Indiana Caverns near Corydon Indiana

We haven't visited any show caves in some time, and I really enjoy doing this. 

I know southern Indiana has several, and I have been meaning to get to them for some time.  So, recently we decided to make a day trip to Corydon, and to see Indiana Caverns.

This cave was close enough to us... and it opened at 9am on a Saturday, so we figured we would go over, enjoy an early tour, have time to visit Corydon, then make it home before dark.

We got there a little after 9 and bought our tickets.  A very enthusiastic young lady told us about the cave, tours, etc. and sold us our tickets.  She ended up being our guide on our tour.  A couple of other small groups came in after us, so we looked around the gift shop while we waited.

They have a great gift shop, with everything you would expect with the name "Indiana Caverns" printed on it.  I thought their prices were better than other show caves though.  Postcards were a quarter, and I personally couldn't pass up a very cool Indiana Caverns shirt with a bat on it for $13.

I also couldn't pass up a book about the development of the cave by Gary Roberson.  Gary is a legendary caver from the area, and helped with getting some of the other show caves in the area going.  He is the man responsible for Indiana Caverns getting up and running, and he was at the cave the day we went!  He very kindly signed my book (I will get a review up soon).

Our tour ended up moving along around 9:40.  Our tour guide (along with everyone we encountered working at the visitor center) seemed very excited about the cave, and she was eager to tell stories and answer questions.

You do watch a short film before actually getting to the cave...  It was an interesting film about cave formations.  The film did note that it was being made from a scientific and Christian perspective.

I think it is very cool when you start your cave tour literally inside of the cave visitor center.  That's exactly what we did here, as you walk down some steps, see a short film, and then go down a tunnel to enter the cave.  The visitor center is built around/over the cave entrance.  To me that is a pretty impressive... and rare engineering feet.

There is a several story winding metal staircase that you must go down while in the cave (and back up on the way out).  It was a bit trippy and exciting!

Once in the cave, you walk along some trails and see some formations here and there like at most caves.  One thing that sets Indiana Caverns apart is its collection of Ice Age bones.  There are a lot, and they are displayed where they were found!  Our guide told us a bit about the digs that have gone on here, and she told us that there are MANY more bones in areas not on the tour!  We saw a Black Bear skull, various Peccary bones, and others.

After a nice but relatively easy hike through the cave, you are brought to a boat area and you get to have the rare experience of taking a boat ride through a cave!


After the boat ride, we made our way back, taking breaks here and there as our guide told us more stories about the cave, and the animals that had been through there.  She shared probable theories about how some of the animals, who's bones we saw, found their way into the cave.  She also pointed out a small white cave crawfish going through a stream in the cave.

At one point, our guide did the standard souvenir photo thing, taking a photo of each group.  I MUST tip my hat to Indiana Caverns for taking the photo (using a good amount of flash and lighting) inside of the cave and NOT using green screen.  The price for the photo was under $10, so you know I bought ours.  These guys aren't gouging!

Speaking of  not being too greedy, our guide never once hinted for tips, and I saw no signs soliciting them.  That is a rarity these days.


Also, this is a nice tour through a cave that had a nice pace.  It moved...  I got my workout in, but I didn't feel winded afterwards.  This one is not too tough.

Also, maybe because Indiana Caverns just opened up in 2013...  but the place is clean.  VERY clean.  They may have had some of the nicest restrooms I have ever noticed at a cave.  The visitor center/gift shop and grounds were also nicely maintained.

Oh, they have a cat on site too.  I like that.

I was thinking too...  I always love going to Mammoth Cave, and bigger caves, but this is a great way to see a cave with a smaller crowd.