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Dry Caves and Sumps of Quintana Roo Mexico

 

 

last updated 04 February 2024

 


 

Cave exploration in Quintana Roo is normally focused on submerged passages due to regional geology, a shallow water table, and a historical penchant for underwater cave exploration. Although little is known about the extent or frequency of dry caves in Quintana Roo, our knowledge of these caves is expanding. We submit two catalogues as a foundation for understanding a further aspect of the karst of Quintana Roo. This information is by no means complete.

The first table (Dry Caves of Quintana Roo) lists caves that are not connected to an underwater cave through a surveyed sump. We limit the below roster to dry caves over 1500 meters in length. If you are interested in reviewing the entire list of reported dry caves, please go here for our dry cave records to 500 meters.

 

The second table (Sumps of Quintana Roo) lists caves connected by underwater and dry cave passages. We limit this roster to caves to those in excess of 1500 meters. A full account of dry and underwater cave connections is available here.

 

QRSS reports data shared by independent survey groups. QRSS does not use cave depths or elevations reported by civilian GPS machines. We prefer to rely on reported underwater and dry cave survey depths starting from the highest cave entrance Zero Datum.

 

Current Dry Cave Update is Here

 

Dry Caves of Quintana Roo

Dry Caves to 1500 m in Length
 
  Cave Name Length (Meters) Depth (Meters) # of Cave Entrances Reported Date
By
1 Sistema Chango Mistico 12006 ? 2(?) Sprouse Teams 03/2016
2 Pixan Bel 11899 ? 2(?) Sprouse Teams 08/2017
3 Sist. Quijada de Jaguar (Jaguar Jaw) 10900 ? 2(?) Sprouse Teams 04/2018
4 Sistema Texcoco 8197 ? 2(?) Sprouse Teams 01"2016
5 Sistema Dos Arboles 7951 -17.0 45 Sprouse Teams 03/2016
6 Sistema del Vivero (y C. del Templo) 4304 ? 2(?) Sprouse Teams 12/2016
7 Sistema Pulpo 4153 -15.0 14 Sprouse Teams 12/2011
8 Sist. Fauces de Jaguar (Jaguar Maw) 3816 ? 2(?) Sprouse Teams 12/2017
9 Cueva de Camaras 3811 -4.0 2 Sprouse Teams 09/2014
10 Sistema Aktun Chen (Show Cave) 3540 ? 4(?) Sprouse Teams 03/2016
11 Sistema Ruta de los Guerreros 3487 ? 2(?) Sprouse Teams 12/2017
12 Muuch 3469 ? 2(?) Sprouse Teams 12/2018
13 Xuux Puja'an 3281 ? 1(?) Sprouse Teams 12/2017
14 Jaguar Paw (Ox Balam name change) 2717 ? 2(?) Sprouse Teams 01/2015
15 Cueva Yum Ka'ax (Ka'pe Chich) 2646 -9.1(?) 2(?) Czech Speleological Society 01/2020
16 Sistema Kantenah 2640 ? 2(?) Sprouse Teams 03/2018
17 Cueva Pacto One 2576 ? 1(?) Sprouse Teams 12/2018
18 Cueva Pal Ha 2256 ? 1(?) Sprouse Teams 12/2017
19 Cueva Carretera Perdida 2204 ? 1(?) Sprouse Teams 02/2016
20 Cueva Chéel Náajal 2127 ? 1(?) Sprouse Teams 12/2013
21 Cueva Chan Xi'ik 2037 ? 1(?) Sprouse Teams 12/2017
22 Sistema del Tercer Ojo 1962 -5.3(?) 5 (?) Sprouse Teams 11/2010
23 Nohoch Aktun 1922 ? 1(?) Sprouse Teams 12/2017
24 Sist. Garganta de Jaguar (Jag. Craw) 1855 ? 2(?) Sprouse Teams 12/2018
25 Explor 1853 ? ? Sprouse Teams 03/2017
26 Sistema Kana Kiwi 1850 -6.0 2 Sprouse Teams 12/2018
27 C. Media Luna (Rancho Actun Chen) 1670 -6.0 1(?) Sprouse Teams 09/3012
28 Sistema Alux Sur 1663 -3.0 5 F. Devos 09/2002
29 K'ek'en Ha 1624 ? ? Sprouse Teams 12/2018
29 Chichan Kin Belai 1610 ? ? Sprouse Teams 03/2017
30 Actun Zac 1591 ? ? Sprouse Teams 03/2016
             
             
 

 

     

 

On occasion, both submerged and dry caves in Quintana Roo are connected by common tunnels. The table below lists surveyed cave assemblages where both underwater and dry sections are joined by a sump(s). The Total for each cave system indicates the true depth and length of the complete dry and wet cave.

 
Given the proximity of most underwater caves to the coast, we use the water table as Zero Datum for the list below. To simplify this list, the name of the cave system is mentioned first. Reported Sump Sections length sums the total of all sump surveys to or between dry sections. Reported Dry Cave Sections length sums the total of all dry surveys to or between sump sections.

The reported dry section depth is the deepest dry cave survey station reported from highest surveyed land surface entrance down to the water table (Zero Datum). Underwater surveys continue to the deepest surveyed station depth.

 
Underwater cave names and Sump Sections are not italicized. Dry Cave Sections are italicized. If you are interested in reviewing an expanded summary, please see the Current Sump Cave Updates here for a download.
 

Current Sump Cave Report is Here

 

Underwater Caves Connected to

Dry Caves in Quintana Roo

Sumped Caves to 1500 m in Length

 

  Cave Name Length Depth Date  

1

Sistema Sac Actun

378560

-101.2

  09/2022  
  Sump Sections 51.7

-2.4

  10/2016  
  Dry Cave Sections 7510.4

-11.0

  09/2018  
 

Total

386122.1

-112.2

   
             
2 Sistema K'oox Baal 102901 -26.2   09/2022  
  Sump Sections 201.5 -10.7   02/2010  
  Dry Cave Sections 633.2 -8.2   04/2012  
 

Total

103735.7 -34.4      
             
3 Sistema Xunaan Ha 52214 -27.1   05/2013  
  Sump Sections 1680 -21.0   08/2010  
  Dry Cave Sections 6551 -6.7   06/2011  
 

Total

60445 -33.8      
             
4 Sistema Pool Tunich 50401.0 -20.0 11/2018
  Sump Sections 1510 -4.0   11/2015  
 

Total

51911 -24.0      
             
5 Sistema Garra de Jaguar (Jaguar Claw) 47088 ?   08/2018  
  Garra de Jaguar Sumps 191 ?   04/2015  
 

Total

47279 ?      
             
6 Sistema Ponderosa 14683 -20.4   03/2018  
  Dry Cave Sections 7484 -8.0   12/2017  
 

Total

22167 -28.4      
             
7 Sistema Sac Muul 13654 -21.0   11/2015  
  Sump Sections 20 -8.0   12/2011  
 

Total

13674 -29.0      
             
8 Sistema Sac Kai (Paachil Nah) 11844 -15.2   07/2017  
  Sump Sections 1049 -15.8   05/2016  
  Dry Cave Sections 316 -8.4   04/2014  
 

Total

13209 -24.2      
             
9 Sistema Zumpango 12826 ?   03/2017  
  Sistema Zumpango Sumps 378 ?   03/2016  
 

Total

13204 ?   12/2017  
             
10 Sistema Cupul Ha 11027 -14.0   03/2014  
  Ka't Sump One 88 -6.7   12/2013  
  Dry Cave Sections 37 -0.0   03/2014  
 

Total

11152 -14.0      
             
11 Sistema Chac Mol ? ?   03/2018  
  Chac Mol Dry Sections ? ?   08/2018  
 

Total

11103 ?      
             
12 Sistema Taj Majal 9954.2 -23.8   08/2017  
  Dry Cave Sections 70.0 -6.1   07/2017  
  Sump Sections 69.8 -6.1   07/2017  
 

Total

10094.0 -29.9      
             
13 Sistema Minotauro 8739 -16.8   08/2013  
  Cenote Estrella Dry Cave 87 ?   12/2018  
 

Total

8826 ?      
             
14 Sistema Exploradora Sump 5881.9 -17.4   07/2020  
  Sistema Exploradora 917.4 -10.3   04/2018  
 

Total

6799.4 -27.7      
             
15 Sistema Ruta de los Guerreros ? ?   12/2017  
  Guerreros Tails Sump ? ?   11/2015  
  Guerreros Orisha Sump ? ?   03/2012  
 

Total

3966 -13.7?      
             
16 Sistema Aktun T'uyul 3145 ?   12/2018  
  Sistema Aktun T'uyul Sumps 339 ?   03/2017  
 

Total

3484 ?      
             
17 Sistema Muuch 2128 -5.5   07/2014  
  Cueva Culebron, R1, Culebrita 1341 ?   03/2018  
 

Total

3469 -5.5      
             
18 Sistema Yuum Kaax (Diva Pitaci M.) ? -9.1   01/2020  
  Yuum Kax Sumps ? ?   01/2020  
 

Total

2646.3 -9.1      
             
19 Sistema Kantenah ? ?   03/2018  
  Kantenah Sumps ? ?   03/2018  
 

Total

2640 ?      
             
20 Sistema Altar Tigre 2165 -8.4   09/2015  
  Sump Sections 442 -4.6   09/2014  
 

Total

2607 -13.0      
             
21 Sistema Casa del Jaguar 2419 -8.8   12/2012  
  Dry Cave Sections 49 ?   12/2012  
 

Total

2468 -8.8      
             
22 Sistema Swan Lake 2023 -14.6   05/2010  
  Dry Cave Sections 320 -5.2   03/2010  
 

Total

2343 -19.8      
             
23 Sistema Zukunoob Noh 2071 -16.2   07/2017  
  Cueva Chi Chi Beh 62 -8.7   10/2018  
 

Total

2133        
             
24 Alamo Sump 1504.1 -7.6   01/2021  
  Cueva Alamo 579.9 -3.7   01/2018  
 

Total

2084 -11.3      
             
25 Sistema Misterio Maya 1547 -11.3   01/2015  
  Dry Cave Sections 466 -2.1   02/2015  
 

Total

2013 -13.4      
             
26 Sistema Trono 1397 -6.0   09/2014  
  Sump Sections 370 -22.9   09/2013  
 

Total

1767 -28.9      
             
27 Sistema Tres Banderas 1472 ?   02/2016  
  Sump Sections 80 ?   02/2016  
 

Total

1552 ?      
             

 

 

 

 

   
   
 

Updates and corrections are welcome: chac<at>consolidated.net

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