Rock Formations at Barton Creek

Hidden in the small Mennonite Community of Barton Creek along the Chiquibul Road in the Cayo District are the remnants of an ancient Mayan civilization silently waiting to be explored in the cool, dark underground caverns of Barton Creek Cave.   Barton Creek Cave was a center for ritualistic activities including human sacrifices, bloodletting rituals and fertility rites.  

Canoes at the cave's entrance

Today, with the help of a guide, a canoe and powerful spotlights, this ancient wonder can be explored.   Stretching one to two miles underground (depending on the season and the water levels) visitors drift along in their canoes and marvel at the glittering stalactites and stalagmites, some boasting 50 feet in length; the eerie remains of human bones (including an identifiable human skull); centuries-old clay pots, some in perfect form and tiny remnants of cultural Mayan artifacts.   While on tour, a swim in the cold underground river is truly an incredible experience.

Human skull