Barton Creek Cave, Natural cave in Cayo District, Belize.

Barton Creek Cave is a large cavern in Cayo District with an extensive underground river that flows through soaring limestone chambers and passages. The system features high ceilings in many sections, with the river carving out navigable channels that visitors can travel by canoe.

Mennonites from a nearby community first floated into the cave on oil drums in the early 1970s and found human bones near the entrance. On 9 May 1974, Peace Corps volunteers Barbara MacLeod and CarolJo Rushin entered with local farmer Patrick Cartwright, paddling over a mile inside. Looting followed soon after the cave was reported, yet pottery from 200 to 900 CE and the remains of at least 28 people remain.

The Maya used the cave between the Early Classic (200–600 CE) and Late Classic (600–900 CE) periods, leaving pottery sherds and objects on ten ledges within the first kilometre of passage. At least 28 human remains have been found inside, indicating ceremonial use. The underground river was central to these practices.

Wear sturdy shoes with good grip since the paths stay wet and slippery throughout the tour. Long sleeves and pants protect your skin from sharp limestone surfaces while you navigate the passages by canoe.

The canoe journey passes through chambers where stalactites and stalagmites create unusual rock formations, making the route visually striking. Archaeological findings show that the river's fresh water was crucial to the site's role in Maya life.