Squire Boone Caverns: discover the fun
Squire Boone and his brother Daniel Boone were famous for their explorations and discoveries — including that of a system of caves and passages in southern Indiana, about 40 miles from Louisville. Today you can be the explorer and discover Squire Boone Caverns for yourself.
Guided tours take visitors through tunnels carved over millions of years and decorated with geologic formations such as stalactites, stalagmites and flowstone. These masterpieces of nature are deep underground, but readily accessible by lighted walkways.
The caverns are also home to an underground ecosystem. Rushing rivers and waterfalls rarely seen in caves carry over a million gallons of water through Squire Boone Caverns every day.
Squire Boone, who once hid in the caverns to escape a band of Indians, went on to settle on the property above with his wife, four sons and their families. Upon his death in 1815, Squire Boone was laid to rest within a cave, as he had requested.
For the summer season only, Squire Boone Caverns opens its “Village,” where guests can watch a miller grinding grain in Squire Boone's Grist Mill, see lye soap being made, feed ducks and goats, hike a nature trail, dip candles, enjoy a picnic and more.
Squire Boone built the original mill in the early 1800s. It’s now restored to grind grain just as it did nearly two centuries ago. An 18-foot wheel, powered by water flowing from the caverns, turns the 1,000-pound grinding stones, and a miller demonstrates how cornmeal and grits are sifted from the ground corn. The Village also features a bakery, candy shop and one of the largest rock shops in the Midwest, with thousands of pounds of minerals, fossils, and crystals. Items for sale include agate bookends, beads, semiprecious stone necklaces and more. Next door to the rock shop is the Gem Mining Sluice, where visitors can search for fool's gold and gems.
Cavern tours depart at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. in the spring, winter and fall. From Memorial Day through mid-August and weekends through Labor Day, cavern tours depart about every 30 to 40 minutes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The rock shop and Gem Mining Sluice are open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend to mid-August and weekends through Labor Day.
Tours are $14.50 for adults, $8 for children 6–11 and $12.50 for seniors. For a special 2-for-1 coupon, click below.
- by Bill Wolfe, Louisville Reporter for HelloMetro
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Bill WolfeBill Wolfe is an experienced journalist with a broad background in writing, editing and photography. He has worked as staff writer at The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky., and the Atlanta Journal & Constitution in Atlanta, Ga., covering beats ranging from consumer news to religion and business.
