Lost River - Karst Information Portal

way, flowstone and some gypsum flakes can
be observed. The easiest way into this canyon
complex is to climb down into the canyon at
the last place that you can, which is immediately
after going through a flowstone crawl in
Paradise Crawl. There is no need to go farther
into Paradise Crawl unless you just like to crawl
for the fun of it.
Regular caving equipment, plus knee pads
and a hand-line are needed to explore the cave.
Care should be taken to follow the tracks that
the original explorers made, since it is a dry cave
and foot prints will never go away.
Reference: CG Hog-Fest Guidebook: 1990,
1991, D.Black
OVR Karst Encounters Guidebook, 1991,
D.Black
CIG Cave Capers Guidebook: 1984, 1990
CIG Newsletter, 8/67
BIG Harrison Crawford State Forest Guide,
1963
Loudens Pit is located in the Harrison
Crawford State Forest near the top of a
forested limestone bluff that overlooks the
Blue River and State Road 62. It is best to
park west of the cave, at a pull off (former
house site), along the highway. From this pull
off walk north and uphill following a foot
trail through a clearing with small pine trees.
In 1,750 feet the trail intersects a larger trail.
Turn right and walk up the hill. In about 500
feet the entrance to Blue River Bluff III Hole
will be seen 10 feet north of the trail. The 10foot-deep
climbable pit entrance is a 4-foot
by 6-foot hole that leads to a smaller adjacent
dome. Continuing up the hill in another 500
feet a small rock cairn will be seen on the right
side of the trail. By following this set of cairns
Loudens Pit
Harrison County Caves
Jeff Forbes in Limekiln Hollow Cave.
Photo by Dave Black.
By Ted Wilson
Blue River Bluff III Cave can be reached. This
58-foot-long cave is located about 10 feet
below the top of the limestone bluffs. The
entrance is 14 feet high by 7 feet wide and
slopes down to a 7-foot climb-down. A hole at
the base of the climb-down leads to a 15-foot
climb-down into a lower room. Continuing
up the trail, for another 300 feet, a large rock
cairn can be seen on the right. At this point
the trail has gained 180 feet in elevation since
leaving the highway nearly 3,000 feet earlier
and is only about 600 feet southwest and 100
lower lower that the ridge top. The entrance
to Louden Pit is located about 20 feet below
the top of the limestone bluff and a faint trail
leads to it.
The entrance is a 2-foot by 3-foot slot that
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