Tour National Natural Landmark Onondaga Cave and Cathedral Cave

Descend into the depths of Onondaga Cave State Park and drop into a world of wonder: towering stalagmites, dripping stalactites, and active flowstones help make the cave a National Natural Landmark and illustrate why Missouri is often called “The Cave State.” We will take two guided tours into this underground wonderland. The 1.5 hour morning tour of Onondaga Cave near the Visitor Center is along a one mile lighted concrete walkway. The 2.0 hour afternoon tour of Cathedral Cave near the campground is not lighted and we will use flashlights. The temperature in both caves is 57 degrees so bring a light jacket and wear sturdy shoes. The cost for both tours is $32 for adults and $29 for seniors which you will pay for at the Visitor Center.

There is as campground that you can stay at Friday and/or Saturday night. Reservations are on your own and not part of the structured activities organized by the Sierra Club. The campground fills fast and leaders have already reserved their basic sights #67 & #68 which are right across from the bathroom. You are welcome to join us for happy hour at our campsite each night for some brief discussion about the National Park Service and Missouri’s State Parks. BYOB.
https://mostateparks.com/campgrounds/onondaga-cave-state-park

At sign-in - all participants on Sierra Club outings are required to sign a standard participant agreement you can read here, if you would like to read it b4 you choose to participate, www.tinyurl.com/sonsite

The outing officially begins & ends on the dates & the locations designated by Sierra Club. Carpooling for this outing is not included or arranged by Sierra Club leaders. It is at your discretion with other participants to & from the outing; each participant is personally responsible for all risks associated with this travel. For directions and park information go to -
https://mostateparks.com/park/onondaga-cave-state-park

| Missouri Parks Association Newsletter Oct. 2024, Susan Flader, Editor |

“The Missouri State Parks team flipped the switch at Onondaga Cave State Park [July 9, 2024] for a much- awaited reopening of the premier show cave in the cave state. The cave had been closed during installation of a new LED lighting system. The incandescent system previously used for tours was more than thirty years old and at the end of its useful life.

The new lighting provides visitors with a more enjoyable cave tour, illuminating more of the cave formations and natural beauty, costing less to operate, and reducing the amount of heat transferred to the cave. “The upgrade benefits the cave’s ecosystem by reducing invasive algae growth and providing a more suitable home for the cave’s inhabitants, who are accustomed to the dark,” said Ken McCarty, director of MSP’s Natural Resources Management Plan …

…Onondaga cave, discovered in 1886, was first opened for tours in
1904, coinciding with the World’s Fair in St. Louis, and it has contin-
ued to captivate tourists for 120 years. Drawing more than 20,000 visitors annually, the cave is a National Natural Landmark, hosting some of the most rare and majestic speleothems in the world.

Incandescent lighting was original installed in the 1950s and had been upgraded over the years, with MSP making expensive repairs yearly to keep the old system functioning. Many of the system’s parts became obsolete, making the lights difficult to shut off, which was harmful to cave life. “We were in jeopardy of having to shut down the commercial cave operation without a new electrical and lighting system,” said MSP director David Kelly.

Missouri contractors were used to complete the $2.1 million project, with Rogers- Schmitt Engineering designing it and Meyer Electric doing the installation. Onondaga tours are “the oldest and most popular in Missouri
State Parks,” said David Kelly, “and the operation brings in more than $400,000 annually.” This means the projected revenue should allow a complete payback in about five years…”
https://missouriparksassociation.org/

Explore, Enjoy and Protect the Planet 🌎
In the evening we will discuss threats to the National Park Service because of administration cutbacks. Onondaga is one of several National Natural Landmarks (NNLS) which are natural areas that contain significant examples of the nation's biological and geological features. The 600+ NNLs are designated by the Secretary of the Interior as the best examples of a type of biological community or geological feature. The National Park Service works cooperatively with landowners, managers, and partners to conserve these sites.

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with over 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit [www.sierraclub.org. ]