Dunbar Cave
Dunbar Cave State Natural Area attracts thousands of visitors each year to its natural beauty, scenic hiking trails and enchanting cavern. It also offers fishing, picnicking, golf and cave tours.
The historic 110-acre park was acquired by the state of Tennessee in 1973 and is dedicated to preserving the natural and cultural heritage of the area.
History
The 8.07-mile cave is the 75th longest cave in the United States and has been occupied by man for
thousands of years. More than 30 rare cave drawings and etchings have been discovered in the cave and
are on public display. While they can't be carbon dated because the process would destroy them, they are
estimated to be a part of the Mississippian Era, which is around 700 to 1300 AD, based on remnants of
torches found in the area. Included in these pictographs are religious symbols and a Mississippian
supernatural warrior.
The cave is named after Thomas Dunbar, who lost the cave to its modern discoverer, Isaac Rowe Peterson, in a legal battle in 1792. Peterson had explored the area in 1790 and staked a claim to the cave and surrounding area. He then returned to North Carolina to move his family to their new home in Tennessee. Dunbar, unaware of the claim, explored the area during Peterson's absence and settled on the land with his family. Peterson returned with his family in the spring of 1791 and a dispute arose over the ownership of the land. The county court in Clarksville determined Peterson was owner of the land and granted him clear title.
Although Peterson was the first settler to find the cave, it retained the name of Dunbar, the first occupant of the land.
In the days before air conditioning, the cool atmosphere of the large cave was a natural attraction for local people, leading it to become a natural entertainment area. A resort was built at Dunbar Cave in 1901, and dances were held in the cave through the 1940s. The dances were publicized in advance and featured the Big Bands of Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey and Kay Kyser.
Country entertainer Roy Acuff bought the cave property in 1948 and staged his Saturday Night Radio Dance Broadcast from the site.
Park Offerings
Special programs are conducted by the park staff on topics ranging from wildlife to wildflower
identification, along with guided tours and slide shows. Check the program schedule for current programs.
The Visitors Center is a restored remnant of the area's early resort era and has been made accessible for people with disabilities.
The building once served as the bathhouse for an adjacent swimming pool, the footprint of which can still be seen outside. But today the building houses exhibits, displays and literature aimed at interpreting the geological and ecological significance of the cave and man's use of the cave through time.
The center also contains the park manager's office, restrooms and a water fountain.
Picnic tables are behind the Visitors Center overlooking scenic Swan Lake.
The 15-acre lake is fed by the cold, clear waters from the cave, and it is a popular local fishing spot.
Special fishing permits are not required, but all state fishing regulations must be observed.
Tours and Hiking
Guided cave tours are conducted Wednesday through Sunday from June through mid-August at 1 and 3 p.m.
Groups are limited to 20 people per tour and reservations are required. The cave tours are offered on
weekends during the spring and fall.
Tours cost $5 per person. Participants must be at least 3 years old and able to walk one to 1 1/2 miles without being carried. All participants should bring a flashlight equipped with fresh batteries. Some flashlights may be available for rent ($2) at the Visitor's Center. Photography is not allowed in the cave.
Cave explorers working for the state continue to probe remote sections of the cave system, and some rare creatures have been found, including crayfish, salamanders and the eyeless, unpigmented cave fish.
There are three well-maintained nature trails in the park that range from a leisurely walk to a strenuous hike. All trails begin and end at the Visitor's Center.
The Lake Trail is an easy two-thirds mile hike, while the Short Loop (one mile) is in the moderate category. The Recovery Trail is a 1.7-mile moderate hike.