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| State Park Overview: |
 | Few natural formations are as awe-inspiring or intriguing as a cave. The deep, dark recesses immediately conjure up images of adventure, mystery, terror, robbers and pirates.
At Cave-In-Rock in southern Illinois, you can experience this fascination for yourself. Sitting atop the high bluffs overlooking the scenic Ohio River, the heavily wooded park is named for the 55-foot-wide cave that was carved out of the limestone rock by water thousands of years ago. Trails winding along the riverbank offer views of riverboats, barges and other river scenes. |
| Reviews By Park Visitors: |
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Cave-in-rock
wonderful place!!! go there every chance!
Written by katghale
25-May-2008
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| Camping: |
| On the scenic north side of the park there are camping accommodations with 34 Class A sites that rent for $15.00 a night. They are equipped with electricity and can accommodate units up to 60-feet long. Twenty-five Class B/S tent sites are also available for $10.00 a night, and showers, restrooms and dumping stations are present in both camping areas. Contact the site superintendent or campground host for camping permits and information. Handicapped sites also are available. Firewood and grills are furnished at each campsite. |
| Picnicking: |
| For the day visitor, ample parking is provided by five separate lots. There are three developed playground areas for children; and shaded picnic areas situated throughout the park provide tables, grills, water hydrants and drinking fountains. There are four large picnic shelters for group gatherings and firewood is available on request from the park attendants. |
| Fishing and Hunting: |
| A pond is available for fishing, and the Ohio River provides excellent fishing, boating and water sport opportunities. The river can be accessed directly from two launching ramps with adjacent parking on the western edge of the park. The site superintendent and park rangers can provide details on fishing licenses and the rules and regulations for fishing and boating on the river. |
| History of the Area: |
| The actual history of this imposing natural phenomenon is colorful and provocative. The first European explorer to encounter it was M. de Lery of France, who in 1729 called it caverne dans Le Roc. It was a conspicuous curiosity frequently mentioned by later travelers in diaries and journals.
Following the Revolutionary War, this immense recess came to serve as the ideal lair for outlaws, bandits and river pirates who preyed on the people traveling along the Ohio River.One of the most ambitious of these ruthless malefactors was Samuel Mason. Once an officer in George Washington?s Revolutionary Army, in 1797 he converted the cavern into a tavern which he called the Cave-In-Rock.
From this apparently innocent and inviting position, Mason would dispatch his cohorts upriver to befriend unwary and bewildered travelers with offers of help and guidance. As they neared the cave, these henchmen would disable their boats or force them toward the yawning hollow, where the hapless pilgrims would be robbed, or worse. Few victims lived to tell their story.
By the early 1800s, following the demise of the Mason Gang, the cave sheltered the even more notorious Harpe Brothers, a pair of killers fleeing execution in Kentucky. They continued their personal reign of thievery and murder in Illinois, using the cave as hideout and headquarters until they too were killed.
It?s interesting to note that the cave served as a backdrop for a scene in the movie ?How The West Was Won.? The scene was a near-accurate portrayal of how, in the 18th and 19th centuries, ruthless bandits used the cave to lure unsuspecting travelers to an untimely end.
Although other desperadoes continued to take advantage of the secrecy and seclusion afforded by Cave-In-Rock, by the mid-1830s the quickening westward expansion of civilization and the steady growth in the local population and commerce had destroyed or driven out the ?river rats? and the cave began to serve as temporary shelter for other pioneers on their way west. Throughout the 19th century, this remarkable geological feature was an important landmark, prominently displayed on maps from the period.
In 1929, the State of Illinois acquired 64.5 acres for a park that since has increased to 204 acres. The well-wooded, 60-foot-high hills and the rugged bluffs along the river - commanding expansive views of the famous waterway - became Cave-In-Rock State Park.
In the words of Illinois historian John W. Allen, ?Today only the natural beauty of the historic spot remains, clothed in mystery. In the hollow silence of the cave that echoes the peaceful cooing of doves, a visitor can let a vivid imagination run riot. But he can dream little that will be beyond what actually happened.? |
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| Lodge: |
| Cave-In-Rock Restaurant and Lodging features four duplex guest houses with eight suites, each accommodating up to four people comfortably. The suites contain deluxe baths, a dining area and wetbar, a large bedroom/living room, and a private patio deck overlooking the Ohio River. One suite is handicapped accessible. The Lodge operates on a seasonal basis. You can contact the Lodge directly at (618) 289-4545. |
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| | Note to Park related businesses:
List your vacation cabin, weekend getaway, log cabin rental, romantic cottage, vacation home, resort, hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, country inn, campground, RV park, horseback riding stable, canoe livery, river rafting, outfitting, sporting goods store, guide service, RV rental or any other park related activity, park related attraction or park related service on Google or StateParks.com. (more).... |
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| Related Links: |
| Caves of the United States: Cave-in-Rock State Park - Show Caves of the World is a site about underground sights open to the public, like caves and mines, all over the World | | Cave-in-Rock State Park - Return | | Cave in Rock State Park - Climbingsource.com - Click to Get Advertising Cave in Rock State Park, Ill We Need Your Picture Click Below for Seven Day Forecast Directions to park: Cave in Rock State park is just south east of Marion. Follow ... | | Cave-In-Rock State Park, Illinois - A photo, and information about Cave-in-Rock State Park, in southern Illinois. ... Cave-In-Rock State Park, Illinois Photo ? 1997 by Hal Miller Cave-in-Rock is located on the north bank of ... | | DNR - DNR ... CAVE-IN-ROCK CAVE-IN-ROCK, IL 62929 618/289-4545 Concession & Lease Management Cave-in-Rock State Park Overlooking the scenic Ohio River just outside of Cave-In-Rock, Illinois, in southern ... |
| Directions: |
| Cave-in-Rock State Park is located on the Ohio River in Hardin County, Illinois. To reach the park from the northern parts of Illinois, proceed south on I-57 exiting at Marion, IL, on highway 13 east. Go east through Marion and Harrisburg to the intersection of Illinois 1 and 13. Turn south 22 miles on highway 1 to Cave-in-Rock State Park. From the south, take highway 90 from Marion, KY., and cross the Cave-in-Rock ferry and follow directional signs to the park entrance. From the southeast take I-24 west from the I-24 bridge to exit #16, then go 38 miles east on Illinois highway 146 to the park. From Southern Indiana, proceed through Evansville, IN traveling West on highway 62 and Illinois highway 141 to Illinois Rt. 1, then go south 36 miles to Cave-in-Rock State Park. |
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