Bear Cave
During staycation, Eric and I headed south to Bear Cave located in Buchanan, Michigan. Bear Cave is the only cavern in the lower peninsula. It was formed in “tufa rock” which is a secondary limestone. It’s at least 25,000 years old and it’s resting on a glacial drift deposited during the last ice age, approximately 50,000 years ago. Isn’t that crazy?! There is a 40-foot winding stairway that leads you through the cave. You get to see stalactites, petrified leaves, and a lot of interesting shapes.
This cave also has a ton of history to it (which I love). It was a significant part of the Underground Railroad during the slavery period. In 1875, the “loot” from an Ohio bank robbery was stored here in the cave. This was also the inspiration behind The Great Train Robbery, a 1903 silent film, which is considered a classic. The film was considered a milestone in filmmaking back then, at ten minutes long! So fun. I love quirky history, especially in Michigan.
You drive into the resort, through a gate, and you can park near the “Bear Cave” entrance. You walk down the stairs, into the gift shop, pay your $3 admission, and walk through a door in the gift shop that leads you down into the cave. It’s so cheesy that it’s awesome. This was a super short drive from Lavender Hill Farm, so if you’re looking for a fun day trip… there you go! We also went to several southwest wineries on this day too, which are really closeby. I’d recommend Round Barn Winery (my favorite), Gravity and Lemon Creek Winery. You could also head into St. Joseph afterwards! I’ll blog more on that this week. xo