Skull Cave

Skull Cave is a shallow limestone cavern on the high interior of the island, accessible via a trail through the state parkland. It is one of the island's more atmospheric stops — small enough that you can see everything in a few minutes, but the story attached to it is genuinely gripping and the setting, in the forested heights away from the busy waterfront, feels removed from the tourist circuit.

The cave is reached by a short walk from the perimeter road, clearly signed. It's easily combined with a stop at Fort Holmes, the highest point of the island, which is nearby on the same trail network. Bring water and expect some uphill walking from the main road.

things to do sight
A story
In 1763 during Pontiac's War, the British fur trader Alexander Henry survived a massacre at the fort by hiding under a pile of birchbark canoes and later escaping to this cave overnight. He spent the night sheltering among human bones — the remains of previous violence — which is how the cave got its name. He later wrote a detailed account in his memoirs, which remains one of the most vivid eyewitness descriptions of 18th-century Great Lakes conflict.

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