One state park near the Iowa border is home to both the longest cave in Minnesota and a ghost town that’s open to exploration. Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park is a bit off the beaten path, so it doesn’t receive as much attention as some of its more popular counterparts. But folks who love caves will love the park and its karst geology.

Mystery Cave was added to the park in 1987 and is a popular destination in itself.
McGhiever/Wikimedia Commons
The Mystery Cave unit of the park is a few miles away from the main Forestville unit, so be sure to plug in directions accordingly.
With more than 13 miles of passages, pools, and fantastic geology, Mystery Cave is Minnesota’s longest.
AmyRose/TripAdvisor
To explore the cave, you must go with a tour guide. Several tour types are available, focusing on different aspects of cave exploration, like geology, scenery, and photography.
Serious spelunkers can even book a “wild caving” tour to explore underground passages that most others will never see.
William H. Morrissey Visitor Center (Mystery Cave Tour), 21071 Co Hwy 118, Spring Valley, MN 55975, USA
MnMaret/TripAdvisor
When you resurface, head back to the Forestville unit, and cross the Root River bridge into another time.
Bill K/TripAdvisor

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Forestville was founded in 1853. But by 1868, the railroad had passed it by, and it was on its way to becoming little more than a ghost town.
Tony Webster/Wikimedia Commons
The Minnesota Historical Society restored Forestville. Today, demonstrations and reenactments educate and delight visitors to the park.
However, don’t forget the rest of the park, with its hiking trails through the driftless area’s bluffs.
Bill K/TripAdvisor
Moreover, anglers will love its blue-ribbon trout streams.
Megan S/TripAdvisor
For dinner, make the trip to Lanesboro and the Old Village Hall Restaurant.
Old Village Hall Restaurant, 111 Coffee St E, Lanesboro, MN 55949, USA
traveltheworld012/TripAdvisor
There, you can enjoy fine dining in a building constructed from the very limestone that formed the region’s caves.

There aren’t many parks that can claim both a cave and a ghost town, so we in the Bold North must count ourselves lucky. Have you had a chance to explore Mystery Cave or visit Forestville?

While you’re exploring Minnesota’s driftless area, don’t forget to explore its other geological highlights, like Niagara Cave and its stunning underground waterfall near Harmony.

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Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park, 21071 County Rd 118, Preston, MN 55965, USA