Cave of the Mounds

Specialties

The most beautiful cave in Wisconsin and the upper Midwest, Cave of the Mounds lies just off U.S. Highways ¹⁸⁄₁₅₁ in Blue Mounds, WI. The United States Department of the Interior and the National Park Service designated Cave of the Mounds a National Natural Landmark because the site possesses «exceptional value as an illustration of the nation’s natural heritage and contributes to a better understanding of man’s environment». Curious tourists and budding cave enthusiasts have been enjoying an introduction to caving in the midwest for years while visiting Cave of the Mounds.

Commonly referred to as the «jewel box» of America’s major caves for the variety and delicacy of its formations, Cave of the Mounds is recognized by the Chicago Academy of Sciences as «the significant cave of the upper Midwest».

History

Established in 1940.

Cave of the Mounds was accidentally discovered on August 4, 1939. Workers, who were removing high quality limestone from a quarry on the Brigham Farm, blasted into the Cave. The blast tore the face off the quarry and revealed a great underground cavern. All quarrying stopped and never resumed. The dynamite blast revealed a limestone cave more than twenty feet high opening into other rooms and galleries, all containing numerous mineral formations.

The excitement of the discovery brought so many curiosity seekers that the Cave had to be closed in order to preserve it. Soon, lights and wooden walkways were installed. And, in May 1940, Cave of the Mounds was opened to visitors. Millions of visitors later, the Cave’s wooden walkways were replaced with concrete; a large stone building replaced the original entry building; and theatrical lighting has been installed to dramatize the colors and shapes within the Cave.