You Can Explore A Three-Mile Long Horizontal Cave At This Georgia Natural Wonder

If you've lived here a while, you may think you're familiar with most of the natural wonders in Georgia. Providence Canyon, Radium Springs, Tallulah Gorge: the list could go on and on. But there's one lesser-known Peach State natural wonder that is a bit more of a hidden gem. Howard's Waterfall Cave is tucked away in Dade County. It's a horizontal cave that extends for about three miles and has ancient Cherokee writing on the walls. This place is utterly fascinating!

Caves are delicate ecosystems and can be dangerous, so this is one adventure you might not want to go on if you have no experience caving.

Note that anyone accessing Howard's Cave Waterfall needs to obtain a permit via the SCCi website prior to visiting. You should also check out the website's information regarding safe caving, so as to keep yourself safe and protect the environment.

Howard's Cave Waterfall requires a lot of crawling and you need to be in good shape to attempt it. Knee pads are highly recommended thanks to the rocky floor, and you'll need a headlight and helmet.

The path through the cave can be quite muddy, especially during the spring. All cavers need appropriate footwear with plenty of grip, and you might want to bring a change of clothes for when you exit the cave.

The outside waterfall is often just a trickle, but it does get much heavier after rains.

The area both inside and outside the cave is so captivating. It's interesting to see how time and the elements have shaped the rocks here.

This is definitely not an adventure for the faint of heart (or claustrophobic), but even just seeing this natural wonder in photos is beautiful.

Remember that a permit is required before exploring Howard's Waterfall Cave in Georgia, and cavers must travel in groups of at least three. You can get more information from the Southeastern Cave Conservancy website.