The 2 miles of tunnels open to visitor tours drop over 6 stories into the Cave.Ĭolossal Cave contains with stalagmites, stalactites and large columns. But only 2 miles of tunnels explored and mapped. Its estimated that Colossal Cave has about 39 miles of cave tunnels. Only research scientist have access to the Arkenstone cave. The “live cave” designation means the cave continues to grow formations. Arkenstone Cave is a “live cave” and not open to the public. There are two caves in Colossal Cave Park. The station burned down in 1875.įrom that day, the ranch was know as Posta Quemada which means “burnt station”. The working ranch was the site of a Southern Pacific Line stagecoach station. La Posta Quemada Ranch got its name in 1875. Artifacts found in Colossal Cave confirmed it was used by the Hohokam Indians between 900 AD to 1450 AD. But this is less than 10% of the cave’s 39 miles of tunnels.Ĭolossal Cave is important to the areas history. Over 3.5 miles of passageways have been mapped. Later that year, Lick discovered Colossal Cave and its extensive cave system. Around 1879, Solomon Lick a former Union soldier and a partner took over the ranch. The station was a stage stop approximately 22 miles east of Tucson.Ī few years later, the station became a ranch.
Ramsey owned the Mountain Springs Station. Why? The cave formed by water depositing limestone, but this source has disappeared. That means formations in the Cave are completely dry, or “dead”. After millions of years of water erosion, the cave reached a “dry” state. The Rincon Mountain became the home for Colossal Cave. That is how mountains formed around what is now Tucson. Moving forward to about 80 million years ago, eruptions pushed up the earth’s surface. One of the materials from that process was limestone. Over millions of years, the water receded. It creation began about 300 million years ago.Īt that time, most of southwest America was under a large ocean. Located in Colossal Cave Mountain Park near Vail, it is just 20 miles southeast of Tucson on the I-10 Freeway.Ĭolossal Cave and the nearby La Posta Quemada Ranch make up the Colossal Cave Mountain Park.įrom a geologists perspective, the Colossal Cave system is a newcomer to our planet. An Amazing Place To See Colossal Cave South Of Tucson Near Vail ArizonaĪ tour of Colossal Cave is a great day trip if you live in Tucson AZ or just visiting.
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