Explore the Caves of Southern Indiana

The otherworldly environment of caves draw tourists. Southern Indiana has its own share of caves, offering underground rivers, cavernous rooms filled with stalactites and stalagmites, and guided tours of the wonders to be found. A light jacket is recommended. The caves tend to have a temperature of 54 degrees year-round.

BLUESPRING CAVERNS, Bedford. (Lawrence County) Bluespring Caverns offers voyages aboard electric tour boats along a subterranean river inhabited by rare blind cave fish and crayfish. Visitors start their hour-long trips on foot from the visitor center. Open Saturdays and Sundays in April and May, daily from Memorial Day through October 31. Organized youth groups can schedule an overnight Adventure in the Caverns for Friday or Saturday night between October and April. Open air features include the Bluespring Caverns Park with gift shop and picnic facilities and the Myst'ry River Gemstone Mine where would-be treasure hunters can try their luck. (812) 279-9471 http://www.bluespringcaverns.com/

MARENGO CAVE, Marengo. (Crawford County) Discovered in 1883 by two children, Marengo Cave offers tours of the Crystal Palace and Dripstone Trail, covering different sections of the cave. Highlights include massive flowstone formations throughout the Crystal Palace (40 minute) and huge passageways, sodastraw formations, delicate helictites, and slender totem pole stalagmites on the Dripstone Trail tour (70 minutes). Open daily, year-round, each tour about 30 minutes part. Outside, visitors can pan for gemstones and negotiate The Crawl, a simulated cave. Gift shop, picnic area, camping cabins, nature trail. Adventure trips are also available for the Old Town Spring or Red Room Waterfall tours. National Historic Landmark. (812) 365-2705 http://www.marengocave.com/

SQUIRE BOONE CAVERNS, Corydon. (Orange County) Brothers Daniel and Squire Boone discovered the caverns in 1790. The area was settled by Squire Boone who hid from pursuing Indians in the caverns. The caverns are open for one-hour guided tours of the caverns which harbor blind, albino crayfish.. There are roaring underground streams and waterfalls to be seen. Boone's gravesite is located in the cave. Squire Boone built a gristmill near the cave around 1804 which has been restored. In the foundation are stones with a message he carved. Also aboveground is a village where you can watch soap making, candle dipping, and other traditional craftwork. You can mine for gems including amethyst, topaz, garnet, and tourmaline, among others and there is a huge mineral and fossil shop with more than 100 varieties of minerals, gems, fossils, and crystals. There is also the Welcome Center and Candy Factory. Kids can feed the goats, there's a rock shop playground, and picnic areas. The caverns are open for tours every 30 minutes Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day; otherwise, 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm EST. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and weekends in January and February. Indiana Historic Site. (888) 934-1804. www.squireboonecaverns.com  

WYANDOTTE CAVES, Leavenworth. (Crawford County) Open since 1850, the two Wyandotte Caves are in Harrison-Crawford State Forest. The Historic Cave, open from spring to fall, offers a 90-minute Monument Mountain Tour which showcases for visitors a rare helictite formation and one of the world's highest underground mountains. The cave is also home to the rare and endangered Indiana Bat which was discovered here The winter closing is to allow the bats to hibernate undisturbed. A 30-minute the Flowstone Falls tour of Siberts Cave is offered from May 1 through October 31. Highlights include Crystal Lake. There are also adventure trips through undeveloped sections of the Historic Cave for groups of 12 or more with advance reservations. This includes the 2-3 hour Pillar of the Constitution tour and the 3-4 hour Beyond the Auger Hole tour. For these tours, helmet-mounted Petzl lights are provided. Gift shop. The state forest offers nature center and interpretive programs, pioneer buildings, day and overnight hiking trails, horse trails, and camping. National Historic Landmark. (812) 365-2705 www.wyandottecaves.com