Ultimate Guide to Millie Hill Bat Cave, Michigan (Tours, Pricing, History, Map)
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The Iron Mountain in the Upper Peninsula is home to Millie Hill Bat Cave. As the name suggests, this cave is full of bats. It is not an actual ‘cave’ but an abandoned mine shaft that has become the hibernating and breeding ground for many species of bats. People usually come here in April or September to watch the bats in flight, which looks beautiful at dusk.
Spelunkers will not get excited as there is nothing to explore, and the term ‘cave’ is a misnomer here.
History of Millie Hill Bat Cave
There are many known and unknown buildings and caves in Michigan that house bats, but this one houses the largest hibernating bats in the US. Located near the Iron Mountain, the bat cave is the largest bat-breeding colony in North America. It is an abandoned iron mine shaft where the bats come for hibernation and breeding.
The mine shaft is surrounded by a steel gate and a fence, ensuring that nobody can come to the premises. There are many benches around the fence where the visitors can feely sit and wait for the bats to come flying out.
Geological Cave Formations
It is an abandoned iron mine that has turned into a haven for hibernating bats. There are no geological formations in the cave.
Wildlife
Millie Hill Bat Caves are all about bats and more bats! It has hundreds of thousands of little and big brown bats. Many people believe that they will have a chance of seeing a fruit bat here, but although you won’t see them on Millie Hill, you do have a good chance of viewing some of its smaller relatives. On one or two occasions, visitors have seen a black bear roaming around near the cave.
Is Millie Hill Bat Cave Haunted?
It is not at all haunted. It is an abandoned vertical iron mine that houses the largest breeding bat colonies in the US. It is estimated that there more than 1 million bats inside the cave.
How Big is Millie Hill Bat Cave?
The vertical mine shaft is 300 ft deep, and now a steel cage guards it to protect the bat population inside. The project to protect the bat population had strong support from the community. The local businesses and population donated time and materials for this wonderful project.
Millie Hill Bat Cave Tours
The best time to come to visit is on a summer evening, as you can perch casually on one of the viewing benches and wait patiently for them to come out in groups. There is nothing much to explore here except sit on the benches and view the cluster of bats. There is a self-guided interpretive program at the site that teaches the visitors about the many benefits of bats. It is an official Michigan Wildlife Viewing Area.
Tour Prices and Discounts
There are no tours available for Millie Hill Bat Cave, and there are no entrance fees either.
Is Millie Hill Bat Cave Cold?
The temperature inside the bat cave is assumed to be lesser than the surrounding temperatures, as it happens with all caves.
What to Wear?
You can choose to wear anything you are comfortable with, as visiting this cave does not involve climbing or crawling.
Millie Hill Bat Cave Hours
It is open throughout the day, but you can only view the bats during dusk.
What to Do (Beside Tours)
You can check out a few things in the cave’s vicinity, like visiting Cornish Pumping Engine and Mining Museum, the Pine Mountain Ski Jump, and the Fumee Falls. All these attractions are a bit far from Millie Hill Bat Cave, but they are worth visiting.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to see bats here are in April and May and in September/ October around dusk.
How to Get to Millie Hill Bat Cave
When you go a block off the highway on 3rd street, you will come across a small park with a statue of miner. There is also a replica mina shaft headframe and a small trail that leads to an overlook of the Chapin Pit. The pit is full of water, but it was an active mine a long time back. The Millie Hill Trail begins from this park.
You need to drive farther east on 3rd street and then head south on Park Avenue. From here, follow the sign which would lead you to Millie Mine Bat Viewing Site. You can park the car at the small parking lot and walk up to the bat viewing site.
Hotels Nearby
There are a few decent hotels nearby, such as Econo Lodge Inn & Suites and Country Hearth Inn Iron Mountain.
Visiting Millie Hill Bat Cave
Do you need more information before visiting? Call (800) 236-2447 for an information packet.
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