Dana Point Caves

The Dana Point Caves are a unique, fascinating attraction that's part of the San Juan Capistrano area. The caves are man-made, and they were discovered in 1959 when the family that owned the property at the time began sinking a well. While drilling, they encountered a small cave which they explored further and were amazed to find an entire cavern beneath their property.
The Dana Point Caves are home to hundreds of thousands of bats from March through October. The caves are open year-round for tours and self-guided tours after hours, but during March and April, you can see the largest bat colony in Southern California.
The Dana Point Caves were created during the Pleistocene era when lava flows from nearby volcanoes covered this area with molten rock that cooled into limestone. Over time, erosion created the caves. The caves were used by Native Americans until about 1542 when Spanish explorers arrived and forced them out. They remained undiscovered until 1959 when the current owner of the land used it to drill a well. He discovered the entrance to a cave while drilling and decided to explore it further. He was astounded to find an underground cavern beneath his land!
San Juan Capistrano is a master-planned city in Orange County, California. The majority of the development occurred during the boom years of the 1950s and 1960s.
The Dana Point Caves in San Juan Capistrano, CA, are an interesting attraction to visit. They are not often talked about and the fact that they are not open to the public is a bit strange. Most people are not even aware that they exist. However, if you want to see them, it is very easy to do so by making reservations with San Juan Capistrano's Adventure Company.
The Dana Point Caves are actually a series of caves along the coast of Southern California that were formed over thousands of years by water erosion and tectonic plate movement. Today, there are six caves that have been discovered and explored, varying in size from 50 feet long to more than 1,300 feet long.
The history of the Dana Point Caves began sometime around 10,000 BC when an earthquake hit the area. This earthquake caused a portion of the coastline to sink about 20 feet below sea level and opened up these underground caves. Over time, water-filled these caves and erosion began to take its toll on the limestone bedrock walls, creating beautiful stalagmite formations and breathtaking cave scenery. In fact, the largest cave measures over 1,300 feet long with ceilings as high as 150 feet high!
Dana Point State Marine Conservation Area
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