One of the better known Ontario Caves (amongst cavers)
As of late there seems to be a lot of interest in Dewdney’s cave. This was probably the first Ontario solution cave that I had visited. Entrance into Dewdney’s is by several collapsed slabs and also its signature triangular shaft.
The shaft enters into a passage that is generally ankle to knee deep in water and as the bugs are so outrageous it is always a hurry to enter the tunnels. Dewdneys is situated at the edge of the Canadian Shield in Bobcaygeon formation limestone. Though the picture may not show it the rock is pure and white and well known amongst local cavers for its cave forming potential.
If you were to imagine a bowl that was centered over Michigan, its outer edges running along the edge of the Canadian shield, you would more or less know that the Bobcaygeon rock makes up the bowl’s upper/outer lip. In a fortunate caving co-incidence, this pure limestone is set right up against the shield in various places and so it takes the flow of especially acidic water from that area – hence an increased level of tunnel formation.
Dewdneys is a well known system amongst Ontario cavers. Marcus has mapped a good portion of it and says that it runs on well beyond where most might imagine it. Other cavers report similar tunnel systems nearby and I suspect there is still a lot to be found. Apparently Marcus (an expert) says that there is a mysterious gap between the longer systems in Ontario and the smaller. We should exect that ther are many more caves hidden beneath the glacial debris of an intermediate length.
My point is – KEEP LOOKING! There is lots more to find. Let me know what you discover.
Great picture – only one small problem, its difficult to judge the size of the rock formations.
It would have been nice if an object had been included to give an indication of scale.
tunnels are about 6 feet high at this spot
Yes – you are right. I took the picture on a slow exposure with an SLR. Incandescent light gave it the orange color in the background – fluorescent in the fore. The main tunnels are man sized, those holes you are looking through are not.
This is a beautiful cave. I wish to do some shooting here.
Is it possible to reach this cave by road? If not then how far away is the road?
could you please tell me where the cave is and how to get to the entrance. please email me the directions from toronto and the coordinates of the entrance. my email is lab.lover_eric.1997@hotmail.com, and can you also send me a map of the cave???
thanks,
eric
Eric, if you join the TCG they will introduce you to Dewdneys. The solution shaft is in a protected area in Hamilton – the Eramosa Karst and I believe there is public access. Best idea is to meet other cavers and just start going out with them.
i can’t, i’m 14…….
is there any youth caving groups around?
I believe you could e-mail them and there might be some arrangement that can be made (not sure). They go to the states a lot and that is a great experience.
The cave is on private property. A hunting ground. If you trespass, you run the risk of being shot and killed.
goo.gl/GkIuy
This is the hunt club property. Anything beyond this information you’ll have to approach the owner regarding. Remember this is north, so you’re pretty much dealing somebody straight out of Texas. Don’t expect to get in.
Warsaw is a much better cave to start with. Dewdney’s smells, is cramped, wet, muddy and slimy. The pictures provide a good illusion; you’d be on your hands and knees slinking through the cave here
Bizarre – you comments indicate that you obviously haven’t been here, or if you have you can’t have been paying attention. Warsaw???? come on now – give your head a shake.
What makes you say that? I have been; the water was deep.
Warsaw is a good cave for beginners: easy to find, well trafficked and publicly accessibly. Nothing whatsoever of significance (except garbage and graffiti), but a good place to explore a cave if you’ve never explored a cave before.
There are two types of caves, barren tunnels traveled by many and scrubbed clean of mystery, challenge and beauty. alternately, there is the wild cave – who knows what comes your way there – but that is exactly what is so appealing.
Dewdney’s is limited in it’s challenge, but it is beautiful in its own unusual way. As for challenging, deep in water etc. that is a relative concept – part of the joy of caving is the adversity of the environment. Dewdneys is still a beginner cave, but it is less traveled than Warsaw – which is not to say that the geographic setting of warsaw is not interesting.
I have a preference for solution caves – preferably of pheratic origins and Dewdney’s cave is exactly that – the less people, accessibility and garbage the better.
i went to warsaw a few years ago, it was ok. i am pretty experienced in caving as i have done a few wild cave tours in organ caves in west virginia and worley’s cave in tennessee. i have also done the high adventure cave trip at horne lake caves in bc. so i am looking for wild caves with some nice formations. i have also explored most of nexus cave
can you prpvide the civic adress or fire route number im in the area and want to talk to the owner of the propety regarding the caves and need the adress to make contact thaks
These cavers are more interested in keeping it a secret, even though that may result in the loss of them forever. Selfish, right? I went to the media regarding it, so there will be a fight and these WILL become public knowledge. Hopefully you get this as an email response so that when they delete this comment, it won’t matter. (cave location deleted – use your head John)
John, would you please stop posting the address for cave locations on my site. Your previous comments about Dewdney’s in 2011 indicate that you know absolutely nothing about what you are writing about (as in the caves are not worth visiting because they are wet and cramped and slimy. You also mentioned that the landowner was a Texan who would likely shoot anyone who went on the property. If that was your opinion why would you direct people there?) You have obviously understood that it is not my wish to convey location information. Start your own site and develop your own set of ethics or lack of them if you wish to do that kind of thing. Whatever your focus on publicizing information – you need to be selective. There is a very good reason why cavers tend to be careful about whom they share info with – people like you are a good reason why the caving community is cagey. If you really want to share info – do it privately.
I’m not the person that posted that. I have been there with the toronto caving group and I quite enjoyed it. However, if the MOE application is approved, nobody else will be able to enjoy it. The group protesting the mine weren’t even aware of this natural wonder because of how closely the secret is guarded. Sometimes compromise is necessary… its not an easily accessible cave nor does it have the conditions for morons to happily truddle in and drink or leave garbage like Warsaw or Eramosa.
I do apologize, its just that the e-mail addresses are exactly the same and the 3 IP addresses all correspond to the same house, so a reasonable person would make the assumption that it might possibly be the same person who left those bizarre comments in 2011, or at the very least 3 different members of the same household who seem hell-bent on causing an avalanche in cave-vandalism. Of course you have to understand the concern and caution that needs to be exercised over these matters and the reason I might not be taking you seriously is that the only thing you are left to judge a person by on the internet is the sense and logic behind their words and if you had a message to share it is hard for me to assign any validity to what you are saying when you are jumping around with nonsensical statements and a sweeping need to publicize and draw attention to yourself – sure you know the location of a cave, that’s a trust that someone sadly shared with you, it is not a bargaining chip to use as leverage or for threat. Once again sorry for the mistake if appearances are so at odds with reality. If you do have a point, you should have made it in a way that was more believable or credible.
Ben – I believe we have met – info was sent to your private e-mail address. Please exercise discretion in your actions with regard to this situation.
does any one have coordinates for dewdney caves
These caves are in Danger from a proposed quarry. There have been no environmental impact study performed with respect to the caves. Many people are against the quarry (all of those people shown sitting and standing in the meeting are against it), but the local government have ignored the people and plan to go ahead with the 400 acre quarry.
Because nobody knows there is a several kilometre cave system in the area. Shhhh, it’s a secret!