Since I was a baby, our family has made an annual trip to Indian Cave State Park as the leaves are changing. This park is right on the Missouri River; you can see the state of Missouri from it! It is full of rolling hills, trees, fields, an old village with a store, a school, and a little area with a working blacksmith shop, candlemaking, a homesteader's cabin, and soapmaking. There's a large, beautiful sandstone cave with petroglyphs and an access stairway/walkway that will take you from the base to the area beneath the cave. There are hiking trails and horseback riding, look out points (photo ops!) and places for camping. I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story!
Uncle Leighton towers over his nephew Isaiah.
We arrived at our lunch spot and got out the frisbees and footballs while Grandpa and Grandma (thank you) made lunch for us.
Brie throws the football.
Jake throws a frisbee right after throwing a football.
Isaiah watches Great-grandpa cook beans on the camp stove.
Morgan shows us her collection of acorns.
Phyllis, a friend of the family, plays a game with Isaiah called put the black walnut in the cup, watch it drop out, say oops, and put it back in again.
Uncle Jake and Noah sit together at lunch.
Maddie sat on the other side of Noah.
Jeremy got the camera for awhile, too!
Morgan shows us a caterpillar (callapitter) that she caught.
These were growing on the picnic table.
Jake and Brie visit after lunch.
Maddie plays with Uncle Eli.
Dad and Sue enjoy the scenery at lunch (us).
Great-grandpa and Isaiah walk around together looking for interesting things.
Noah jumps off of the stump (for the 371st time).
Noah found a Daddy Long Legs.
We celebrated his fourth birthday; he turns four next week.
Grandpa and Morgan visit.
Isaiah hitches a ride on a cooler that Grandpa and Grandma are taking to the car.
Raccoons left their prints near a parking lot.
My brothers, sisters, and children enjoy the Missouri River.
This mushroom is doing its best to break down the dead tree.
Noah is doing his best to throw things into the river (his favorite pasttime).
Jeremy and I pose in Nebraska in front of Missouri.
Uncle Jake tickles Maddie.
I wonder if this stand was a boat landing, perhaps a dock, or if it was a group of trees that died and left their trunks.
There is no set of stairs too intimidating for a sixteen month old boy (click for a larger view).
This type of rock formation is called
cross bedding, for you non-geology buffs.
This is one of the two original petroglyphs carved into the cave wall.
Click to view a larger image and read the story of the cave.
Indian Cave is accessible via this boardwalk.
Aunt Sophie heads up with the girls.
Morgan begins her first horseback ride (no pony today)!
Jake, Leighton, Sophie, Eli, Morgan, Brianna, and I took a horseback ride in the afternoon (and boy, is it killing me to sit here on this hard chair and type this).
This poor toad was the object of Morgan's affection while at the playground.
Noah and Morgan rang triangles at the blacksmith shop.
One of the blacksmiths shows Maddie and Noah his dog.
Morgan looks out the window of the cabin.
These thorns grow on many trees in the park.
This cabin is very tiny on the inside. Imagine spending a winter in it with your children.
Jeremy heads up the path to St. Deroin with Isaiah.
Noah receives a sucker that is dressed like a ghost from Phyllis.
The children ride the merry go round with their aunts and uncles.
Brie, Eli, and Leighton goof off.
From a lookout, you have a great view of the river and of much of the park.
Isaiah gets laptop time with Grandpa.
We enjoy the boardwalk which gives us the view above.
Jake chases Morgan on the boardwalk.
Madeleine, Sophie, Noah, and Brie enjoy the view.
Isaiah laughs over Grandpa's shoulder.
The sun sets on our beautiful day at Indian Cave.
We arrived at our lunch spot and got out the frisbees and footballs while Grandpa and Grandma (thank you) made lunch for us.
Brie throws the football.
Jake throws a frisbee right after throwing a football.
Isaiah watches Great-grandpa cook beans on the camp stove.
Morgan shows us her collection of acorns.
Phyllis, a friend of the family, plays a game with Isaiah called put the black walnut in the cup, watch it drop out, say oops, and put it back in again.
Uncle Jake and Noah sit together at lunch.
Maddie sat on the other side of Noah.
Jeremy got the camera for awhile, too!
Morgan shows us a caterpillar (callapitter) that she caught.
These were growing on the picnic table.
Jake and Brie visit after lunch.
Maddie plays with Uncle Eli.
Dad and Sue enjoy the scenery at lunch (us).
Great-grandpa and Isaiah walk around together looking for interesting things.
Noah jumps off of the stump (for the 371st time).
Noah found a Daddy Long Legs.
We celebrated his fourth birthday; he turns four next week.
Grandpa and Morgan visit.
Isaiah hitches a ride on a cooler that Grandpa and Grandma are taking to the car.
Raccoons left their prints near a parking lot.
My brothers, sisters, and children enjoy the Missouri River.
This mushroom is doing its best to break down the dead tree.
Noah is doing his best to throw things into the river (his favorite pasttime).
Jeremy and I pose in Nebraska in front of Missouri.
Uncle Jake tickles Maddie.
I wonder if this stand was a boat landing, perhaps a dock, or if it was a group of trees that died and left their trunks.
There is no set of stairs too intimidating for a sixteen month old boy (click for a larger view).
This type of rock formation is called cross bedding, for you non-geology buffs.
This is one of the two original petroglyphs carved into the cave wall.
Click to view a larger image and read the story of the cave.
Indian Cave is accessible via this boardwalk.
Aunt Sophie heads up with the girls.
Morgan begins her first horseback ride (no pony today)!
Jake, Leighton, Sophie, Eli, Morgan, Brianna, and I took a horseback ride in the afternoon (and boy, is it killing me to sit here on this hard chair and type this).
This poor toad was the object of Morgan's affection while at the playground.
Noah and Morgan rang triangles at the blacksmith shop.
One of the blacksmiths shows Maddie and Noah his dog.
Morgan looks out the window of the cabin.
These thorns grow on many trees in the park.
This cabin is very tiny on the inside. Imagine spending a winter in it with your children.
Jeremy heads up the path to St. Deroin with Isaiah.
Noah receives a sucker that is dressed like a ghost from Phyllis.
The children ride the merry go round with their aunts and uncles.
Brie, Eli, and Leighton goof off.
From a lookout, you have a great view of the river and of much of the park.
Isaiah gets laptop time with Grandpa.
We enjoy the boardwalk which gives us the view above.
Jake chases Morgan on the boardwalk.
Madeleine, Sophie, Noah, and Brie enjoy the view. 