Cavern adventure

When it comes to nature, we get so used to seeing fields and hills that we often forget there is so much more to see. The world we live in is filled with many breathtaking sights to explore, one of which is the Meramec Caverns in Stanton, MO. I came across the caverns by accident, I pulled off the highway to fuel up the car, saw signs advertising the cavern’s gift shop, and decided to check it out before getting back on the road; after I saw a booth for tour tickets, I knew I was staying for more than gas. My tour gave me the opportunity to cherish the hidden treasures of the Mirror Room, various types of stalactites and stalagmites, along with the amazement located within the Theatre Room. The ability to witness the magic that goes on right below the surface of the earth or inside mountains will leave anyone lost for words at its beauty and eager to see more.

Upon entering the caverns, one of the first places we went was to an area known as the Mirror Room. At first glance, this area appeared to be just an average cave. I was very mistaken. When I first walked into the Mirror Room, the was yellow-hued lights overhead with a shallow stream that appeared still. While looking around, I noticed a slight smell of sulfur from the limestone in the air while being refreshing at the same time, almost like the smell of after rain. After the last people on the tour entered the room, the yellow lights went off, and bright white lights revealed the magic of the shallow stream. The average body of water I had first seen turned into water that was so undisturbed and clean, it was as if it were a thin piece of glass covering a cavern that extended stories deep into the earth.

While we were being led further into the caverns, every place, and every direction, we walked was filled with various shapes, sizes, and colors of formations as far as the eyes could see. Venturing into the caverns was dark, and the only sounds you could hear was water dripping from above in slow, steady drops that echoed a peaceful sound. The moment the lights came on, the entire cavern started to sparkle from the water drops that had landed. With every shift of my eyes, there were even more formations glistening from the millions of years of minerals at work, creating such a magnificent sight. Over my head, there were stalactites covering almost every inch, all ranging from tiny needle-like formations all the way up to stalactites as wide as an oak tree base and as long as a semi-truck. Growing up from cavern floors were so many kinds of stalagmites. Some were shiny with rounded tops as big as a car, while other stalagmites were different colors resembling an upside funnel, and some were shaped like a human thumb. It did not matter where you looked, no two formations ever looked the same, and everything was unique.

The last area we were taken to on my tour of the caverns was the Theatre Room. From the moment I first stepped foot into the room, my jaw dropped to the floor in pure amazement. Upon first entering the Theatre Room, the first thing I noticed was several rows of bench seating. The room itself was composed of multiple different levels of various rock formations. After being instructed by the tour guide to be seated, huge spotlights illuminated a huge formation right in front of me that I originally believed to be a wall. This formation stands at least 70 feet tall and as wide as half of an American football field is long. It appeared to be composed of every mineral and every color imaginable. The next thing I knew, the room went completely dark, music started to play to fill the room with the song God Bless the USA, and the giant formation was lit up by a projector playing a slideshow of the different landscapes, such as gorgeous mountains and pristine plains, and the beautiful sights to see throughout the country. After about ten minutes, the music started to fade away, and the slideshow ended with a heartfelt memorial and dedication to the many men and women in uniform. It was an amazing way to end a tour of such an amazing place.

I have seen several places throughout my life, but one thing that seems to never disappoint me is the natural creations of the earth. No matter where you go, there is always something so wonderful right around the corner you just must see to believe. During my tour of the Meramec Caverns, I gained an even greater amount of appreciation for the world around me. Everything from the reflections the water made in the Mirror Room to the massive rock formation in the Theatre Room, brings nature into a whole new perspective. Many people think of minerals as the plain rocks in their driveway or the tan sand on a beach. When you see formations such as stalactites and stalagmites, your view of the small things in nature will be redefined as a glorious work of art created by nature.