Colossal Cave for a spelunking adventure, others go to see if the haunted reputation is true. In addition to the ghost robbers, at least three other ghosts are known to haunt the cave, including the spirit of Frank Schmidt.

The Phantom of Frank Schmidt

Frank was one of the early developers of the cave, and he apparently still hangs out in there in the afterlife. Frank often follows tour groups as they walk through the cave, and you know when he’s around because the smell of tobacco fills the air. Turns out that Frank was quite the smoker.

A few guests have seen Frank hanging behind the tour group smoking a pipe, before suddenly disappearing. Staff have seen Frank hanging in restricted areas, or walking around the caves after closing time. He usually vanishes when the staff try to chase him down.

Native Woman Spirit

Back when the caves were still used by Native Americans, a woman from a local tribe was being chased by a bear. She ran towards the caves in an attempt to find safety. In those days, the entrance to the cave had a steep twenty-foot cliff. The woman ran into the cave without minding the drop and fell to her death.

Her ghost is still often heard moaning and crying, scaring many of the guests. A few of the staff believe that her moans are actually the sound of the wind blowing through the cave, but her cries have also been heard on days when there are no strong winds. Due to the steep drop at the entrance, park staff have long since changed the public entry point into the Colossal Cave to protect the safety of the guests.

Other Cave Ghosts

Other ghosts of the cavern include a woman in an all-white dress, often seen near the entrance of the cave as if acting as the cave’s guardian, though it’s been a few years since she last appeared. Because she seems to appear near the cave entrance, some say she may actually be the apparition of the Native American woman who fell to her death.

Some centuries ago, staff say that two young Native American boys died while exploring the cave. They say that the ghosts of the two boys still roam around the cave. Their apparitions have yet to be seen, but ghost hunters and paranormal experts have picked up EVPs and audio recordings in the area where they were said to have died. Many guests have also reported having their phones and cameras malfunction in that area as well.

Haunted Arizona

This haunted cave just outside of Tucson has inspired urban legends for generations. But this is only one of the many Arizona ghost stories that await you in the shadows of the desert.

Are you brave enough to visit haunted places in Arizona in person? Book an Arizona ghost tour today with Phoenix Ghosts… if you dare!

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 Sources:

• https://www.pima.gov/1230/Colossal-Cave-Mountain-Park
• https://colossalcave.com/history/
• https://www.kgun9.com/absolutely-az/the-long-and-storied-history-of-colossal-cave-makes-it-absolutely-arizona
• https://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-colossal-caves-arizona-20180303-story.html
• https://tucson.com/entertainment/go-ghost-hunting-at-southern-arizonas-colossal-cave-this-summer/article_1a40dea7-dce2-500f-8f86-e91c2a25e17c.html
• https://tucson.com/article_12295fbe-d3ed-11e8-9c49-dfaa08b87f09.html