Donaldson Cave

 cave / caves, interesting place, National Natural Landmark

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Donaldson Cave is the second cave in the park, visited during so-called nature walks. It is an easy horizontal cave, all equipment the participants need is a torch. The cave is home to the endangered species of the northern blind cave fish. Donaldson Cave is named after George Donaldson, who came from Scotland and purchased a tract of forest in 1865. He did not allow cutting of timber or hunting. Thanks to his efforts the 27ha Donaldson Woods Nature Preserve today has native trees over 300 years old. This is a rare virgin hardwood forest similar to that which once blanketed most of Indiana.

Donaldson Cave Nature Preserve surrounds the cave mouth. This is one of the most picturesque scenes in the state. Stream water flows from the cave and winds along the gorge bottom. The slopes of this gorge support forest types typical of the southern Indiana hill country. White oak, black oak, and pignut hickory occupy higher, drier portions of the slope. Lower, more shaded slopes are covered by beech-maple forest.

Few plants can grow on the steep dry slope directly above the cave mouth. Many of the plants that do survive are more commonly found in prairies. These include shooting star, birdfoot violet, hoary puccoon, blue-eyed grass, prairie dock, and New Jersey tea.

The cave was the scene of a dramatic rescue effort in the 1980s when two teenagers got trapped inside the cave by rising flood waters. It took over 18 hours for a special team of rescuers to drill down thru the rock to get the small air pocket where the men were.

It was later profiled in a Readers Digest article and an episode of Rescue 911.

The cave and the surrounding woods are designated a National Natural Landmark.