Escapees March-April 2023

Page 32: A boardwalk and deck give visitors an up-close look at the iconic cave at Indian Cave State Park in Richardson County. Visitors can reach the deck at the base of the cave via a stair tower or a ramp. An aerial photo shows Indian Cave State Park, located in the forested blu ff s above the Missouri River in Nemaha and Richardson counties. Visitors take in the view of fall colors in the forested blu ff s above the Missouri River from the scenic overlook at Indian Cave State Park. A red-headed woodpecker perch es in a tree in the woodlands at Indian Cave State Park. PHOTOS BY ERIC FOWLER © NEBRASKALAND MAGAZINE/NEBRASKA GAME AND PARKS COMMISSION

“This park’s varied landscape continues to retain its wild fl avor and diversity. Here, guests can climb wind-swept forested blu ff s, fi sh for a hard- fi ghting cat fi sh, boat down the muddy Missouri…”

Because this area is within the Central Flyway of migratory birds, bald eagles and ducks are seen in this park often. There are also many varieties of song birds that reside here, including whippoorwills. In addition, because of the abundant food and shelter, wild turkeys, hawks, bald eagles, turkey vultures, great blue herons as well as red foxes. coyotes, beavers, fl ying squirrels, deer, mink, and other woodland creatures are in residence. The spacious cave created by silt and fi ne grained sand deposits, on the side of a bluff in a Pennsylvania rock channel thousands of years ago, is what gives this park its name. At one time, Native Americans inhabited this cave and left petroglyphs or ancient picture writing chiseled into stone, rather

than painted there, depicting nature scenes. Unfortunately, many of these drawings have been destroyed. There is a wealth of history stored in this region. As early as 1804, shortly after Lewis and Clark were traveling up the Missouri River on their trek westward, a riverside settlement was founded here. In the early 1840s, Joseph Deroin with his Omaha Native American wife and daughter moved to this area from the Platte Valley. Because a ferry boat with passengers and supplies regularly crossed the river at this point, Deroin selected this location for his trading post. Deroin had rights to this land through the circumstances of his birth.The Treaty of Prairie du Chein, passed on July 15,

33

March/April 2023 ESCAPEES Magazine