Going Into These 10 Caves In Michigan Is Like Entering Another World

Michigan isn't exactly known for its caves, but maybe that's because they're quite a bit different from the underground rock formations found in states with more volcanic activity. That doesn't mean we don't have them. In fact, thanks to the sandstone cliffs found in places like Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, or the many, many caverns created by miners in the 19th century in Copper Country in the Upper Peninsula, we have many more caves than you might expect. They also come as dramatic ice formations, created along our lake shores during the winter months.

10) A build up of ice in a Traverse City cavern

The ice looks like rare diamonds, almost.

9) Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Probably Michigan's most famous caves, the Pictured Rocks caverns are a favorite for kayakers to explore.

8) Adventure Mining Company, Greenland

Located in Ontonagon County at the base of the Keweenaw Peninsula in the western side of the Upper Peninsula, the Adventure Mining Company offers four guided underground tours of one of the best preserved copper mines in the state.

7) An ice cave on Lake Michigan at Kirk Park, West Olive

This cave is rather seasonal in nature, in that it only makes its appearance during the icy, wintery months.

6) Bats of Copper Country

What was once the epicenter of Michigan's copper mining industry is now home to these nocturnal creatures.

5) Copper mines, Upper Peninsula

It's either the bats, or the daring tourists who take up space in these old mines.

4) Hoar frost on icicle, Upper Peninsula

I'm getting shivers just looking at this ice formation.

3) Miner at Work in Copper Country, Upper Peninsula

This was what a lot of Michiganders in the UP call "back in the day."

2) Native copper-replaced cross-bedded sedimentary rocks, Upper Peninsula

Just look at the out-of-this-world results of this rock formation.

1) A Polar bear cave at Detroit Zoo, Royal Oak

OK, so not all of Michigan's caves are the result of mining or natural phenomena. This Polar bear doesn't seem to mind his man-made cave at the Detroit zoo.

Kinda surprising, huh? Tell us though, have you explored some mysterious caves and caverns in Michigan that we don't know about? Tell us about them!