Cumberland Bone Cave, Paleontological cave in Cumberland, Maryland, United States
Cumberland Bone Cave is a limestone cave system in Maryland with chambers extending roughly 100 feet (30 meters) into the western slope of Wills Mountain. The passages wind through rock layers, connecting multiple connected rooms within the mountain.
Railroad workers discovered animal bones in the cave while laying track for the Western Maryland Railway in 1912. This discovery led to a multi-year excavation by Smithsonian Institution paleontologists who uncovered the remains of many species.
The bones discovered here come from a time when large predators and plant-eating animals roamed this region. Today, these remains tell the story of a vanished world that shaped the area thousands of years ago.
The cave entrance is not open to visitors, but you can view its opening from the Great Allegheny Passage outside. Daytime offers the best lighting for observing the entrance from the trail.
Excavations revealed the cave held remains of roughly 40 different mammal species, several of which are now extinct. This rich variety makes the site a rare window into ice age wildlife.
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