Eleven Jones Cave EC EarthCache
Hidden : 3/16/2015
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
3 out of 5

Size: Size: other (other)

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Geocache Description:


The Formation of Eleven Jones Cave



Eleven Jones Cave


Eleven Jones Cave is located along Beargrass Creek in Louisville, Kentucky. It is developed in Louisville Limestone 448 feet above sea level. A spring discharges water into Beargrass Creek.

There are two fossil formations that are visible at Beargrass Creek: Louisville Limestone, and Waldron Shale. The banks of the creek are made up of Louisville Limestone, the creek bed is made of the top of the Waldron Shale.

The cave is the best known and best documented in Jefferson County. It is popularly said to be named for being used by eleven brothers named Jones as a hideout and deposit for stolen loot.

Cave formation begins when rainwater absorbs carbon dioxide as it falls through the atmosphere. Rain water must have carbon dioxide to become acidic. It must be acidic to chemically react to the limestone bedrock. Rainwater is absorbed by the soil into the ground. As rainwater comes through the soil it absorbs more carbon dioxide that is being produced by plants that are dead. This changes the ground water to a weaker form of carbonic acid(H2O + CO2 = H2CO3). As it travels down through the ground it comes to solid rock. When the rock is limestone or dolomite caves can form. The water reacts chemically with limestone and slowly a larger and larger space will form. This happens because the rocks are made of calcium carbonate (CaCO3).

This process is called chemical erosion. As the space becomes larger and larger the water can flow through. As it flows it erodes . Physical erosion washes away rock and sand. This is what makes a cave larger and forms an underground stream. Finally over hundreds of thousands of years or even millions of years the cave is formed.

The stoopway entrance to this cave is 4.5 feet high and 2.5 feet wide and leads to a forty foot passage into a fairly normal limestone crawl way conduit cave. It is the only known habitat for Louisville cave beetles, that is listed as a Candidate for endangered species status.

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Do NOT enter Eleven Jones Cave!


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The cave has dangerously high levels of carbon dioxide which become immediately pronounced just inside the entrance. Within minutes of entering the cave you're in danger of passing out from oxygen deprivation, and ultimately, poisoning and death. The last major scientific survey of Eleven Jones Cave, in 1967, was conducted using oxygen tanks to breathe.

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To Log Eleven Jones Cave Earthcache:



You may post an optional photo of yourself or your GPSr at the posted coordinates with the cave opening in the background to get it into your gallery. However, no photos are required. Please do not post pictures of the answers to the questions.

To demonstrate the educational value of the Earthcache, please email responses to the following questions to me through my profile page.

1. Using your observation and the website linked to this page, describe the type of fossils found here.
2. Continuing the observation, describe the two of the distinct examples that chemical erosion is still at work here (not obvious in the photo).
3. Listen to the cave closely. What do you hear? What does it compare to?

Do not attempt this cache if the creek is high. This is an active spring and water draining to the creek can be dangerous. Especially if ice is present. Enjoy your visit, but stay safe.


Eleven Jones Cave

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