MO Caves... Meramec Caverns and MOre
Missouri... the Cave State
(updated Mon. Feb. 1, 2016)
cave state cave state cave state
I had read that Tennessee has just over 7,000 caves, and Missouri just over 6,300.
I learned a couple weeks ago that both cave states’ counts have increased significantly in the past couple years.
This article, in the January 25, 2016 St. Louis Post-Dispatch, notes 10,000 and 7,000, respectively:
“Blackfathom River Cave among the discoveries that push Missouri’s cave count over 7,000”
Amazing... and it was only first explored in 2007!
Both have so many because of the nature of what’s below our feet. It’s believed that Missouri was under the ocean for millions of years. During that time, marine life built layer upon layer of sediment, forming our landscape. Since migrating north through continental drift, and since drying up, water seeping through the groups picks up a little carbonic acid, just like the low-acidity kind found in the soda we drink, and it very slowly dissolves the ground. After millions of years, caves and beautiful formations - stalagmites (grow from ground up), stalactites (grow from the top down), draperies and more form.
Missouri has many show caves that are open to the public.
Meramec Caverns is likely the most widely known. We only first visited in September, 2012. We’re thrilled the rest of the Webelos I Den joined up. We’re thankful Lee gave us such a great tour!!!
We also visited Branson’s Marvel Cave, under the entrance of Silver Dollar City, in December, 2011.
We toured Mud Cave, at the Greater St. Louis Area Council, of the Boy Scouts of America’s Beaumont Scout Reservation, in June, 2013.
And we visited Onondaga Cave, a registered National Natural Landmark, in August, 2013.
We look forward to visiting others.
To register for a Cave license plate, see http://www.mocavesandkarst.org/cave-license-plate/.
Pictures are below.
For more information about Missouri Caves
“Missouri Geology” / http://www.amazon.com/Missouri-Geology-Billion-Volcanoes-Sediments/dp/0826208363
http://odd.net/ozarks/caves.htm
http://www.mocavesandkarst.org
Some show caves, as shared by Missouri Life Magazine.
http://blogs.mo.gov/geology/tag/missouri-karst-and-cave-conservancy/
Living St. Louis Cave videos:
Cherokee Cave, under I-44 & I-55… used for the Underground Railroad, parties, and more
http://www.showcaves.com/english/usa/caves/Cherokee.html
Cherokee Caves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epOn_hI8PiY
Caves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbrcgFzP_YU
http://stateoftheozarks.net/natural/caves.php
See also the world's largest cave, in Vietnam...
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/search/?search=vietnam+cave
&
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/01/largest-cave/jenkins-text
We toured Marvel Cave on our last trip in 2011, on Dec. 30.
The largest drapery curtain in the world! - Meramec Caverns
The third-largest stalagmite in the world!!! - Meramec Caverns
Matt - the reason why we visited Meramec Caverns!
Beaumont’s Mud Cave... at Webelos Camp
The hot-cold change, on a warm summer day was surprising... feet in the cool while heads still felt the outside temperature
Onondaga Cave, in Onondaga State Park
Soda straws, growing as the water drips from the ceiling.
(above) The Queen’s Canopy, from the side as we proceed to the left, into the cave.
(below) The Queen’s Canopy, from the front, looking across the Lost River.
The Twins. Water dripped onto the left one about two drips per second. Even at that rate, it only grows one cubic inch every hundred years!
The King’s Canopy, to the left; at the top, people were wed deep in the cave, when it was still privately owned.
The same owner build the only man-made dam, to the left center, so the water washing over the top of the dam would create sound so people could appreciate that the Lost River, which does not seem to move, as it is so still and clear, actually drains a million gallons a day into the pond outside the cave.
The remains of one of two Missouri black bears who apparently wandered into the darkness of the cave and could not get out.
“Pancakes,” made as the water drips and splatters the surroundings.
“Lily pads”
The pond into which the Lost River flows
A tiny toad we found walking the Park’s trail.
