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‘An adventure every day’ for new Spook Cave and Campground owners

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Russ and Tabbi Bries (left) and Annette and Chad Davis took ownership of iconic Spook Cave and Campground earlier this year. (Submitted photo)

The biggest change at Spook Cave and Campground during the offseason was the renovation and reorganization of the store—the hub at the campground where people can register for cave tours and purchase souvenirs and camping supplies. (Photos by Audrey Posten)

Spook Cave turns 65 this year, but the store pre-dates even that. “Two old school houses were pushed together to make it,” said Annette Davis, “so we wanted to restore it. We gave it a rustic look and maintained as much as we could.”

By Audrey Posten, Times-Register

For many, camping is an adventure in itself. Now, imagine owning a campground.

“It’s been an adventure every day for us,” said Annette Davis, who with husband Chad and their friends Russ and Tabbi Bries, purchased iconic Spook Cave and Campground, located between McGregor and Monona, earlier this year.

“I’d always joked around about owning a campground,” Davis noted. But it wasn’t until Spook Cave’s previous owners, Paul and Paula Rasmussen, proposed the sale that she and her husband took the idea seriously. “We asked Russ and Tabbi to go 50/50, and they took the bait.”

Between a string of construction projects and a global pandemic, it’s been a whirlwind ever since.

“Until now, I think I’ve had one day off,” said Davis last week. “We’ve really been working hard.”

The biggest change was the renovation and reorganization of the store—the hub at the campground where people can register for cave tours and purchase souvenirs and camping supplies.

Spook Cave turns 65 this year, but the store pre-dates even that. 

“Two old school houses were pushed together to make it,” Davis said, “so we wanted to restore it. We gave it a rustic look and maintained as much as we could.”

Chocolate Shoppe ice cream is available now, and campers can also purchase cans of beer in addition to bottles of native wine. The souvenir inventory will grow, said Davis, as shipping constraints brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic lessen.

Upgrades were also made to some of Spook Cave’s cabins. There are currently 10 available, in varying degrees of rusticity. The former home of the Rasmussens, which Davis said can sleep at least 18 people, will hopefully be available for rental soon.

In addition to cabins, the establishment has around 47 seasonal campsites and another nearly 50 sites for public overnight use. 

Staying at Spook Cave and Campground “is more like camping,” quipped Davis. “It’s pretty wooded and secluded here. It’s not a super crowded area.”

That doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do. The establishment offers trout fishing, swimming and activities for kids, like “sleuthing,” or sifting through sand for rocks and gems. Golf carts are available for rental, and campers can drive their UTVs on the property’s trails. 

“We’re very diversified,” Davis said. “We want to appeal to families and children.”

The beauty of Beulah Falls, located near the entrance to Spook Cave and Campground, draws in many people, as do the one-of-a-kind cave tours by boat-the site’s original attraction. Although masks are presently required, Davis said the tours are operating as usual. Guides use the same script to tell the story of how Gerald Mielke discovered the cave in 1953, all while pointing out the unique formations of stalactites and stalagmites.

Although they’ll have to be a bit more subdued because of COVID-19, Spook Cave hopes to find some fun ways to celebrate its 65th anniversary, Davis said. In the meantime, she wants visitors to enjoy participating in Spook Cave’s diverse activities and connecting with the outdoors.

“I want people to have fun and want to come back,” she shared.

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