If you have been following me for a while, you will know that we have been working on seeing all of the state parks of Tennessee. When we moved here three years ago we set that goal as we spent every weekend venturing out and getting to know the place we now call home. We thought that we had visited every park within a couple hour drive from us. But as it turned out, there were some smaller state parks within that distance that we had not yet seen. So deciding on one of those remaining parks, we headed north to visit Dunbar Cave State Park.
We started at the visitor center that overlooks the marshland that makes up some of the park. Large gardens have been set up by the visitor center with an inviting grassy area between them that just begs you to sit and relax in the shade.
Something so typical of Tennessee is the rocks in the hillsides amid all the lush greens of the trees. Some places have used the rocks to create pathways and structure to the ground, while other places have just let them be and work around them. I still get amazed sometimes at how green this state is and how beautifully fresh it all feels.
From the visitor center there is an easy loop trail that takes you around the park. The trail is only about a mile and is mostly flat so it is a park that anyone can enjoy no matter the age or ability level. It is frequented by many animals so it is a great place to be still and see what comes close.
Standing out among the trees are the white arches that lead you up from the trail to the cave entrance. Then you go back down and past the arches to continue on the trail on the other side. These arches make up a constructed platform straight into the cave itself. The white is such a contrast from the trees surrounding it.
Dunbar Cave is not new by any means. This cave dates back to prehistoric times and there have been discoveries of cave art dating back from thousands and thousands of years ago. The platform area is relatively new only going back as far as the early 1900’s. The cave entrance draws you into the dark underside of the rock and you can’t even see the entrance until you get close to it.
There are limited guided tours through the cave so you need to plan ahead and purchase tickets in advance. We were disappointed to learn that as we were hoping to get tickets when we arrived at the park. The cave is just over 8 miles long and the tour takes visitors just to a small section of it. We will definitely be back for the tour so we can see the beautiful cave art that is there.
The cave art on the walls of Dunbar Cave are an interesting look at the people who first called this area home and anthropologists are trying to piece together what the symbols mean. The most interesting pictures are of two suns with different symbols inside them. Sadly, others have recently left their own drawings on the cave walls distracting from the prehistoric cave art to be studied (which is probably why they now only offer limited tours to the caves).
Not only was this park popular for the cave experience, but it also served as one of the premiere dance halls. The constructed platform would be filled to the brim with dancers as chairs were placed around the outside and the cave provided a natural cooling to beat the heat of summer. Hundreds of people came here to dance at the mouth of the cave.
Looking out across the park from the cave to the small stream coming from the pond. We watched a group of deer carefully step out of the trees and down to the water to drink and munch. We also watched some turtles make their slow and steady path across the grass and into the water. We finished up the loop back to the visitor center.
Even though we were unable to take the tour of the cave, spending the day at the park gave us a lovely walk and a peek at the cave entrance and we really enjoyed the time. We are almost half way through all of the state parks and we were happy to have added Dunbar Cave to the list.
For some of our other favorite Tennessee state parks, check out these:
Thank you for coming along on this walk through Dunbar Cave State Park. May you dance in the trees and be cooled by a cave.
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