The Little Known Cave In West Virginia That Everyone Should Explore At Least Once

You may have heard of the Sinks of Gandy in West Virginia, but even the name is misleading. The Sinks refer to a cave system through which the waters of Gandy Creek pass, and if you have not passed through it as well, you should definitely plan on it because it is one of our favorite caves in West Virginia.

Near Spruce knob in Monongahela National Forest, Gandy Creek disappears into a cave, eventually reemerging from the other side. These are the Sinks of Gandy.

Let's take a look at a few Sinks of Gandy photos shared in a video from several spelunkers who explored the cave.

The cave itself is a 1.5-mile (8,114 feet) Limestone structure passing beneath a large meadow. First discovered in the early 1830s, the cave was the sight of a shootout during the Civil War in which a small group of Confederates who robbed a store were shot and killed by a group of Union men.

The long cave offers visitors a chance to view unusual rock formations.

Many of these formations, like this one, seem almost too perfect to be natural.

Be sure that you bring a flashlight and a change of shoes because even if you do find the dry entrance you are likely to get a little wet along the way, or at the very least a little muddy.

The path is linear, so if you keep moving forward, you will eventually encounter the exit with no problem.

There are no official Sinks of Gandy tours and the cave itself will take some searching, as the area is not marked. Please note that the entrances to the caves are on private property so permission is needed before setting out to explore the cave.

Have you visited the Sinks of Gandy in West Virginia? Feel free to comment and tell us about your visit. Check out our hiking gear packing list to find the gear you'll need before you set out on your cave explorations.

There is so much more to learn about nature in West Virginia, check out this unexpected waterfall hiding underground in this cave.

Another natural wonder in West Virginia is the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains. But why are they blue? Learn all about these mysterious blue mountains in this quick video: