Discovery Days!
August 4-6, 2017
Friday – Sunday August 4-6, 2017 9 AM-6 PM Help us CELEBRATE over 75 years of Cave Tours through Wisconsin’s Oldest Classroom! Explore the Cave just as the first explorers did back in ’39 – with flashlights! Discovery Tours are offered all weekend for adventurers of all ages! FREE activities for the kids include make-n-take crafts, gemstone mining – where learning about rocks and minerals is FUN! Special exhibits and demonstrations include a visit to the Barn Discovery Center providing an in-depth look at caves, Wisconsin rocks & fossils, and Wisconsin’s Driftless Area. Enjoy our Interpretive Trail System or take a walk through time on our Geologic Timeline! Enjoy delicious snacks at our snack bar! Hours of fun for the whole family await at Wisconsin’s favorite National Natural Landmark! Call 608-437-3038 or email info@caveofthemounds.com for more information.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Year Long Calendar of Annual Special Events:
January: Come in from the cold and see why people have taken shelter in caves for millennia. Natures heating system keeps the Cave of the Mounds at a constant comfortable temperature all winter long. Enter the Earth! for Groundhog day and learn more with interactive displays and activities. While you are in the area, downhill ski or snowboard at Tyrol Basin Ski Area or explore the extensive cross country ski trails at Blue Mound State Park.
February: Love on the Rocks! Do something unique and memorable this Valentine’s Day Weekend! Special evening candlelit cave tours just for couples (21 and older) include adult beverages and hors d’oeuvres. Find a unique natural gift for your special someone in our amazing Rock & Fossil Shop. FREE family-friendly activities will be available during the day in our beautiful Visitor Center.
March: Spring break down under! Bring your family to visit Cave of the Mounds and welcome spring back to Wisconsin. We are open daily and our extended hours begin March 15th. Also, the House on the Rock begins their season this month.
April: Celebrate Earth Days with a visit inside of the earth! See the first blossoms of the year as bulbs explode into bloom. Lucky visitors might be onsite to watch as we burn our prairie. To learn about annual Scout Events, contact groups@caveofthemounds.com.
May: Our summer season begins Memorial Day weekend! Bring the family for a tour and a picnic, or grab some lunch from our seasonal snack bar. See our spring flowers bursting into color and search for caterpillars and chrysalis.
June: We are proud to offer interpretive Educational Programs for the whole family! Extend your tour underground & dig deeper into the history and science of Cave of the Mounds and Wisconsin’s unique geology. One of our experienced instructors will guide you & your family through our fun & educational programs. You, too, can impress your friends by learning to use the word “speleology” correctly!
July: Caves are cool! Beat the heat with nature’s air conditioning. As the summer heats up, the constant cool temperature of the cave provides a rare experience and opportunity to cool off and take in the natural geologic wonder of Wisconsin – below ground! Also, take a stroll down the Trollway and enjoy the Mount Horeb Annual Art Fair.
August: Round up those flashlights and grab the family – come celebrate the discovery of Cave of the Mounds! Every year our staff puts on their best in honor of the Cave’s Anniversary of Discovery. On August 4th, 1939 the cave was discovered during a routine quarry blast. Join us as we celebrate that explosive event during Discovery Days on the Saturday & Sunday each year closest to our anniversary. Don’t miss the fun both above and below ground!
September: After you enjoy the colors below ground, gaze at the splendor of prairie wildflowers, autumn leaves and butterflies on our park grounds. Enjoy more fall colors as you drive though the rolling hills of Southwest Wisconsin’s unique driftless area.
October: Don’t be afraid of the dark – join us at the end of October for HOLLOW-een! Free gemstone treats await costumed youngsters wandering the hollows of the Cave! This family event offers the beauty of a candlelit cave experience, free crafts for kids, story times, scavenger hunt trail walks and more! Special treat stops for crystals and fossils inside the warm, well lit Cave environment help you to enjoy a family friendly (sugar-free!) Halloween.
November: Cave of the Mounds is open for tours and group programs all year ’round! In the winter, our constant temperature and high humidity make the cave environment feel balmy. A great place to bring family & friends visiting for the holidays. Beat the crowds – and the cold – with an underground adventure!
December: Discover the unique acoustics found underground! The annual Caroling at the Cave offers visitors good cheer through a serenade by local music groups. This charity event is standing room only with limited seating options. Also back by popular demand is the Sing-Along Cave tour. Holiday shoppers will enjoy extended hours in our amazing Rock & Fossil Shop with unique natural gifts for that someone special on your list. Seasonal refreshments will be available. Call 608-437-3038 for more information
