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View Full Version : Any intresting CAVES along the A.T



jelloitsalive
02-17-2012, 11:44
Has anyone encountered any caves along the A.T. I figure VA would Have some???

mikec
02-17-2012, 12:05
I believe that you can take the Windam Rocks Trail off of the AT in SNP, VA a mile or less to the Dickey Ridge Trail. Then take Dickey Ridge about 10 miles until you get to where Skyline Drive intersects US340. Take US340 south about 3-4 miles and you will get to Skyline Caverns. It's a nice cave, though they do charge you to tour it.

jelloitsalive
02-17-2012, 12:35
thanks ill look into it

Spokes
02-17-2012, 12:38
From way back in 2006:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?12959-Cave-locations

Also, try using Google with search term "caves near Appalachian trail"

Cheers!

jelloitsalive
02-17-2012, 12:39
W.V ha 3 caves in the top ten U.S longest caves one of them being 45 miles long... although the A.T isnt in W.V very long..... just some intresting info...

jelloitsalive
02-17-2012, 12:42
thanks, and i miss N.C I was stationed there Tail of the dragon is the ****

Chaco Taco
02-18-2012, 10:49
The Pinnacle in Pennsylvania is really sweet

springerfever
02-18-2012, 10:54
Not a cave per se but ALUM CAVE just below Mt. Leconte in the Smokies is impressive. Headed north on the AT just up from Newfound Gap, hang a left onto the Boulevard Trail to Mt. LeConte. This area is absolutely incredible. If you have not visted, I highly recommend it.

Slo-go'en
02-18-2012, 11:58
I'm suprised no one has mensioned Luray caverns, near Shenandoah N. P. It's pretty good for an east coast cave. I went through there once with another hiker I was hitching a ride home with. I just saw another, Skyline caverns, a few miles SW of Front Royal.

Kerosene
02-18-2012, 12:29
There's a small cave just underneath and trail-north of The Jump-up Lookout, a few miles north of Wesser Shelter. The only reason I mention it is that a lot of hikers didn't look up and to their left as they descended from the Lookout.

Wise Old Owl
02-18-2012, 13:09
Has anyone encountered any caves along the A.T. I figure VA would Have some???

I think you are just trying to come up with places so you don't have to pitch a tent.....:-?:cool:

veteran
02-18-2012, 16:15
There is a small cave in Shenandoah National Park, east of Thornton gap.
Take the Meadow Springs Trail east from the AT.
From the Meadow Springs Trail parking area (between milepost 33 and 34) cross the Skyline Drive and follow the yellow blazed Hazel Mountain Trail past the Buck Ridge Trail and bear left on the White Rocks Trail (also yellow blazed). Follow White Rocks Trail .8 miles to a narrow, unmarked footpath that descends steeply to the Hazel River...It's 0.2 miles to the falls and cave, most of which is straight down.
If you walk to the right at the bottom of this path you will see the falls. In the cliff to the right is a rock overhang that creates a natural shelter and at one end of the shelter you will find the cave. It is not a big cave and you will have no need of a carbide lamp as the daylight is quite adequate for you to explore it.



http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=15244&d=1329595776

Visionmonger
02-18-2012, 17:44
I'm suprised no one has mensioned Luray caverns, near Shenandoah N. P. It's pretty good for an east coast cave. I went through there once with another hiker I was hitching a ride home with. I just saw another, Skyline caverns, a few miles SW of Front Royal.
I agree, Luray is great, and if you are into coming down off the trail, check out Endless Caverns near New Market.

BigHodag
02-19-2012, 00:22
Luray is worth a visit and is also a good resupply town.

Just north of Waynesboro is a line of tourist caves along I-81. Endless Cavern used to offer camping out front. There may be regional transit from Waynesboro to the New Market area and back.

Might also contact a local NSS grotto and see if someone local can take you out. Remember, minimum safe number for wild caves is four people with three independent light sources.

peakbagger
02-19-2012, 08:09
Just off the AT at Katahdin are the Pamola Caves. They are slab caves formed when large slabs of Granite slid down the mountain and formed a series of tunnels and chambers. They can be reached from Chimney Pond campground on a spru off the Dudley trail.