Bonnechere Caves in Eastern Ontario shows visitors a fossil-filled underground world

Disclosure: The author visited the site as the guest of the Bonnechere Caves.

An hour and a half west of Ottawa, you’ll find Eganville, Ontario, a small community occupying a deep limestone valley along the Bonnechere River in Renfrew County. Eganville is a pretty spot, but the main attraction is actually beneath your feet. A guided tour of the Bonnechere Caves gives you the opportunity to explore the remains of the past. Rumour has it that, 500 million years ago, this area was a tropical sea.

In front of a fossil-filled tabletop, a guide gave our small group a quick introduction to the region. A more detailed discussion ensued about the types of fossils that have been found in the area and inside the cave. You know that limestone I mentioned? Well, it was slowly built up as layers of mud and silt accumulated over time—and by “time,” I mean 400 or 500 million years!

Fun fact: This happened during the Ordovician time period, when the area north of the tropics was almost entirely ocean, explaining why many of the fossils found among the caves are coral and sea creatures. (The educational part of the tour is fantastic for all ages.)

Dress for the cave weather

Fast forward a couple hundred million years, and it’s our group’s turn to descend down, down, down into the depths of the earth. Immediately, the temperature drops, so visitors should bring a long-sleeved shirt, even in the hot summer months.

Learning about the history of the cave while walking its corridors is fascinating—especially when you realize how these caves came to operate as a tourist destination. (An enterprising man named Tom Woodward explored them in the 1950s, drained them and opened them to the public.)

Meandering through the dank underground tunnels eventually leads you to a decision point: stay with the group (boring!) or explore a separate, tiny—and, by “tiny,” I mean very low, extra narrow and a little bit wet—tunnel that eventually loops back around. This narrow passageway made us feel like total badasses, and our tour guide confirmed this by naming us certified “spelunkers.” That means we are now real cave explorers.

For a moment, our guide turned off all light sources, and we were able to really soak in the moment—where we were, the experience we were having, what it took from man and nature to get to this precise moment.

Current co-owner Chris Hinsperger (just call him Caveman Chris) is one of the few people who can enjoy this feeling daily. He started working at the caves as a 12-year-old, doing odd jobs, then as a tour guide in his teens. In his 30s, he worked there again as a summer tour guide, eventually purchasing the business in his 50s. He has a special bond with the area, and it shows. Almost always on site—regularly pulling guests aside for a chat and even helping to direct visitors to parking spots—he’s also the coordinator of the Bonnechere Cycling Group in Eganville and a past president of the Ottawa Valley Tourist Association.

This type of recreational geology site is unusual around Ottawa. If you’re thinking about a short road trip that will make you feel like you’ve been transported to another world, it is perfect.

If you go

The Bonnechere Caves are located about 90 minutes northwest of Ottawa, between Douglas and Eganville. Detailed driving directions are available on the Bonnechere Caves website. The site is open to visitors from the May long weekend until after Thanksgiving, and entry fees range from $14 to $19 per person (children under 4 are admitted free). Special events at the site include underground concerts in August and underground dinners in September.

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