Cherney Maribel Caves County Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cherney Maribel Caves County Park |
|
|---|---|
Cherney Maribel Caves County Park
|
|
 Cherney Maribel Caves County Park
Location in Wisconsin
Cherney Maribel Caves County Park
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Manitowoc, Wisconsin, United States |
| Area | 75 acres (30 ha) |
| Established | 1963 |
| Governing body | Manitowoc County Park System |
| Website | http://www.maribelcaves.com/ |
Cherney Maribel Caves County Park is a cool county park in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. It's located near the town of Maribel. This park covers 75 acres of land. It sits right next to the West Twin River. The park is famous for its seven caves. These caves are found along a rugged cliff line. This cliff runs right next to the river.
Contents
History of the Caves
The Cherney Maribel Caves formed a very long time ago. This happened before the last ice age. Huge sheets of ice, called glaciers, moved across the land. They wore down the surface of the earth. This exposed a type of rock called Niagara Dolomite. This rock had cracks and holes, called sinkholes. Water could easily get into these openings.
As the glaciers melted, a lot of rushing water flowed. This water made the existing caves bigger. Later, the water slowed down. It left behind silt and gravel inside the caves. The fast-moving meltwater also carved out the river valley we see today. Over time, freezing and thawing weather has loosened rocks. This has partially closed some cave entrances.
Around 1892, people first found caves on Henry A. Alrich's land. Charles Steinbrecher bought the property soon after. In 1900, he built the Maribel Caves Hotel nearby. For many decades, tourists came to visit the caves. In 1931, Adolph Cherney bought the property. This included the hotel and the caves. On November 5, 1963, Cherney sold the cave land. He sold it to Manitowoc County for $16,200. This made it the very first park in Manitowoc County.
Exploring the Caves
There are several interesting caves to explore in the park. Some are easy to find, while others are a bit hidden.
Coopers Cave
Coopers Cave is about halfway along the park's cliff. It has a big, rectangular entrance. There's also a small crack you can enter through. This cave is a quiet and dry place. About nine feet below the entrance, there's a natural spring. This spring flows all year long. Its water goes into the West Twin River.
Staircase Cave
Staircase Cave is a small cave. It's pretty hard to get to.
Pancake Cave
Pancake Cave is also tough to reach. There are no trails that lead directly to it. The cave is about eight feet deep. It's shaped like a pancake, which is how it got its name!
Tunnel Passage
Tunnel Passage was discovered in 2005. It is about 20 feet long. The passage is around three feet high.
Spring Cave
Spring Cave is a small cave. You can't easily get into it. It's located on private land next to the park. A natural spring flows from this cave. The nearby Maribel Caves Hotel used to use this spring water.
Maribel New Hope Cave
Maribel New Hope Cave is the biggest cave in Manitowoc County. It was found on February 5, 1984. This cave is special because you can walk through many of its passages. It even has electric lights! Inside, you can see amazing cave formations. These include stalactites (hanging from the ceiling) and stalagmites (growing from the floor). You might also spot helictites and "cave bacon."
This cave is a public show cave. It's open on the third Sunday of each month. You can visit from May through October. The hours are 10 am to 3 pm. Members of the Wisconsin Speleological Society are still exploring and digging in this cave. College teachers even use it as a "living laboratory" for their students.
Tartarus Cave System
The Tartarus Cave System is a large group of caves in the park. People are still digging and exploring it. It has three different entrances. These are the Tunnel Passage Entrance, the Tartarus Cave Entrance, and the Split Rock Cave Entrance.
Cave of Treasures
This cave is located just south of the Tartarus Cave System. It's in the same cliff line. The Wisconsin Speleological Society recently discovered it. The entrance is about three to four feet high. It leads to over 70 feet of passages. You have to crawl on your hands and knees to get through them. Explorers believe that more digging will open up new passages. They hope it will eventually connect to the Tartarus Cave System to the north.
Park Features
Cherney Maribel Caves County Park offers fun activities for everyone. It has a playground for kids. There's also a nice picnic area. You can enjoy hiking and biking on the trails. The picnic area has a shelter with bathrooms. Along the cliff line, you can find rare types of ferns. There are also creeping plants and beautiful wild flowers. The area's natural beauty made it a popular spot. People loved visiting even before Manitowoc County bought the land in 1963.
2013 Tornado
In August 2013, a powerful tornado hit Cherney Maribel Cave County Park. It caused a lot of damage. More than 75 percent of the trees were destroyed. The picnic shelter and the restrooms were also ruined.
