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Colossal Cave Mountain Park |
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Sharon Hunt Institutional OverviewA Pima County park that includes Colossal Cave, La Posta Quemada Ranch, a museum, a research library, and several buildings built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Collection OverviewCaves. Colossal Cave. A dry cave open for public tours. Lights, walkways, and handrails added by Civilian Conservation Corps. Arkenstone Cave. A live cave with unusual speleothems and life forms. Several new faunal species have been discovered in the cave; some are endemic to Arkenstone. Access is restricted to researchers. La Posta Quemada.
A working ranch since the 1870s. Currently a cow-calf operation with approximately 65 head of cows. Museum. History room. Artifacts from Hohokam and Sobaipuri occupation of the cave. Includes pahos, miniature bows, reed “cigarettes”, a fragment of a miniature pot, and two hafted Sobaipuri arrowheads.
Caving rooms. Presentation of Arkenstone research results. Includes photographs of the cave’s speleothems, taken by photographer and researcher Randy Gruss. Biology Room. Exhibits on the ecology of Arkenstone, including the cave’s recently discovered species. Twilight Room. Exhibits on local bat species and cave mouth ecology. Features two murals by local artist Kim Duffek. Research Library. Materials pertaining to the natural and cultural prehistory and history of Colossal Cave Mountain Park. Subjects include geology, speleology, desert ecology, ranch life, grazing management, Native American prehistory and history, and local Civilian Conservation Corps history. Large collection of children’s books focusing on the same topics. MapsOral histories: Oral histories: 15 Periodical subscriptions: 27 Photographs: 2700 Postcards: 100 Texts (includes 300 children's titles): 1000 Videotapes See our collections on the Arizona Memory Project here. |
Other Known Names
| Colossal Cave Mountain Park |
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