Bear Cave is located in Buchanan, MI right next to the St. Joseph river. It is approximate 150 feet long, 4-6 foot wide, and 10 – 15 feet high (although there are some very low spaces). It opened to visitors in 1940. The cave is entered through the gift shop on a winding 40 foot staircase. While you are in the cave you will notice the distinct sound of running (rushing) water. You will see a doorway that maybe closed towards the back of the cave. Outside of that door is a waterfall (which you can see by exiting the building and walking outside of the cave). This waterfall is responsible for helping in the creation of the cave.
The geology of the Great Lakes area is not very suitable for the development of caves. When the ice from ice age covered the area – any existing caves are thought to have been destroyed from the weight of the ice. Formation of caves during that time was not possible. After the ice retreated water started to dissolve the surrounding limestone and began forming the tufa rock. (Tufa is the name for unusual geological form of calcite rock.) Tufa rock leaves spaces, grows irregular, and sometimes encloses gaps to form caves. This is an example of that process.
Bear Cave is a very interesting cave because there are very few existing caves in this part of Michigan. Bear cave is a natural cave which simply means it is a hollow or natural passage under or into the earth. It is not a rather common karst (Karst is a landscape shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite.) cave, but a much rarer Tufa (a secondary limestone) cave, a primary cave which was formed together with the surrounding rock. This bed is estimated by geologists to be at least 25,000 years old, and rests on a glacial drift deposited during the last ice age 50,000 years ago. In the cave, near the bottom of the staircase, is a boulder (Kansan boulder) believed to be several hundred thousand years old that was moved to Michigan from the glaciers that once covered the area.
This cave has some very interesting history. Its historic events include serving as a dwelling of Potawatomi Indians, playing a part in the underground slave-freedom movement, and as a setting for filming the Train Robbery movie. In 1875, the "goods" from an Ohio bank robbery were hidden in the cave. Inspired by this event, Bear Cave was featured in the 1903 movie The Great Train Robbery -- now considered a silent film classic, The size of the cave is said to have been able to accommodate a team of horses along with a wagon hide inside of the cave. Slaves were hidden here in the cave on their way north towards freedom in Canada. They would be hidden here during the day and moved at night.
There are several parts of the cave. The guided tour takes you through the first part which is now paved with concrete and very easily accessible. The second part of the cave is accessible if you enter cold (roughly 50 degree) water and stoop down under a rock formation. Local legend and/or rumors says in years past there were passages from Bear Cave all the way into town. However modern construction and roads have damaged those passages if they ever existed.
Visitors can see traces of Native American artifacts, stalactites, flowstone, petrified leaves, and vegetation. The metal oxides of native ores color the entire cave.
This cave is also the natural habit for several species of bats. You may see the bats roosting right above you as your enter the cave and begin your descent down the winding staircase.
To Visit:
Bear Cave Resort
4085 Bear Cave Rd
Buchanan, MI 49107
(269) 695-3050
Bear Cave is located 3 miles north of Buchanan on the Red Bud Trail. It is located within the Bear Cave Resort (a resort on 4085 Bear Cave Road). The cave is entered through the gift shop. It is open from May 15th to October 1st and there is an admission fee. Admission for adults is $3 and $1 for children. The hours of operation is 9 – 4 (closed 12 – 1 for lunch) Monday – Saturday and 9 – 12:30 on Sundays.
To log this cache:
1) Post a photo with you and/or your group faces clearly visible while inside of the cave. Use the limited light to help with a nice photo.
2) What is the cave’s year round temperature? (Answer can be found on inside of building just before the staircase leading to the cave.)
3) Estimate the size of the visible part of the Kansan bolder.
4) What type of Stalactite is found in this cave? (Answer can be found while walking through the cave.)
5) Use my profile link and email me the anwers to numbers 2, 3, and 4.
Each Cacher that logs a find is required to submit answers to the questions above (failure to comply will result in a deletion of your log). The only exception to this are young kids that are caching with their parents (who have their own account, but not computer privileges). Per Earthcache guidelines, each cacher is to learn from their visit/experience. That means each cacher must perform the necessary task(s) or requirements to log the cache and earn your smiley.
Any logs that do not meet the above posted requirements will be deleted at the discretion of the cache owner. All logging requirements must be completed within 48 hours of logging the cache online or your log will be deleted unless you have prior permission from the cache owner.