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 Kartchner Caverns State Park - Benson, AZ Posted by:  Poehunters
N 31° 50.140 W 110° 20.640
12R E 562073 N 3522408
Kartchner Caverns State Park in Southeastern Arizona features a stunning and pristine limestone cave with world-class features that have been protected since its discovery in 1974.
Waymark Code: WMHHV9
Location: Arizona, United States
Date Posted: 07/13/2013
Views: 9
History & Nature:
Discovered in 1974, Kartchner Caverns is home to many outstanding features, including remarkable minerals and formations in this massive limestone cave. It became an Arizona State Park in 1988, and, to this day, the park works to conserve its living cave as the limestone caverns are still developing.
The caverns are extremely protected thanks to the delicate lighting and the minimal human disturbance upheld by park staff.
Things to Do:
On your visit, take a guided tour for an intimate experience with the incredible underground world. The Throne Room and Big Room tours allow you to discover the delicate ecosystem of long-hidden limestone caves. Be sure to get a look at the world’s longest known “Soda Straw” stalactite before the end of your visit.
The 23,000-square-foot Discovery Center is another must-see at Kartchner Caverns. The center explains many aspects of the cave, including geology, the bat population and paleontology. Interactive exhibits help to explain the discovery of the cave and how formations develop, while a multi-screen video introduces you to Kartchner Caverns’ discoverers and their underground journey.
Feel free to grab a seat at the available picnic ramadas or outdoor dining area when its time for lunch.
Park Type: Day Use, Overnight
Activities:
Picnic, camping, hiking trails, Discovery Center, Group tours/walking tour, Group tours/day tour, Birdwatching, Hiking
Background:
Kartchner Caverns was discovered in 1974 by two University of Arizona students whose hobby was caving or spelunking. The cave is located in the Whetstone Mountains near Benson, AZ and is considered a “living cave” because it has been preserved so that water still actively drips and the cave formations continue to slowly grow. In the short time since its discovery, Kartchner Caverns has been widely acknowledged as a truly unique and beautiful example of carbonate cave development.
In 2006, Kartchner Caverns was added to the National Science Foundation`s worldwide network of Microbial Observatories. The goal of the Microbial Observatories program is to study and describe the phylogenetic (who is there) and functional (what do they do) diversity of microbial communities on the beautiful formations found in the cave. Kartchner Caverns is the only cave in the network.
Date Established?: November 5, 1999
Link to Park: [Web Link]
Park Fees: Not listed
Additional Entrance Points: Not Listed
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Visit Instructions:
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