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A quiet sense of beauty, nature’s majesty, a rare ecological treasure, and an overall spiritual atmosphere all describe Cave Lake. A premier site in its wealth of natural resources, Cave Lake is estimated to have more than 150 species of birds, 160 species of trees and shrubs, and 360 species of blooming plants. A rare cave, spectacular lake, wetlands, hardwood and softwood forest, rare plants, and more all are within Cave Lake’s 700 acres.
An ecologically significant cave looks out onto the beautiful 42-acre lake, hence its name, Cave Lake. The mouth of the cave is fairly large, approximately 25 feet in height and approximately 55 feet wide. It narrows down as you enter and extends over 300 feet or more to a very small opening on the ground surface.
Cave Lake's diverse habitat supports an abundance of wildlife and plant life. This diverse habitat, rich in natural beauty, offers a tremendous number of opportunities for education and awareness of our precious environment. Cave Lake will use this natural setting to expand the Ohio-West Virginia State YMCA’s already successful youth programming to include many programs concerned with land stewardship and nature.
The animal life of Cave Lake is also diverse. Reptiles and amphibians are present, but often not observed by the visitor. They consist of turtles, snakes, frogs and toads, and salamanders. Songbirds abound throughout the season, particularly in the spring during the migration of warblers and other migratory species. Predatory birds such as the red-tailed hawk and the sharp-shinned hawk can also be spotted.
At the western edge of the lake, where Sunfish Creek enters, is a wetland area offering a home to a wide range of birds, mammals, fish, frogs, snakes, salamanders, turtles and other animals. Mallards and wood ducks nest and feed here on a regular basis. A wide variety of marsh-dwelling mammals can be found including muskrat, beaver and raccoons.
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