The Mitchell Caverns, within the Mitchell Caverns Natural Preserve, are three solution

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms w ...

caves A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...

, only two of which are open to the public, located on the east side of the Providence Mountains at an elevation of , within the Providence Mountains State Recreation Area. The caverns are located in the

Mojave Desert The Mojave Desert ( ; mov, Hayikwiir Mat'aar; es, Desierto de Mojave) is a desert in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the Southwestern United States. It is named for the indigenous Mojave people. It is located primarily ...

, in

San Bernardino County, California San Bernardino County (), officially the County of San Bernardino, is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, and is located within the Inland Empire area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 2,181, ...

Geology

The caves lie within a thick sequence of marine

Permian The Permian ( ) is a geologic period and stratigraphic system which spans 47 million years from the end of the Carboniferous Period million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Triassic Period 251.9 Mya. It is the last period of the Paleo ...

. They were formed before the

Pleistocene The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the ''Ice age'') is the geological Epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was fina ...

epoch In chronology and periodization, an epoch or reference epoch is an instant in time chosen as the origin of a particular calendar era. The "epoch" serves as a reference point from which time is measured. The moment of epoch is usually decided ...

, when ground water with a high carbonic acid content ate into the surrounding

sedimentary Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic particles at Earth's surface, followed by cementation. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause these particles ...

limestone.

Stalactites A stalactite (, ; from the Greek 'stalaktos' ('dripping') via ''stalassein'' ('to drip') is a mineral formation that hangs from the ceiling of caves, hot springs, or man-made structures such as bridges and mines. Any material that is soluble ...

stalagmite A stalagmite (, ; from the Greek , from , "dropping, trickling") is a type of rock formation that rises from the floor of a cave due to the accumulation of material deposited on the floor from ceiling drippings. Stalagmites are typicall ...

s, and other cave formations were formed from calcium carbonate left by dripping mineral water.

History

Numerous paleontological and archaeological finds have been made in and around the caverns. Scientists have found the remains of several prehistoric animals, including a Shasta ground sloth. The caverns were a special place for the

Chemehuevi The Chemehuevi are an indigenous people of the Great Basin. They are the southernmost branch of Southern Paiute.

Indians, and a number of tools and material culture have been found. The Chemehuevi knew the caves as "the eyes of the mountain" due to their easily spotted dual entrances located on the side of the mountain. The caverns are named after Jack and Ida Mitchell, who owned and operated the caves from 1934 to 1954 as a

tourist Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism ...

attraction and rest stop for travelers on nearby U.S. Route 66. The Mitchells also held mining rights to the area and dug several prospect holes and tunnels, some of which are still visible. The area became a state park in 1956. The surrounding lands became a part of the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational properti ...

Mojave National Preserve Mojave National Preserve is a United States National Preserve located in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California, USA, between Interstate 15 and Interstate 40. The preserve was established October 31, 1994, with the passage of ...

in 1994, but the caves are still owned and operated by the state of California.

Cavern tours

The "Tecopa" and "El Pakiva" caves are connected by a man-made tunnel and are open to guided tours led by

California State Park The California Department of Parks and Recreation, more commonly known as California State Parks, manages the California state parks system. The system administers 279 separate park units on 1.4 million acres (570,000 hectares), with over 280 ...

rangers. These caves are the only limestone caves in the California State Park system. According to a California tourism guide, “You enter the limestone caverns at an altitude of about above the desert floor. The higher view of the desert from the Visitor Center is magnificent…Not too spacious, these chambers contain strangely beautiful cave coral, stalactites, and stalagmites.” ;2011-2017 closure In January 2011, due to California's budget crisis, all tours were suspended and the Providence Mountains State Recreation Area closed. Vandalism plagued the caverns' visitor center and installations after their closure. Over a long period, major infrastructure upgrades took place. Mitchell Caverns and Providence Mountains SRA reopened, and the caverns resumed tours, on November 3, 2017, after being closed for nearly seven years."Reopening" http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=615

References

* http://Desertusa.com - Mitchell Caverns article. * Robert P. Sharp and Allen F. Glazner, ''Geology Underfoot in Southern California'', Missoula Mont: Mountain Press, 1993.

External links

Official Providence Mountains State Recreation Area websiteCommittee to Reopen Mitchell Caverns non-profit website
{{authority control Caves of California Limestone caves Mojave Desert Mojave National Preserve Protected areas of the Mojave Desert Protected areas of San Bernardino County, California Archaeological sites in California National Natural Landmarks in California Landforms of San Bernardino County, California Landmarks in California Chemehuevi

Geology

History

Cavern tours

See also

References

External links