Spelunking is back this season at Warsaw Caves Conservation Area
Global News
'I’ve always enjoyed bringing my family out here, the caves are just a great little adventure to take your family on,' said Jessie James with Otonabee Conservation.
Spelunking (a.k.a. cave exploration) and boat rentals are back at Warsaw Caves Conservation Area in Warsaw, Ont., after being restricted for the past two years due to COVID-19.
“People come here annually, there are people that come here specifically to do the trails from afar, there are people who rent cottages on the Kawartha lakes, and this is one of their day trips,” said Dan Marinigh, CAO for Otonabee Conservation, the organization that owns and operates the site.
“So, there are a range of usages, and we are excited to have the visitors back.”
The conservation area is more than 500 acres and includes 15 kilometres of hiking trails, where you can also get a glimpse at the area’s kettles (deep circular indents formed in the rock), canoe rentals to paddle the Indian River, campsites and what the site is named for — seven marked caves that visitors can explore.
“When the last glaciers went through here there was a river system that poured through here and it eroded the soft rock creating caves,” said Marinigh.
“It really is situated on an outcrop of the limestone transition rock on the edge of the Canadian Shield.”
In all, there are about 450 metres of underground tunnels. You can find a full map and description on the Otonabee Conservation website.
Jessie James, conservation lands program manager with Otonabee Conservation, said he has been enjoying the conservation area since long before he worked with the organization.