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Meramec Caverns 2007

A Travel Diary

Meramec Caverns 2007

Underground in Missouri — July 2007

22Photographs
4Days
3Places
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Underground in Missouri

A July-4th weekend in the Missouri hills — down into Meramec Caverns, the great limestone cave near Sullivan with its amber-lit columns and mirror-still pools (and, the story goes, a hideout of Jesse James), then up to the lake for go-karts, boats, and a parasail over the water. Tap any photo to enlarge it, or open the map.

A Fourth of July weekend down in the Missouri hills, and mostly underground. Meramec Caverns near Sullivan is the great limestone show cave of the state — amber-lit columns, mirror-still pools, and, as the story goes, a onetime hideout of Jesse James.

Back up in the daylight we traded the cool of the cave for the lake: go-karts, boats, and a parasail ride high over the water. A classic small-town American summer weekend, half of it spent below ground.

This trip ran 4 days, July 3–7, 2007. Along the way we spent time at Meramec Caverns, A Missouri lake, and Go-karts & summer fun. The gallery below tells it day by day, in 22 photographs.

Day 1

Tue 3 Jul

Meramec Caverns

Meramec Caverns
Meramec CavernsDeep inside Meramec Caverns, lit up amber and gold.

Day 2

Wed 4 Jul

Meramec Caverns

Meramec Caverns
Meramec CavernsStalactites hanging like a stone curtain from the ceiling.
Meramec Caverns
Meramec CavernsA still cave pool mirroring the formations above.
Meramec Caverns
Meramec CavernsFlowstone draping the cavern walls.
Meramec Caverns
Meramec CavernsColumns and draperies a few hundred thousand years in the making.
Meramec Caverns
Meramec CavernsThe cool dark of the cave on a hot Missouri July.
Meramec Caverns
Meramec CavernsReflections doubling the cave in the underground water.
Meramec Caverns
Meramec CavernsDeep inside Meramec Caverns, lit up amber and gold.
Meramec Caverns
Meramec CavernsStalactites hanging like a stone curtain from the ceiling.
Meramec Caverns
Meramec CavernsA still cave pool mirroring the formations above.
Meramec Caverns
Meramec CavernsFlowstone draping the cavern walls.
Meramec Caverns
Meramec CavernsColumns and draperies a few hundred thousand years in the making.
Meramec Caverns
Meramec CavernsThe cool dark of the cave on a hot Missouri July.
Meramec Caverns
Meramec CavernsReflections doubling the cave in the underground water.

Day 3

Thu 5 Jul

Go-karts & summer fun

Go-karts & summer fun
Go-karts & summer funA go-kart track winding through the summer green.
Go-karts & summer fun
Go-karts & summer funRacing the afternoon away.

Day 4

Sat 7 Jul

A Missouri lake

A Missouri lake
A Missouri lakeOut on a Missouri lake in the July heat.
A Missouri lake
A Missouri lakeLakeside cabins tucked into the trees.
A Missouri lake
A Missouri lakeA parasail floating high over the water.
A Missouri lake
A Missouri lakeThe marina and the dam on a bright summer day.
A Missouri lake
A Missouri lakeWooded shoreline and open water as far as you could see.
A Missouri lake
A Missouri lakeAn island and a lake house, still in the evening light.

Where we wandered