Ontario's Natural Underground Wonder
The Bonnechere Caves

Family Owen and Operated Natural Wonder.

Located just 90 minutes from Algonquin park, in the town of Eganville Ontario, lies the Bonnechere Caves.

Under a hill of limestone, according to geologists to have been the bottom of a tropical sea 500 million years ago, the Caves present a weird and wonderful sight. Stalactites, or rock icicles hang from the ceiling and the handiwork of nature is enhanced by electric lights. Fossils of coral and sea creatures, including the ancestors of giant squids, can be seen. Millions of years in the making, the Bonnechere Caves are a thrill for the sightseer.

The first official acknowledgement that there were caves along the historic Bonnechere River was in 1853 when Federal Government Geographer Alexander Murray put two words, "SUBTERRANIAN CHANNELS", on the river’s original map. The first exploration took place in 1955, by the retired World War II flying ace Tom Woodward. In 1955 the water was removed and you can now explore passageways that early pioneers, fur traders, and rivermen could only have dreamed about.

Largely unexplored until the 1950s, the Visitors to the caves will see how the powerful rush of water has dissolved the limestone walls to scalloped smoothness, creating an eerie and entrancing series of underground passages.

The water, which originally flew through the cave, is now continually removed by four powerful pumps. The pumps are turned off during winter, and so the cave again becomes a river cave.

Bonnechere Caves are now open from May to October.
Our guided tours are suitable for all ages.
The caves are cool, even on the hottest summer days, so a jacket or long sleeve shirt is recommended.

For more information visit http://www.bonnecherecaves.com/