Missouri Ozarks - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 694

www.mdc.mo.gov
“Soda straws” drip from the ceilings and lily pad-shaped stones appear to float in the water in the Lily Pad Room at
Onondaga Cave State Park.
1. Onondaga Cave State Park
On the drive south from I-44 on Rte. H, the rocky slopes and folded hollows on all sides
conceal a vast honeycomb of caves and underground streams. Missouri, in fact, boasts
more than 6,400 surveyed caverns. In the minds of many, Onondaga Cave, the focal point
of a state park near Leasburg, is the most spectacular of them all.
It's an excellent place to learn about the secrets of these hidden worlds. Onondaga
Cave's story began about 550 million years ago, when a shallow marine sea covered this
entireregion.Sedimentsbeneaththeseahardenedintolimestoneanddolomite,andpercol-
ating groundwater dissolved away the limestone, opening flooded underground channels.
Then the water levels dropped, resulting in caves.