Squire Boone Caverns

Wild beasts, craggy cliffs and deep forests were some of the dangers that Squire Boone and his famous brother, Daniel Boone, encountered when exploring southern Indiana in the late 1700s. During one of these explorations, Squire needed to escape capture and found his salvation in a small opening covered by hanging vines that led into a series of caverns, where he hid while his pursuers passed by overhead. 

This subterranean marvel was all stalactites, stalagmites, soaring cave rooms and rock flows solidified in dramatic shapes, and Squire believed the caverns held mystical and spiritual qualities. This belief caused him to move his family to the area in 1803 and establish a small village with a general store and a mill powered by water from an underground creek rising from the caverns. 

Two hundred years later, Squire Boone Caverns welcomes visitors and is home to the largest  publicly accessible active rimstone dam in the United States. Travelers will find the caverns just north of the tiny Ohio River town of Mauckport, Indiana. Visitors can take a 1/3-mile walking tour through the caverns, which remain at a steady 54 degrees year-round. Along the way, they traverse steel bridges, see impressive rock formations and visit the final resting place of Squire Boone. 

Above ground, visit the Village at Squire Boone Caverns, which offers activities such as zip lining through Squire Boone Forest, goat feeding  and panning for gems. You can also visit the water-powered historic Boone’s Mill, which still grinds grits and cornmeal like it did in Squire’s time. Before you leave, stop by the Squire Boone Kitchen & Candy Shop to pick up sweets and snacks. 100 Squire Boone Rd., Mauckport, Indiana 47142, 812/732-4381, squireboonecaverns.com