Nature and fear have a peculiar relationship. During the day, the woods tend to be serene and explorers can lose themselves in thought while traversing well-traveled trails. At night, the woods become a place of mystery and dread. If you find yourself caught in the woods after dark, you hold your breath and progress cautiously. One never knows what awaits in the shadows.

Caves are one of the most uncanny parts of nature because they bring darkness even in the daylight. In Illinois, perhaps no subterranean passage is more petrifying than Cave-In-Rock. Located in the southern Illinois city of the same name, Cave-In-Rock was a notorious hideout along the Ohio River for pirates and bandits in the 1700s and the early 1800s. If you know this history when you visit, the whole experience takes a turn for the terrifying. You can feel the violence of centuries past in the cool air of the cave air. Exploring these depths while contemplating their history of death is guaranteed to give you the creeps.

Cave-In-Rock (also commonly spelled Cave in Rock) is located at 1 New State Park Rd, Cave-In-Rock, IL 62919.

Located in stunning Cave-in-Rock State Park this hike is stunning before it's scary. This beauty is replaced by unease when one recalls the history of terror that has defined it.
Neil Driscoll / Cave-In-Rock State Park Unofficial Facebook Page
As you near the cave, the lapping water brings to mind the history of pirates, bandits, and "slave catchers" who controlled these bluffs and beaches and soaked both in blood.
nokinoki / Trip Advisor
According to legend, when it is quiet, you can hear anguished cries echoing from the mouth of the cave. The identities of the wailing specters are unknown. Some think the cave is haunted by the restless victims of the pirates, bandits, and thieves who once called this haunt home.
Katy Withrow / Cave-in-State-Park Facebook Group

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Others claim that the cave is haunted by the ghosts of those who terrorized it in life. One tale says that James Ford, the ferryman at Ford's Ferry, was in league with the bandits who occupied Cave-In Rock and allowed them to prey on the ferry's passengers. A group of vigilantes killed Ford by shooting him more than one hundred times.
Katy Withrow / Cave-in-State-Park Facebook Group
When Ford was buried, thunder shook the graveyard, and his coffin was buried under the earth nose-first. Ford stands on his head forevermore, his ghost, perhaps, bound to Cave-In-Rock and the suffering he afflicted there.
AshlanderandyW / Trip Advisor
Some visitors argue that the graffiti at Caved-In-Rock detracts from its appeal. While we would never condone vandalizing natural beauty, the tags on the cave walls do a great deal to enhance the cave's creep-factor. Perhaps the signatures of teenage rebels and reckless lovers adorning the caves are from guests who escaped unharmed. Or, perhaps they're the signatures of its victims.
nokinoki / Trip Advisor
When (and if) you find your way Caved-In-Rock, the park is bound to look more beautiful than ever. After all, you lived to see the sun again.
Katy Withrow / Cave-in-State-Park Facebook Group

While Cave-In-Rock has a terrible and terrifying history, today it serves as the town’s central tourist attraction and the most famous feature of Cave-In-Rock State Park. This spooky spelunking adventure supports a historical community, which makes treading these trail worth the terror. And if you’re looking for more that’s a little less haunted, the local diner and the free Cave-In-Rock ferry both get rave reviews.

What caves and caverns creep you out in Illinois? What was your scariest time spent spelunking with spirits or your most death-defying descent? We love hearing your stories and seeing your photos. Get in touch!

 

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Cave-In-Rock State Park, 1 New State Park Rd, Cave-In-Rock, IL 62919, USA