Mammoth Cave.
OTHER AMAZING CAVERNS By Dave G. Houser
Meramec Caverns, Missouri Meramec is the largest and most visited of Missouri’s more than 6,000 caves. Located along historic Route 66 about 60 miles west of St. Louis, Meramec features an array of amazing and colorful limestone formations— and some equally colorful history—serving in the 1870s as a hideout for the infamous outlaw Jesse James. One not-to-be-missed feature—the Wine Table—is a six-foot-high onyx formation that resembles a three- legged table adorned with grape-like clusters known as botryoids. It was formed millions of years ago, entirely under water. Guided 90-minute walking tours go every half-hour. www.americascave.com, 800-676-6105 Wind Cave, South Dakota So named for the whistling wind ever present at its natural entrance, Wind Cave, located near Hot Springs, was the world’s first cave to be designated a national park back in 1903. One of the longest (163 miles) and most complex caves on the planet, it is home to 95 percent of the world’s known accumulation of a delicate honeycomb-like cave formation known as boxwork—formed from calcium deposits as a byproduct of limestone water erosion. Visitors can explore the fascinating cave through a variety of ranger-led tours. www.nps.gov/wica, 605-745-4600
With more than 50,000 caves within the United States, there are plenty more of these underground worlds to explore beyond Virginia. Tennessee is said to have the most caves of any state with 9,200. Missouri, which bills itself as the “Cave State,” has about 6,400 caves. Next is Alabama with 4,800. Here are five of the largest and most visited caverns across the country. Mammoth Cave, Kentucky A national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mammoth is the longest cave system in the world, with more than 400 miles of passageways. Located in the Green River Valley of south-central Kentucky, it is a subterranean wonderland of vast chambers, glistening pools, travertine dams and complex limestone labyrinths that are at the same time beautiful and eerie. A variety of self-guided and ranger-led tours ranging from 90 minutes to six hours are available year-round. www.nps.gov/maca, 270-758-2180
VIRGINIA IS FOR (CAVE) LOVERS
COAST TO COAST SPRING MAGAZINE 2020
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