LOCALadk Magazine

Spring 2017 LOCALadk Magazine 29 LOCALadk Natural Stone Bridges and Caves has been proudly owned by the same family since the Revolutionary War. In the 1940s, current owner Greg Beckler's grandmother transformed the property from a logging operation to the tourist attraction it remains today. A self-guided tour wraps in and out of caves and geological formations, offering views of waterfalls and deep pools. Features of the park include a gift shop focused on geods, a museum with historical photos and artifacts, and a place for kids to crack open geodes and mine for crystal treasures, rock climb on a climbing wall, and play disc golf. In July and August the park offers once-daily Guided Adventure Tours. The Adventure Tour takes you into caves that are not accessible without special gear, including a protective suit, protective pads, helmets, and headlamp. After suiting up, the three- to four-hour tour takes you through tight spots to enter into 10 to 13 thousand-year-old caves made out of 1.3 billion-year-old rocks. You will traverse through waterfalls, slide down chutes and rock slides, float through a cave in the river and – a rare treat – see baby stalactite formations on the ceiling of the caves in the dark and deeply protected areas. Reservations are needed for this adventure. Beckler grew up on the property during the 30 years that his parents operated the business. "I used to go exploring in these caves with my cousin Tommy, but it wasn't until cavers were visiting our park and did some further exploration that we considered an actual tour." The Northeast Regional Organization Cavers helped to survey the area, and Beckler credits them in helping develop the current guided tour. Natural Stone Bridge and Caverns

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