You Could Take Home A Fossil From This Geologic Wonderland In Wisconsin

If you live around the Stateline area you've undoubtedly seen or heard of The Cave of the Mounds, A Geologic Wonder at some point in your life.

I definitely remember seeing billboards for it as we drove through Wisconsin as a kid. I never knew what it was, I just knew it had kind of a funny name.

It turns out, that this is a very impressive cave system just outside Madison, Wisconsin. And if you're lucky you might even get to take a fossil home with you.

It all began in 1939 when area farmers were blasting rocks to form a quarry. One farmer discovered an elaborate cave system after setting off some dynamite.

In an unusual turn of events, by today's standards at least, conversation was picked over profits and the quarry blasting was discontinued to preserve the cave system.

Today the cave system is open every day to visitors so they can explore the wonders and natural beauty hidden deep underground. And because the cave system is so deep in the ground the temperature is a constant 50 degrees, no matter what the temperature is outside.

The park was given National Natural Landmark status in 1988 to preserve it indefinitely.

Guided tours are available if you want to learn even more about this wondrous cave system during your visit.

And they even let you sift through some of the cave dirt to look for gems or even fossils. You get to keep anything you find.

Once you experience the labyrinth below, and if the weather cooperates, checkout the miles of above ground trails that wander through the forest at the surface.