The Depths

Glasses clink sharply in the near darkness. Laughter mingles with the shuffle of feet and the pulse and pop of music. Bats swish softly overhead. Wait, what? 

A speakeasy is only one of the iterations the Fantastic Caverns has gone through in its many centuries of existence. And all have failed to detract from the beauty and fascination of this enormous cave.

Discovered by a farmer during the Civil War, the cave was kept secret for many years to stop it becoming a key hiding place for either side. It wasn't explored very thoroughly until 1867, when the farmer put an add in the paper for explorers. It was answered by a women's adventure club! Twelve ladies descended  through the tiny (really, really tiny) opening into the dark depths. They would have had only lanterns, and it must have been scary but oh so thrilling to wander through such an alien place. I'm curious how the full dresses fit into this equation however. It seems likely the adventurous women went adventurously without petticoats. Or even in bloomers! What happens in the belly of the world, I imagine, has unusually good odds of staying there.

This fact, unfortunately, led to some racist groups meeting here, but also to concerts, weddings, dancing, and the aforementioned speakeasy. During the great depression mushrooms were even farmed in the cave!

Wouldn't a speakeasy in a cave like this be amazing? The entrance was still very small, the cave mostly unaltered. Revelers would have had to shimmy through cracks and climb slippery rocks, but that would only make it more exciting. And the acoustics would be stupendous! Dancing in the lantern light with the shadows of stalactites all around you is something I'd love to do now.

Seeing the wonders of this unearthly and yet so natural place was a treat even without the dancing (and I suppose without the illicit adventure.) Sigh. You really get up close to the wonders of the cave, and the tour guide is informative without being dull. They also don't mind you taking pictures, always a plus in my book. And not so common for sights in Washington state, where I'm living now. 

It was twenty-five dollars, more than I usually like to pay but definitely worth the price. It is long enough and slow enough a tour to really give you a chance to enjoy the sometimes graceful, sometimes intimidating grandeur. While the heat blazes outside the cool damp air and gentle echo of drips are all around you.  The cave stays sixty degrees all year, so it would also be a welcome respite from the endless months of winter.

The only thing I would change is not being able explore on foot. The carts pulled by a jeep do mean that people with disabilities are able to experience it. I'm sure it also meant we could traverse parts that would have been difficult or impossible otherwise.

All in all, definitely a place I would recommend if you want to see something really different!

P.S. I was really really excited to see a cave like this. As you can see by the fact I am smiling at the camera and not looking nervous about my baby (camera)  being in frail, frail human hands which are not my own.