Location: Sonnenbühl, Swabian Alps Map
Overall length: 292 meters
Temperature: 8- 10 C
Bear Cave, known in German as Bärenhöhle, is a prominent show cave located in Sonnenbühl-Erpfingen, in the Swabian Alb region of Baden-Württemberg, southern Germany. Situated about 10 miles south of Reutlingen, it is part of the UNESCO Global Geopark Swabian Alb and is renowned for its rich paleontological history, particularly as a habitat for prehistoric cave bears during the Ice Age. The cave spans approximately 271 meters in accessible length and serves as a major tourist attraction, drawing visitors interested in natural history, geology, and spelunking. It was originally two separate caves but has been developed into a single explorable system, often referred to collectively with the nearby Karlshöhle. The name "Bärenhöhle" translates to "Bear's Cave" and stems from the abundance of cave bear remains discovered within, making it a key site for understanding Ice Age fauna.
The cave's discovery dates back to May 30, 1834, when a local
schoolteacher named Fauth was gathering herbs and digging for Valerian
root near the entrance. He accidentally dropped his tobacco box into a
narrow crevice (now known as "Fauthsloch"), and upon investigating,
spotted a human skeleton below. This prompted Fauth and his companions
to descend using ropes the following day, exploring the initial chambers
by candlelight. Word spread rapidly, leading to uncontrolled visits that
damaged formations and removed bones. The cave was initially called
"Erpfinger Höhle" and later "Karlshöhle" before being renamed Bärenhöhle
in 1949 following the discovery of extensive bear remains.
In 1949,
former cave guide Karl Benz, then a factory worker, blasted through a
stalagmite flow to uncover a new series of chambers, including a vast
hall 30 feet high, 100 feet wide, and 180 feet long. This expansion
revealed even more bear fossils, solidifying the cave's name and
paleontological importance. The site was quickly developed as a show
cave, with pathways, steps, and fluorescent lighting installed to
facilitate tours. A second exit was added, which improved air
circulation but altered the cave's natural climate, reducing humidity
and affecting bat populations. Excavations in the 19th and 20th
centuries improved access, including digging a western entrance passage
through clay and boulders, believed to be an ancient entry blocked by
glacial debris after the last Ice Age.
The cave has also seen human
use dating back millennia. Evidence includes flints from the Reindeer
Hunters period (likely Paleolithic or Mesolithic eras), wood-charcoal
from ancient fireplaces, and human skeletons from as early as the
Hallstatt period of the Iron Age (around 800–450 BCE). A mound of debris
under Fauthsloch contained about 50 skeletons from a plague period
around 700 AD, mixed with animal bones.
Formed in Jurassic limestone over 5 million years ago as a water
cave, Bärenhöhle dried out over time, allowing for the development of
stunning speleothems (cave formations). The cave features a variety of
stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone sheets, calcite draperies, and
cascades. Notable highlights include large stalagmite pillars and bosses
up to 3 feet in diameter and 10 feet high, as well as "The Peak," a
prominent stalagmite with a slender stalactite above it in the Fifth
Chamber. The new series from 1949 includes magnificent white stalagmite
pillars with flowing draperies that sparkle under lighting, and
"Ribs"—hanging draperies from a 60-foot-high aven (vertical shaft) in
the roof, nearly reaching the surface.
The structure consists of
multiple chambers connected by passages, with large boulders (some over
12 feet long and weighing tons) scattered throughout, particularly in
the Third Chamber. Clay and boulder-filled areas suggest past glacial
influences, and the cave's climate has shifted due to modern
developments, promoting moss and lichen growth under artificial
lights—though these are sometimes viewed as pests on the formations.
Bärenhöhle is often called the "Home of the Cave Bear" due to its
exceptional collection of prehistoric animal remains. During the Ice
Age, the Swabian Alb's caves, including this one, provided winter
shelter for cave bears (Ursus spelaeus), an extinct species that roamed
Europe until about 24,000 years ago. The cave's stable climate preserved
bones of bears that perished during hibernation, resulting in vast
accumulations over millennia. Visitors can see a fully restored cave
bear skeleton in the rear chambers, along with embedded bones of extinct
animals like cave lions, encased in up to half an inch of stalactite.
Other findings include bones from horses, cows, pigs, sheep, dogs,
polecats, hares, deer, and bats—indicating the cave's role as a habitat
for various species. Cave bears left unique traces, such as "bear
grindings" on walls where they rubbed their fur, polishing the stone.
The Sixth Chamber, dubbed the "Old Cavebear Cavern," is particularly
rich in these fossils. Bat remains from ancient colonies are also
abundant, though modern populations have declined due to human activity
and air circulation changes.
These discoveries provide valuable
insights into Ice Age ecosystems and early human interactions with the
environment, with some bones dating back to the Hallstatt period and
evidence of use by prehistoric hunters.
As a developed show cave, Bärenhöhle is accessible via guided or
self-guided tours, with pathways winding through boulders, steps
(including those blasted into stalagmites), and a balcony overlooking
the Great Hall. Fluorescent lighting creates a dramatic, daylight-like
effect, highlighting the formations' sparkle. The tour route enters
through the new series and proceeds through the chambers, exiting via a
secondary opening.
Opening hours vary seasonally: typically open from
March to November, with extended hours in summer (e.g., daily from 9:00
AM to 5:00 PM), and closed or limited in winter (December to February).
Admission fees are around €5–€10 for adults, with discounts for children
and families; exact prices should be checked on official sites like the
Geopark or tourism pages. The cave is family-friendly, with intact bear
skeletons captivating younger visitors, though it involves some stairs
and uneven paths.
Nearby attractions include the adjacent Karlshöhle
(often visited in combination), the Dreamland amusement park on the
cave's plateau, and hiking trails in the Swabian Alb. The site is
well-preserved, emphasizing its educational value in geology and
paleontology.