Bennett Spring Natural Tunnel EarthCache
Bennett Spring Natural Tunnel
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
THIS IS A VIRTUAL EARTHCACHE. YOU WILL NOT
FIND A PHYSICAL CONTAINER AT THIS LOCATION
A Natural Tunnel in Bennett Spring State Park. This is a must see
Missouri geological feature.
PARK LOCATION
Located 12 miles west of Lebanon, Missouri on Highway 64a.
CACHE DETAILS
This cache is NOT an easy park and grab.
ALLOW FOUR HOURS TO COMPLETE THIS
CACHE
This cache requires about seven miles of hiking on a well
maintained trail. Be aware that this area is thick with ticks,
chiggers, and mosquitoes during late spring, summer, and early
fall.
AREA HISTORY
In the mid-19th century, settlers found Bennett Spring to be an
ideal spot for grist and flour mills. Today, most people come to
Bennett Spring State Park to struggle with the rainbow trout, or
just to marvel at the 100,000,000 gallons of clear, cool water that
gush from the spring each day.
The spring valley - once a popular camping ground for farmers
waiting for their grain to be ground at the mill - still attracts
visitors interested in camping, hiking and canoeing. A Bennett
Spring "hike" can be a leisurely stroll along the tree-shaded
spring branch, or an invigorating seven miles to tour an
interesting natural tunnel. Those looking for less rugged pleasures
will enjoy the rental housekeeping cabins, the public swimming pool
and the park's rustic dining lodge.
Fishing enthusiasts will be found casting their lines along the
spring branch, while others visit the exhibits interpreting
Missouri's springs and natural environment at the nature center.
Now, at 3,216 acres, the state park that arose around Peter
Bennett's spring continues to delight all comers.
Source: Bennett Spring State Park Home Page.
EDUCATIONAL
KARST TOPOGRAPHY
Karst topography is a three-dimensional landscape shaped by the
dissolution of soluble layers of bedrock, usually limestone,
dolomite or marble. These landscapes are the result of a geological
process occurring over many thousands of years and contain
distinctive surface and subsurface features such as sinkholes,
vertical shafts, disappearing streams, springs, complex underground
drainage systems and caves. Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas
are both known for the thousands of caves related to their karst
topography.
Karst formation begins with what is referred to as the carbon
dioxide cascade. Rain falls and picks up C02, which dissolves in
the droplets. The rain then percolates through the soil and picks
up more C02 to form a weak carbonic acid solution. The infiltrating
water naturally exploits cracks and crevices in the rock. Over long
periods, the bedrock begins to dissolve from the continuous supply
of acidic water. Openings in the bedrock increase in size and allow
more water to pass, creating an underground drainage system and the
formation of karst. Eventually, this leads to the development of
subsurface caves.
Source
NATURAL BRIDGES OR TUNNELS
A natural bridge or tunnel can form from water running through a
limestone cave, where paired sinkholes collapse and a ridge of
stone is left standing between them, with the cave passageway
connecting from sinkhole to sinkhole. The Natural Tunnel at Bennett
Spring State Park is one of the largest natural tunnels in
Missouri.
ACTIVITY
You MUST complete the following activities in
order to log this cache. Post the picture with your log and email
me the answers to the questions. Please do not post your answers in
your log.
- Take a picture of you and your GPSr at the entrance at one end
of the tunnel.
- What is the approximate length, width, and height of the
Natural Tunnel?
- The remains of a man made structure remain at the posted
coordinates for this cache at one end of the tunnel. Explain what
type of structure this was intended to be. Explain the impact on
the area if this structure had been succesfully built and how it
would have changed the area.
A BIG THANKS TO DIANE TUCKER FOR ALLOWING THIS
EARTHCACHE.
Be sure to visit the Nature Center. It is WELL worth your time. It
is full of very interesting information including some handmade
notebooks about the area near the front door. Enjoy!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
[Get a trail map from the trail head and sign in.]
Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:
Loading Treasures