385: Reviews of Caves with National Park After Dark
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In this episode of Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet, hosts Zandy and Christine welcome Danielle and Cassie from National Park After Dark to dive into a collection of hilariously scathing one-star reviews of caves across the U.S. and beyond. The conversation kicks off with Cassie’s confessed claustrophobia and traumatic cave experiences, including a terrifying spelunking trip in Mammoth Cave as a teenager. The hosts read and dramatize real reviews highlighting absurd complaints—broken elevators in Wind Cave, overpriced commercialization at Wookiee Hole Caves, and the infamous Nutty Putty Cave tragedy where a man died trapped upside down for hours. The episode blends dark humor with genuine insight into the dangers and absurdities of cave tourism, from panic-inducing emergencies to the psychological toll of being underground. The guests also share their own podcasting journey, including taking listeners on real-life trips to the locations they cover. The episode closes with a playful game guessing which national park a review refers to, revealing the hosts' deep familiarity with both the parks and their most vocal critics.
Cave tourism can be terrifying—especially for those with claustrophobia or fear of the unknown.
One-star reviews often focus on logistical failures like broken elevators, lack of food, or misleading descriptions, not the caves themselves.
The Nutty Putty Cave incident is a real-life cautionary tale about the dangers of spelunking, even in well-maintained caves.
National parks like Mammoth Cave and Wind Cave have rich histories and dark stories that fuel both fear and fascination.
Podcasts like National Park After Dark are turning true outdoor stories into immersive experiences, even taking fans on real trips.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Welcome to the Worst Cave Reviews
The hosts introduce the episode with their signature dramatic flair, welcoming Danielle and Cassie of National Park After Dark to discuss the most scathing one-star reviews of caves.
Cassie's Traumatic Cave Past
“And they sent people back. And then they were like, well, if you fall here, it'll take about 12 to 24 hours for somebody to come rescue you. Like if you fall into this thing and you'll definitely break at least two limbs.”
The Dark History of Mammoth Cave
“Floyd Collins, that's right. Yeah, it was that's quite a dark story. The cave war situation. Yes, the cave war. That's right. Yep, that too. What the fuck? Wild times. Like really cool as a movie.”
The Elevator Nightmare at Wind Cave
“The absolute worst experience I've ever had in my life. So we take the short tour. We're going through the cave and everything's all good. Our tour guide was nice and very helpful. We reached the end where we are supposed to take the elevator back to the surface. The elevators are broken. Absolute panic breaks loose.”
The Nutty Putty Cave Tragedy
“He was talking like to rescue to his wife and like we're going to get you out and all this stuff. Anyway, if you are upside down for a certain period of time, all your blood rushes to your head and to your heart. And it overloaded his heart and he died with full rescue personnel around him for hours.”
“He was talking like to rescue to his wife and like we're going to get you out and all this stuff. Anyway, if you are upside down for a certain period of time, all your blood rushes to your head and to your heart. And it overloaded his heart and he died with full rescue personnel around him for hours.”
“The tunnels we crawled through looped back to the main trail after maybe 30 feet, so you weren't even going into the cave. You were just doing tiny loops through really repetitive crawl spaces.”
“And they sent people back. And then they were like, well, if you fall here, it'll take about 12 to 24 hours for somebody to come rescue you. Like if you fall into this thing and you'll definitely break at least two limbs.”
Hosts
Guests
National Park After Dark
media
Cassie
person
Danielle
person
Mammoth Cave National Park
other
Christine Schiefer
person
Zandy
person
Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet
media
Wind Cave National Park
other
La Jolla Sea Caves
other
Nutty Putty Cave
other
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