Sunday, July 7, 2013

A new show cave opened to the public in Indiana in mid-June. Indiana Caverns, located near Corydon, in Southern Indiana, is part of the Binkley Cave system. Binkley is the longest cave system in the state, totaling 35 miles, and is the 11th largest cave system in the United States.

The cave was discovered in 2010. That year, Pleistocene era bones from animals were discovered in the caverns. Most were discovered in an area called Big Bone Mountain. The findings include dozens of remains from bison, snakes, birds, bears, and an extinct peccary species. The remains are dated as being approximately 25,000 years old. It is believed an entryway collapsed and the animals were trapped in the cave. Live animals also live in the cave, including 21 species of troglobites.

Indiana Caverns is a show cave, which allows visitors to explore Big Bone Mountain and view the animal remains. It used to take spelunkers upwards of 12 hours to make it to Big Bone Mountain. Visitors can now visit the location within minutes, exploring less than a mile of the cave system, which includes a trip across an underground lake by boat.