Dunbar Cave State Park - Clarksville, TN (Free)

I hate to say it, but, growing up here, I had never been to Dunbar Cave. 

I've driven by it a million times, but never really paid it much attention.  Sure it's some kind of cave, but I've been to Mammoth Cave, who needs to see Dunbar Cave?

Well, I was wrong, I think everyone needs to go by Dunbar Cave!

Thanks to Facebook, and the Clarksville Now Facebook Page I realized a few weeks ago that Dunbar Cave offered FREE nature programs!  They don't seem to post them on their website, but do on their Dunbar Cave Facebook page.

We decided to go to the August 15th Lake Life Program from 6:30-8 pm for kids age 4-12.

You can see more details on this and other programs they have HERE.

It was only my daughter and one other child right at her age (4-5).  Parents came along.

We started in their Nature Center/Visitor Center where we sat in their conference room and the leader, Amy Wallace, started by showing the kids a few books to identify different animals that we would hopefully see when we did the hike around the lake.

The kids enjoyed naming off the animals in the books and then she had various plastic toy animals as well so the kids could touch and talk about each of the animals.

Then she gave a good explanation of what we would be doing while walking around the Lake Loop, a nice asphalt trail that goes more than half way around the lake.  It also goes past the cave, so you get to see the Cave entrance as well.

Amy then lead us around the Lake Trail where we would look at different plants, try to spot fish, turtles, birds, bats, crawfish and many other lake critters.

Unfortunately on this day, it was hot and the lake was low and there just were not a ton of wildlife to see, but the kids still had fun walking around and searching for the critters!

The cave entrance was neat, the cave itself is closed, and has been for the past 4 years, due to a disease that was infecting the bats.

But, to top off the Lake Life tour, right at dusk, about 6 or 7 bats put on a show for us and flew around above our heads much to the delight, and shreeks, from the kids! 

It was a great way to spend 1.5 hours on a Friday evening, the kids learned by doing and best of all, it was FREE!

TIPS:

• bring bug spray
• wear comfortable shoes
• water bottles if hot
• flashlights for the kids to look for salamanders at the cave entrance
• camera

~Rhonda