Caves at Lake Texoma - Eisenhower State Park
What’s a cave?
A cave is a large underground chamber typically of natual origin, in a hillside or cliff. There are many different cave types:
- Solution Caves - solution or karst caves are the most common types of caves they form in rock that is solubale, such as limestone. The rock is slowly dissolved by the natural acid in the groundwater that seeps through faults, joints and so on.
- Sea Caves - occur on almost every coast where the waves break into cliff faces.
- Lava Tubes - are formed through volcanic activity. As lava flows its surface cools and solidifies; however, hot liquid lave can continue to flow underneath the crust and if most of that flows out a cave is left behind.
- Corrasional Cave - are formed entirely by erosion by flowing stream carrying rocks and other sediments.
- Glacier Cave - are formed by melting ice and flowing water within and under glaciers
In Eisenhower State Park near the swimming beach there are some nice examples of some sandstone caves. This earthcache is intended to help you understand how these caves were created. Caves in Sandstone are mechanically created caves, either by tectonically by collapse or fissures created by divergent movements, or by mechanical erosion from winds, rivers and the surf. For sandstone caves near lakes - the water loosens the natural cement holding the sandparticles together, then the moving water and wind carry away the grains of sand.
Lake Texoma lies predominantly on bedrock of Cretaceous sandstone, limestone and marl of the Fredricksburg and Washita groups.
How do I log this cache?
Look around the area near GZ. Examine the cave and surrounding area to answer the following questions. Send me the answers via email or through the Geocaching message application.
- What type of rock is the the cave in?
- What are some of the characterstics that lead you to believe your answer to Question #1?
- Is this the only kind of rock that you see in the area? Look at the rock above the caves and on some of the surrounding boulders?
- What are some of the differences between the different rocks? (e.g., color, hardness?)
- There are several "seams" or layers in the walls of the cave - describe these? (e.g., color, consistency, etc.)
- The number of boulders around the cave has increased significantly over the last several years according to the Park Ranger - why do you think this has happened?
- In your own words how were these caves formed?
- Optional - Take a picture of you/your group at the caves.
Please do not damage the rocks and pickup any trash you see in walking to the location. CITO!