Cathedral Hall, Skyline Caverns.
Rainbow Room Grand Caverns, photo by Frank Ceravalo.
of calcite formed where water flows down the walls of a cave. Farther along, The Shrine rises into view. This giant stalagmite (a formation that grows from the ground up) started forming 45 million years ago—one drip at a time. At the Wishing Well and Waterfall, a rushing stream tumbles 37 feet, eventually flowing into Fairyland Lake. Skyline also affords a rare glimpse of another unusual flower-like formation—anthodites—delicate needle- like crystals situated in clusters that are sometimes referred to as “orchids of the mineral kingdom.” Ancillary attractions here include the Skyline Arrow—a miniature train sure to appeal to the kids—as well as a maze created by Guinness World Record holder Adrian Fisher who has designed more than 500 mazes. www.skylinecaverns.com – 800-296-4545 Grand Caverns – Grottoes, Virginia They say that “history runs deep” at Grand Caverns. Indeed, history is a major talking point for the nation’s oldest show cave. Weyers Cave, as it was originally named (for its founder Bernard Weyer), opened for tours in 1806, making it the oldest continuously operating show cave in the U.S. The cave has gone through several owners and name
changes since Weyer discovered it in 1804, but since 2009 it has been owned and operated by the Town of Grottoes. The caverns are open year-round with guided tours operating seven days a week. Grand Caverns’ most colorful history surrounds its role in the Civil War. During that war, and the “Valley Campaign” in particular, when Confederate Maj. Gen. Stonewall Jackson was driving his forces north against Gen. John Freemont’s Union troops in 1862, the cave was visited repeatedly by both Union and Confederate soldiers. These visits are documented by the verified signatures on cave walls of more than 200 Civil War soldiers. Intense battles around the cave cost the lives of more than 3,000 men in just a single two-day period in 1862. Geologically speaking, Grand is best known for its hundreds of disk-like “shields.” Shield formations can best be described as flat discs of rock hanging from a cave wall or ceiling. They are believed to have formed as water was forced out of cracks in the cave wall, causing the growth of plates of crystalized calcite. The National Park Service designated Grand Caverns a National Natural Landmark in 1973 in recognition of these unique shield formations and other features such as flowstones, stalactites, and stalagmites. www.grandcaverns.com – 800-430-2283
VIRGINIA IS FOR (CAVE) LOVERS
COAST TO COAST SPRING MAGAZINE 2020
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