Fall/Winter 2009

Just 30 minutes west of Louisville, Kentucky, the town of Corydon, Indiana, prides itself on its Civil War-era historic sites, small-town charm and unspoiled Ohio River scenery. But Corydon’s most exciting attractions lie well underground.

Three southern Indiana cave systems wend through the limestone beneath Corydon, offering visitors the chance to play spelunker for a day. Marengo Cave, discovered in 1883, draws more visitors than any other in Indiana. Orange stalactites and sparkling stalagmites punctuate the ceilings and floors of its massive caverns, and rock draperies embellish the cave’s walls. Marengo’s wild cave exploration — discovering undeveloped passages with a hard hat and individual lights — is perennially popular among visitors age 10 and up.

At Squire Boone Caverns, visitors can tour the cave discovered in 1790 by legendary American explorers Squire and Daniel Boone. Underground waterfalls and rivers continue to sculpt this cave already adorned with glittering mineral formations: “soda straws” (baby stalactites) and flowstone (deposited by flowing rather than dripping water), in addition to stalactites and stalagmites. Above ground, Squire Boone Caverns recreates life from the Boones’ era in its pioneer village, with candle-dipping, soap-making and a working grist mill.

Finally, Corydon’s Wyandotte Caves entice explorers to a cavern used for generations before European settlers arrived on the scene. Here, Native Americans mined minerals and collected flint for tool-making. Modern visitors admire the cavern’s delicate crystalline formations and underground Crystal Lake. Wyandotte Caves are currently undergoing reconstruction, but are scheduled to reopen late 2009.

- State - Indiana

- Type - Outdoor Adventures

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