Caverns of Sonora Facts
- The term of the Caverns of Sonora remains a somewhat misleading name for this feature, though that in no way diminishes its awesome nature. In point of fact, the site constitutes a single, though in many ways highly impressive, cave.
- In modern times, the site first came to the attention of man in the early 1900’s, following its discovery by local ranch workers. It currently remains unknown if local Native American tribes ever knew of its existence, though this seems quite unlikely.
- The breathtaking site lists as a world-class cave, due to the abundance and splendor of its many features. As a result, it now holds the status of a National Natural Landmark. With this in mind, the Federal and local governments encourage preservation.
- The Caverns of Sonora nevertheless now constitute a major tourist attraction in the region. As such, it first opened for public tours in 1960. The presence of tour guides and the installation of walkways and railing strives to maintain its condition.
- Sadly, however, prior to these actions, the site suffered damages from the actions of inattentive or uncaring explorers. The most tragic such loss was the destruction of part of a natural mineral formation that strongly resembled a butterfly.
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Caverns of Sonora Physical Description
To date, the full dimensions of the fantastic Caverns of Sonora still remain unknown, since it’s still being explored. When first discovered, only 2 mi (3.2 km) of the outer portions were known. Currently, a total of 7 mi (11.2 km) has been explored and documented.
Scientists expanded the original entrance to the caves, though, since it only represented a tiny opening measuring 20 in (51 cm). Once inside, however, a marvel of Nature awaits. It’s filled with many narrow passages lined with countless natural features to amaze one.
The breathtaking caverns boast an astoundiing abundance of formations, known as stalagmites and stalactites. Both of these form from long-term calcium carbonate deposits. Stalactites hang from the ceiling, while the many stalagmites rise from the ground.
In fact, one particular section of this mind-boggling site remains filled with so many of these, it makes passage nearly impossible. Locals long ago named this section of the show cave the snake pit. Most of these are also still quite actively forming and expanding.
Even more incredible marvels await the explorer, though. These include features known as helictites. A distinctive feature of this remarkable spot beneath the earth’s surface, these comprise twisted, highly irregularly shaped speleothems that seem to defy gravity.
In other regions, objects called soda straws also appear. These delicate, hollow tubes hang from the ceiling and can grow several feet long. Flowstones, by flowing water that leaves behind layers of minerals, also appear as smooth, rippling sheets along the walls and floors.
In another part of this wonder of Nature that man continues to explore and discover, still another amazing feature lies in wait. Here, thin, wavy sheets of calcite that supposedly resemble drapes or bacon strips, formed where water trickles down sloped surfaces.
One of the most famous sections of the Caverns of Sonora is named Crystal Palace. It’s with an array of crystal formations that glisten under the lights. A unique feature found in some areas is called moon milk. It’s a white, creamy deposit of calcite with a soft, pasty texture.
Still one more miracle of geological forces remains to impress the visitor, however. That’s the truly massive stalagmites that dominate certain chambers, showcasing the impressive scale of the formations. These objects collectively bear the name of the White Giants.
Caverns of Sonora Location and Formation
The magnificent Caverns of Sonora formed in a general region of the globe already well known for its abundance of natural wonders. That area thus won’t surprise many people. That’s because Nature created it as part of what’s now the continent of North America.
There, its precise location places it within the national borders of the United States. Within that country, it resides inside the state of Texas, which borders the country of Mexico. Its placement also puts the caverns in the approximate southwestern section of the state.
The overall geological structure within which the mind-blowingly beautiful site formed formed around 100 million years ago. The cave itself, though, formed much later. More precisely, geological evidence indicates that it formed between 1.5 and 5 million years ago.
Over millions of years, rainwater, which absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and soil to form a weak carbonic acid, infiltrated the ground. This then seeped through cracks and fissures in the limestone. This began weakening it, setting the stage for more actions.
The slightly acidic water slowly dissolved the calcium carbonate in the limestone. This also had the natural effect of enlarging the cracks and fissures to form underground voids and passages. That action ocurred via a process called chemical weathering or solutional erosion.
These voids and passages gradually expanded into larger chambers and tunnels, creating the basic structure of the caverns. At this point, though, the gorgeous Caverns of Sonora still did not yet hold the appearance they do today, but it was nonetheless in process.
As the acidic water continued to percolate through the limestone and into the caverns, it also carried quantities of dissolved calcium carbonate with it. When this mineral-rich water reached air-filled voids within the cave, it began to deposit the calcium carbonate.
The stalactites also formed as water dripped from the ceiling, leaving behind small amounts of calcite that accumulated over time. Stalagmites, however, formed on the ground from the dripping water that fell from the stalactites situated above their position.
The helictites originated in an intriguing manner, too. Natural processes created these irregular, highly twisted formations when water was pushed through tiny capillary tubes in the rock. That action steadily deposited calcite in seemingly gravity-defying shapes.
Flowstones also formed from sheets of water flowing over walls or floors, leaving behind smooth layers of calcite. Draperies and soda straws developed from water seeping through sloped surfaces or dripping slowly, creating thin, wavy sheets or hollow tubes of calcite.
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