The entrance to the main Tyendinaga Caverns and Caves. To the right leads to the main cavern while to the left (in the photo) is a very tight passageway that carries on about 70 feet and then drops. Further in the cave, is another passage way that visitors are permitted to explore.

Tyendinaga Caverns and Caves

By Corey Lablans

If you are an individuals interested in exploring earth's greater depths, living in the Kingston doesn't provide you many opportunities. If you head towards Peterborough you will come across Warsaw conservation area, an area well known for recreational caving with their many unguided caves. It is a fun place if you want to squeeze through cracks and push yourself, finding out how claustrophobic you are. The only issue is that it is a good 1.5 hour drive to reach the conservation area.

Closer to Kingston is Hell Holes just north of Napanee. If you like going deep and exploring, it isn't the place to go, as the cave their is one ladder that leads to a small cave. The most interesting aspect of Hells Holes is the grotto, very beautiful. 

Today I explored another location just a bit further from Hell Holes, the Tyendinaga Caverns and Caves. I wasn't sure what to expect, as many of the caves/caverns around this area are usually not that large. The tour guide was well informed, explaining about karst topography, glaciation and sink wholes, and how they are all important in forming or destroying caves. If you are interested in learning about karst topography check out this link: http://paddleasia.com/karst-topography.htm it has some good visuals near the bottom of the site. Karst topography is important, it is the product of chemical weathering, as the limestone is dissolved by rain water, leading to the production of such caverns.

As the tour guide explained, many of the caves were crushed during weight of the last glaciation, the the larger cavern at Tyendinaga Caverns is an example of one that survived. If you explore Warsaw caves, those caves are likely the aftermath of such larger caverns collapsing, meaning that you are crawling thorough the openings left behind in the rubble.

If you want something very fascinating to explore and to see something not to common around the area, I would explore the Tyendinaga Caverns and Caves. For more information check out their website: http://tyendinagacaves.blogspot.ca/

Drapery or flowstone line the walls of the main cavern at Tyendiaga Cavern and Caves. Calcite has percipitated out of solution along the wall faces to create these formations.

 Cave mushrooms, popcorn or coral, depending on who is explaining these formations are present along the walls.

 Looking into the narrow passageway in the cavern in which visitors can explore. Doesn't go to far back but still fun to squeeze your way through.

 Looking back to the main cavern after walking through a narrow passageway in which visitors can explore. 

One can see how large the main cavern is, as three individuals stand throughout the cavern. On a hot day like these past days it is a really comfortable place to be with average temperature around 10 degrees Celsius.

Corey Lablans Photography

www.coreylablans.com