7 Caverns In Virginia That Are Like Entering Another World
Walking above ground, we don’t often stop to think about what might be beneath us. But the fact is, here in Virginia at least, there are vast caves, rooms, tunnels, and even lakes below the ground. Fortunately many of these incredible spaces have been opened to the public, complete with lighting, walkways, stairs — and in one case, even an elevator. Walking through these sometimes narrow, sometimes massive spaces, it’s easy to feel as if you are in a new world — or at least on the set of “Lord of the Rings.”
"Pluto's Ghost" (named after the Roman god of the underworld, naturally) is a white column that was mistaken for an actual ghost by early explorers of the caverns. Remember, the lighting wasn't as good in 1878.
The Endless Caverns were discovered by 2 boys hunting rabbits in 1879. They would have thought they were on an alien planet if only Star Trek had been around back then.
6. Dixie Caverns at Dixie Caverns and Pottery, Salem
The Grand Caverns were discovered in 1804 by a young trapper named Bernard Weyer. He named the caverns after himself and 2 years later, opened them to visitors, making "Weyer's Cave" the first commercially shown caverns in the U.S.
Grand Caverns have been rated #2 in the nation for their amazing geographical features.
To me, caverns are like underground castles. How many of these breathtaking places have you explored? We would love to hear about your experiences in the comments below!
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Virginia staff writer for Only in Your State, freelance writer and journalist. Even though Anna has lived other places, somehow Virginia is where she always seems to land.
