Early explorers must have hesitated, with good reason, at the dark mouth of a cave, wondering, “What’s inside? How deep does it go? Will I get lost in a labyrinth of passages?”
And thanks to those early, intrepid explorers who stepped inside, we now know that there’s a vast world of wonder waiting just beyond the darkness. Today, famous show caves all across the U.S. offer visitors a chance to walk across natural, travertine floors and discover dramatic stalactites hanging from the ceiling like chandeliers, and stalagmites rising up from the floor like artistic sculptures.
In August, there’s another great reason to visit a show cave. It’s a cool 60-something degrees inside – an inviting place escape the summer heat. And as a bonus, some caves offer RV camping right on site.
Iowa has three places that offer not only cave tours, but a variety of other activities as well. Visitors to Maquoketa Caves State Park will enjoy interpretive programs about the caves other natural features of the park, and camping is available with 30-amp electricity. There are no water or sewer hookups, but there’s a dump station in the park. Just five minutes from Dubuque, you can explore Crystal Lake Cave, discovered by miners in 1868. This one’s a brisk 52 degrees, so bring a jacket!
If your next RV journey takes you beyond Iowa, you can check out this full directory of U.S. show caves http://www.goodearthgraphics.com/showcave/menu.html
and find a great place to stop along the way.
Happy caving!
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