MAUCKPORT GUIDED TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Beneath Indiana’s River Hills: A Living Cavern, Gem Sluice and Barnyard in 90 Minutes
A compact, 1.5-hour Park Bundle at Squire Boone Caverns that combines a guided cavern walk through active subterranean formations with gem mining and a hands-on barnyard—useful for planning a single, multi-generational outing.
Beneath Indiana’s River Hills: A Living Cavern, Gem Sluice and Barnyard in 90 Minutes.
Squire Boone Caverns in Mauckport is a living cave carved by rushing underground streams, where rimstone dams, hidden waterfalls and classic speleothems accumulate even now. The guided Park Bundle threads a paved, lighted path through about a third of a mile of passageway, ending with a spiral staircase that rises back to daylight.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
A Living Cave with Rare Rimstone Dams
This cavern carries more than a million gallons of water through its passages, producing underground waterfalls and some of the largest rimstone dams open to the public in the United States—stalactites, stalagmites and flowstone decorate the route.
Gem Mining at the 50‑Foot Sluice
Included with the Park Bundle is a 50-foot sluice where visitors can pan for iron pyrite (fool’s gold) and a variety of gems—amethyst, citrine, quartz varieties and more—which you may take home or have set into jewelry.
Squire’s Barnyard: Pioneer Animals with Modern Care
The barnyard recreates the role of farm animals in pioneer life while showcasing animals cared for with modern attention—an included, family-friendly feed experience that connects the cavern visit to local history.
What the day feels like
What the 90 Minutes Feels Like
The Park Bundle moves from cool, silent caverns into tactile, hands-on activities: a guided walk along lighted, paved walkways and steel bridges through a living subterranean ecosystem, followed by gem sluicing and a barnyard visit—concise, varied and suitable as a single outing for mixed-age groups.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this Park Bundle suits and when to reconsider.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Plan on a 1.5-hour visit that combines the cavern tour, gem mining at the sluice and the barnyard feed.
Cavern temperatures are a constant 54°F—bring a jacket or sweater. Wear solid walking shoes suitable for paved paths and stairs.
Gem mining at a 50-foot sluice and a supervised barnyard feed are included in the Park Bundle; take-home finds are permitted and optional stone setting services are available.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the Park Bundle?
The Park Bundle is a 1.5-hour experience.
What is the temperature inside the caverns?
The caverns maintain a constant temperature of about 54°F; a jacket or sweater is recommended.
Is gem mining included?
Yes—gem mining at a 50-foot sluice is included, and visitors may keep discoveries or have stones set into jewelry.
Are children allowed on the tour?
The program is described as for all ages, combining the cavern tour with kid-friendly activities like gem mining and the barnyard feed.
Are there accessibility or health considerations?
The tour ends with a 73-step spiral staircase and so is not recommended for visitors with serious medical conditions; pathways are paved but include stairs and bridges.
What will we see underground?
Expect stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, underground waterfalls and notable rimstone dams formed by active water flow.