Minnesota Cave 60 Minutes from Rochester is an Amazing Natural Wonder
60 minutes from Rochester, Minnesota in Harmoney is an amazing Minnesota natural wonder: Niagara Cave. The geology inside the cave is incredible with fossils inside that are around 450 million years old.
Niagara Cave is a large cave that's been carved out of the limestone in the area. Most of southeast Minnesota is limestone, which is a type of rock that's really easy to manipulate, especially with water. The website for Niagara Cave mentions that common natural features in regions with rock, like limestone, include "sinkholes, springs, disappearing streams, bluffs, and cave systems." Hence the reason we have cool cave systems like Niagara Cave and also all of the cliffs around southeast Minnesota.
Something really cool about Niagara Cave is how old the rock is inside the cave. On their website, they mention that in the cave there are fossils that are 450 million years old! They say that those fossils are "of aquatic lifeforms that lived in the shallow seas that once covered this region." Am I a nerd or is that so cool?!
Niagara Cave is open for tours this year through October 31st. They do not require masks but they do mention that you'll be in close quarters in the cave so you're welcome to wear a mask if that's more comfortable for you. They recommend that you purchase tickets in advance since there's limited availability for each tour. Tickets can be purchased HERE. Tickets are $20, for kids 3-12 tickets are $12, and kids 2 and under are free. Also, if you're interested, you can find Niagara Cave on Facebook HERE.
If you think all of that is pretty amazing, keep scrolling to check out 15 beautiful and breathtaking views of Minnesota.