Amira explores the Caverns of Whitehall, Montana

By cbatstone, October 10, 2013

The “Lewis and Clark” Caverns are located in southeastern Jefferson County, Montana.  South of Three Forks and west of Bozeman.  The namesake for the caverns was granted by President Theodore Roosevelt even though Louis and Clark and not discovered them.  They did however pass through the area, documenting and sketching mineral rich areas of Montana.  Kyle told us in his discussions about the concrete industry that a town near Three Forks has an area where Lewis and Clark long ago described great deposits of limestone, which you can see from highway 90.  There has been a mine operating there for 102 years, which his company Holcim currently owns.

Amira’s visit:

Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park  – http://fwp.mt.gov/mtoutdoors/HTML/articles/2004/CavernsSP.htm

On Thursday afternoon I decided to get out and explore solo. My destination would be Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park. There the rangers offered a tour of the caverns formed by the sea that once made up southern Montana and other parts of the northern plains in a team effort with the layers of calcium rich organism remains that formed the limestone you see today.

What I saw in the caves was more than I expected. I knew it would be interesting, informative, and cool, but I had no idea that I would encounter such exquisite limestone formations. Every twist and turn through the caverns led to an open area lit up to accentuate the natural beauty that was hidden underground. Most amazingly to me was the truth that though the walls surrounding you appeared to be solid rock, it was quite possible that they were very thin and only keeping you from another room full of various rock sculptures and waterfalls that would surely take your breath away.

What do you think?

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