Twin Caves facts for kids
Twin Caves is a cool spot in Spring Mill State Park in Lawrence County, Indiana. It's a place where two cave openings are connected by a short river. This river flows at the bottom of a "sinkhole," which is like a big dip in the ground.
This river is actually part of a stream that mostly flows underground. It starts as Mosquito Creek a few miles away. The stream then goes into the Upper Twin Cave system. After a short trip, it comes out at Twin Caves. Then it flows into the Lower Twin Cave. It pops out again briefly at Bronson Cave nearby. Finally, it flows into the Shawnee Cave System. The stream eventually comes out at the Donaldson Cave entrance. From there, it flows into Mill Creek, still inside the park.
Discover Twin Caves
Twin Caves is a unique natural feature. It shows how water shapes the land over time. The caves are part of a larger underground system. This system is found in an area called "karst." Karst landscapes have lots of caves and sinkholes. They form when water dissolves rock like limestone.
Exploring the Underground River
You can take a special boat tour at Twin Caves. These tours start from the southern cave entrance, called Upper Twin Cave. The boat ride lasts about 20 minutes. You travel about 150 meters (500 feet) upstream into the cave. The tour turns around at this point. This is because the rest of the cave system is managed by the Indiana Karst Conservancy.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources runs these boat tours. They are only available during certain times of the year. You can usually go on a tour from Memorial Day weekend until October. It's a great way to see inside a real cave.
Protecting Our Bats
For a few years, some parts of the cave system were closed. This included the Shawnee (Bronson-Donaldson) Cave and Upper Twin Cave. They were closed to protect bats from something called white nose syndrome (WNS). This is a serious disease that harms bats.
Now, these caves have reopened for registered groups. This means scientists and special groups can visit them again. It's important to protect bats because they help control insects. They are a vital part of our ecosystem.
