In the room
The experience
You drive an hour south-east of Nashville into the Cumberland Plateau, park in a field, and descend on foot 333 feet into Big Mouth Cave. The Caverns is a literal cathedral of stone, capacity around 1,200, the stage carved into a limestone wall and the seating raked across the cave floor. The reverb is geological: four seconds, maybe five at the back, and the cave is twelve degrees cooler than the August surface above. PBS films *Bluegrass Underground* here for the same reason: the room sounds like nowhere else.
Insider tip
Walk in knowing
Skip the dome shows for the matinee cave tour on a non-show day. The space is acoustically alive even when empty. The car park is gravel; bring boots.
Why it fits
Why it is in the atlas
A literal cave hosting world-class touring acts. Beautiful music in a beautiful place, no metaphor required.
Plan the trip
When to go, hours, getting there
Best time to go
Spring and autumn for the comfortable cave temperatures (the cave is 56°F year-round, but surface temperatures for the drive and parking matter). Bluegrass Underground PBS recording sessions run year-round. Saturday night main shows are the headline.
Hours
Concert programming on Friday and Saturday nights, plus selected weeknights. Cave tours during daytime on non-show days. Closed during winter weather warnings.
Getting there
Drive from Nashville 90 minutes south-east on I-24 to Monteagle, then local roads to Pelham. From Chattanooga, 60 minutes north. Free parking on a gravel field at the cave entrance.
Straight from the source
Official site and tickets
Dates and tickets come from the venue itself. Opens thecaverns.com in a new tab.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Where is The Caverns?
The Caverns is in Pelham, Tennessee, United States. Coordinates: 35.3490, -85.7886.
What kind of music is at The Caverns?
The Caverns programmes Bluegrass, Americana, Jam, Indie Folk. A 333-ft-deep subterranean amphitheatre in Big Mouth Cave on the Cumberland Plateau. Home of Bluegrass Underground, where stalactites do the reverb work.
When is the best time to visit The Caverns?
Spring and autumn for the comfortable cave temperatures (the cave is 56°F year-round, but surface temperatures for the drive and parking matter). Bluegrass Underground PBS recording sessions run year-round. Saturday night main shows are the headline.
How do I get to The Caverns?
Drive from Nashville 90 minutes south-east on I-24 to Monteagle, then local roads to Pelham. From Chattanooga, 60 minutes north. Free parking on a gravel field at the cave entrance.
Why is The Caverns in the Sonic Paths atlas?
A literal cave hosting world-class touring acts. Beautiful music in a beautiful place, no metaphor required.
Stay
Book somewhere to stay nearby
Find a bed close to The Caverns in Pelham through our accommodation partner, Stay22.
Some links to accommodation are affiliate links. If you book through one, Sonic Paths may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.