Ontario's Bonnechere Caves Are Reopening & You Can Unleash Your Inner Goonie

Grab some friends who are always down for an epic adventure if you're looking to explore ancient caves in Ontario. There may not be any hidden treasure, but there are beautiful rock formations and fossils where you can actually touch a piece of history.

The Bonnechere Caves in Eganville reopen on May 20, just in time for the long weekend. The season will start with self-guided tours again, with guided tours coming back in June. Theatre events and live concerts are also scheduled for various dates in the summer.

You will venture down into a historic cave system, thought to be about 500 million years old, even older than dinosaurs. You can touch the limestone layers and admire fossils of ancient species.

Both self-guided and guided tours last from about 45 minutes to one hour and run every 20-30 minutes throughout the day. This will be their first full season back in three years as they were closed for two full years due to pandemic lockdowns and opened in July last summer. They'll open again with self-guided tours as new tour guides are trained and guided tours will be reintroduced in June.

From the caves picnic area, you'll catch a view of Fourth Chute Falls. You can sit on a rock and enjoy the beautiful waterfalls or keep exploring on nearby walking trails. The day trip doesn't need to end; if you follow the Bonnechere River to the town of Eganville, there are walking trails and cute shops and restaurants, such as Fifth Chute Coffee.

They plan on hosting live music events and theatre performances in their outdoor picnic space this summer. Stone Fence Theatre will be performing twice a week starting mid-July. While many details are yet to be confirmed, you can look forward to a number of fun events at the caves.

Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.