Skyline Caverns, Virginia

Skyline Caverns is one of the handful of caves to explore in the Shenandoah Valley. It is located near the north entrance of Skyline Drive, a road through the Shenandoah National Park that has many overlooks and hiking trails along its 105 miles. The entrance to the caverns is rather unassuming, nestled in the hillside and looking more like a lodge than a tourist attraction.

Skyline Caverns entrance

The ticket booth inside

We visited on Thanksgiving Day and almost had a tour to ourselves. The real entrance to the cavern is in the back of the building, down a short staircase.

The actual cavern

Geologist Walter Amos discovered the caves in 1937. He was looking for caverns inside the national park and came across a sinkhole that had no water in it. Usually, sinkholes are collapsed cave ceilings. Since water was not accumulating inside the hole, he thought a cave system must be draining away any rain water or run off. Nearby he found a ledge that had several cave crickets underneath. He took that as a sign of a more extensive cave and began exploring. He got a crew and they dug out the first room. In it, they put a fireplace as a bit of comfort since the caves are always in the mid-50s Fahrenheit. 

Not a natural formation

Our guide explained the difference between stalagmites and stalactites. Stalactites cling "tight" to the ceiling, so they are the top rock hanging down. They form as water seeps through the limestone, picking up some minerals and depositing them, creating an attachment on the ceiling. If the water drops to the floor of the cave, it forms a stalagmite which push up from the floor with all their "might." If the two formations meet in the middle, they become a column.

Stalactite and stalagmite, looking for a connection

The caverns have many formations with similarities to other places. This formation is like the United States Capitol.

US Capitol?

It looks a lot less like the Capitol from the back.

Hmm...

The crew from the 1930s was able to dig out a lot of rooms. The caverns had mud and silt. Many rooms had a lot more space or exposure once they were cleared out.

A cave ceiling

They discovered a stream underground. One part of it is called The Wishing Well and people throw money down (well, people other than us). The river was stocked with some trout to see if they could survive, which they did.

Not worth climbing down to get the money

Underground stream

Barely photographable trout

The guide used some breadcrumbs to draw out the fish but they did not stay very long. The cave system has extensive lights, some colored to make the area more attractive. Rainbow Falls is another part of the stream, though the falls were dry when we visited. The area needs more rain.

Rainbow lights

Another interesting formation

More stalactites

Peaceful water underground

Rainbow falls

The Cathedral Hall has a very high roof and lots of color.

The guide took our picture

More formations

Walter Amos found a fallen stalactite that he wanted to move out of the cavern. The object proved to be too heavy to transport more than a couple of dozen feet.

A stalactite that became a stalagmite the hard way

This particular rock was called a "good luck" rock and a lot of people touched it through the decades. The rock has become very smooth from the hand oils transferred to it by all the well wishers.

It almost looks wet

More of the caves

Yet more

Explorers discovered a c-shaped formation that is hollow inside. If you slap it, the stone makes a musical note. The kids were fascinated by this and tried it out, the only other formation people are allowed to touch.

Making music

More formations

Where the stalactite fell from!

The Bald Eagle is a formation that looks like a majestic bird with its wings outspread.

Hard to get a good angle on it

A small stalagmite looks like a person standing with their back to viewers in the right lighting.

Permanent cave resident

The Painted Desert is another area whose beauty is enhanced by the use of creative lighting.

Painted desert

Rainbow falls again

This mirror lake provides an interesting way to look at the roof without looking up!

Mirror lake

More water

As they were digging out a deeper part of the cavern, Amos's shovel got stuck in a wall of mud. Several workers helped to pull it out. When it dislodged, there was a popping sound like a gun going off and Amos's helmet was pulled off his head by the air rushing in to the vacuum behind the wall.

When they went in the sealed off area, they discovered Anthodites. These crystals are only found in four other caverns on the planet and form from pure calcite. Sometimes the anthodites look like dust or snow (though they cling to the ceiling!), sometimes they are spiky formations, sometimes more like typical stalactites.

Snow-style anthodites

Spiky crystals

A blend

More spikes

More anthodites

The Chandelier is an 18-inch anthodite, the longest such formation on the planet.

The Chandelier

Our last look

The anthodite section is closed off to preserve the formations. After the vacuum seal was broken, the formations no longer grow. Doors keep some control over the atmosphere.

This next formation is supposed to be like Mount Rushmore but I don't quite have the imagination to see it.

Needs some work by Borglum

We finally returned to the surface, finishing the last eighth of our one-and-an-eighth mile underground hike going upstairs. We had a few chances to rest on the way up.

No action shot of us on the stairs, sorry!

A display shows various photos and tells some stories about the caves. Another unusual item for the cave is the Pseudanophthalmus petrunkevitchi valentine beetle. Our guide knew the pronunciation but not the spelling of this critter's name. In the photo below, the dot between the lower legs is the actual size of the beetle.

Artifacts and information

Native beetle

The caves are fascinating to visit and well worth the time.