5 Facts About Barton Creek Cave in Belize

Barton Creek Cave  forms part of a large riverine system, which is easily accessed and the least difficult of all caves, since it allows its visitors to wonder the Mayan Underworld on a canoe.

Read below five of the most interesting facts that makes Barton Creek a unique cave tour.

1. Barton Creek Cave is the longest subterranean site in Belize. The natural process of the cave allows visitors to go in for about one kilometer only.

2. The ceramic remains suggest that the Maya were using the cave from Early classic to Late Classic Period.

ceramics found in the underworld caves

3. The Osteological analysis of the human remains found, revealed that at least 28 individuals were buried inside Barton Creek Cave including kids.

4. Fire hearths with little evidence of cooking were found inside the cave, which suggests that the main functions of the hearths were for providing light/burning of copal incense for ceremonial purposes. Only royalty, such priests and the sacrificial virgins, were allowed inside the cave.

5. Some areas in the cave appear to have been purposely modified by the Maya to improve access to other locations within the cave, that may have been difficult to reach.

After hundreds of years, little was left and archaeologists continue to look at cave materials that can give a clearer depiction of how, why and when the Maya utilized the cave.

Ziplining in Belize

Many of the visitors to Sweet Songs Lodge try zip-lining and cave tubing adventures.  Our favorite place for zip-lining is Calico Jack’s.  It’s also the closest one to Sweet Songs and can be combined with one of these other activities –  canoeing through Barton Creek Cave, Xunantunch or Cahal Pech Maya site, a swim in Big Rock Falls, Green Hills Butterfly Ranch, a Chocolate making demonstration, or a stop at the Green Iguana project.

To combine a Cave Tubing adventure with  ziplining in Belize, Cave’s Branch is the place to go because both are right there. A half hour’s hike through the forest with your guide takes you to the cave entrance to start your float downstream. This cave is more like a tunnel as you can see the light at the end.

We've been out cave tubing frequently, the water was always just right – not too shallow and not too fast.  As we drifted leisurely downstream, we recovered slowly from the adrenaline rush of  the ziplining experience. This varies a bit depending on the weather so sometimes the ride is fast and exciting and at other times slow and quiet, giving you time to enjoy gazing at the cave walls with their many stalagmite and stalactites.

If you have a waterproof housing for your camera, this is a great place for photos.

For more information about our tours and excursions, visit our Activities page.