Visit Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park to see natural wonders above and below ground. In the summer, beat the heat with a visit below ground. Explore the world of Mystery Cave with its stalactites, stalagmites, and underground pools. Park naturalists provide tours of the cave throughout the summer and on weekends in the spring and fall. The temperature stays at a constant 48 degrees Fahrenheit. Above ground, stop by Historic Forestville, a restored 1800s village operated by the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS). Fish three blue-ribbon trout streams for brown trout. Take in the soft pastels of wildflowers in spring or listen to ruffed grouse drumming and wild turkeys gobbling. Hike or bring your horse to ride the ridge tops and stream valleys. Observe interesting geologic features along the way including sinkholes and dramatic Big Spring. In the fall, don't miss the bold colors of the forest. Winter invites visitors to ski or snowmobile the Bluff Country.

Wildlife
The great variety of habitats supports remarkably different wildlife ranging from rare glacial snails to timber rattlesnakes. While a few rattlers live in the park, they are of very little threat if left alone. Please report sightings. Other wildlife of note include deer, raccoon, beaver, mink, opossum, woodchucks, four species of squirrels, red and grey fox. Coyote numbers have grown in recent years and can often can be heard at dusk. Several species of reptiles and amphibians are also present. At least 175 species of birds have been recorded in the park including several important neotropical migrants (scarlet tanager, oven bird, redstart) and a sizeable population of wild turkeys. Barred owls often wake campers with after dark calling and soaring turkey vultures delight summer visitors.

History
The park is named after the former town of Forestville. Founded in 1853, the town prospered until the railroad bypassed it in 1868, after which the town declined steadily. In 1890, one man - Thomas Meighen - owned the entire town and employed all its residents. Forestville State Park was established in 1949, but did not acquire any land until its re-establishment in 1963. In 1987 Mystery Cave, the state's longest cave, was added to the park and it was renamed Forestville-Mystery Cave State Park.

Geology
Two to five hundred million years ago material was deposited in the bottom of shallow seas which intermittently covered large portions of North America. As the deposits increased in thickness, the layers on the bottom were compressed to form limestone, shale and sandstone. Today in the park, these rocks are 1300 feet above the sea. They are an important factor in the development of the terrain which exists now.

Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park is located within the karst region of Minnesota. Karst occurs in areas of soluble rocks, usually limestone or dolomite. As rainwater percolates through the soil, it is rendered slightly acidic as it picks up carbon dioxide from microbial decay of organic soil material. This fortified water has the capacity to dissolve the rock. The effects of this dissolving action are minute from the perspective of a human’s lifetime. However, over the course of many thousands of years, dramatic changes occur; the typical features of karst develop – caves and sinkholes form; underground drainage occurs. The park exhibits many karst features including one of the most outstanding karst features in the state, Mystery Cave. The cave is a maze of linear corridors. Over twelve miles of passage exist in two rock layers with strikingly different compositions. During dry years, the entire South Branch Root River sinks into the cave through gravel filled crevices in the river bottom.

Forestville also exhibits features of the unglaciated or “driftless” region. Of the four major glacial advances during the last million years, only the first two covered the vicinity of Forestville. Downcutting of stream valleys by powerful glacial meltwater created the steep hills and bluffs we see in the park and surrounding area today.

Landscape
The steep bluffland topography has created a marked variety of localized climate conditions. South-facing slopes are warmer and drier. North-facing slopes are cooler and wetter. In addition, Forestville/Mystery Cave is located at the edge of two great biomes: the tallgrass prairie to the west, and the eastern deciduous forest. This combination has resulted in a striking mosaic of plant communities included prairie, savanna, oak woodland, maple/basswood forest, and even white pine and fir. Three spring-fed streams converge in the park, providing habitat for a rich variety of stream life. These streams are rated among the best trout waters in Minnesota.