Lost River - Karst Information Portal

Roberts Cave was opened in 2001 by the
owner, Willie Roberts, who subsequently
explored much of the cave. Several years later,
organized cavers were alerted to the discovery
when a neighbor named Frank Hodges
negotiated access to the cave. Members of the
St. Joseph Valley Grotto and Bloomington
Indiana Grotto participated in the initial
exploration. They found a nice, roughly milelong
cave with long sections of walking canyon
passage. Signs of previous visitation were not
found, and it is believed the cave was virgin
at the time Willie opened it. The survey was
completed and a map drawn within a relatively
short time. Other, shorter caves were discovered
in the vicinity as well.
The main entrance is in a shallow sinkhole
and opens directly into a walking passage. This
can be followed to the right about 1,000 feet
through mostly walking passage to an area with
dense soda straws and other speleothems. The
floor in this branch of the cave is mostly flat
and dry clay, with a few pools of water. The end
of this passage is near a large sinkhole on the
surface.
Back at the entrance, if one heads left instead,
Roberts Cave
Lawrence County Caves
By Dave Everton
several joint-controlled junctions lead to the
main stream route. All the water in the cave
travels into a small slot which can be followed
for a few hundred feet. This downstream
section is a narrow, clean-washed crawlway for
much of its length. Towards the end is a short
waterfall that drops 6 feet. This downstream
passage eventually terminates by becoming to
narrow. Afterward, the water most likely travels
into another nearby cave before emerging in a
short spring cave to the west.
Upstream from the main stream junction,
the longest trunk of the cave goes east for about
3,000 feet. Much of this passage is walking
canyon. A shallow stream in the bottom of it
contains pools of water, but is never very deep.
This passage begins approximately 15 feet tall
and gradually becomes wider and lower.
About halfway through this passage a room
is reached which contains some flowstone and
soda straws. One can climb into an upper level
in this area but it only goes a short distance. An
infeeder from a sinkhole on the surface brings
debris into the cave here.
About halfway down this passage, a room
is reached which contains some flowstone and
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