Endless Caverns facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Endless Caverns |
|
---|---|
![]() Rimstone at Endless Caverns
|
|
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
Type | Natural Area |
Location | New Market, Virginia |
Created | 1977 |
Endless Caverns is an amazing natural cave that you can visit! It's a "show cave," which means it's set up for people to explore safely. You'll find it about 3 miles south of New Market, Virginia, in the United States. This special cave was formed in limestone rock, slowly carved out by water over thousands of years.
Contents
Discovering Endless Caverns
How the Cave Was Found
The story goes that Endless Caverns was discovered in October 1879. Two boys were out hunting rabbits on land owned by Ruben Zirkle. They chased a rabbit behind some limestone rocks. To get the rabbit out, they started moving loose stones.
As they moved the rocks, they found a hidden hole in the ground! The boys quickly ran back home to get ropes and candles. When they went into the hole, they were amazed to find many large rooms and chambers.
Early Tours and Modern Upgrades
Soon after the discovery, the Zirkle family started giving tours of the cave. Visitors explored the dark passages by candlelight.
In 1919, a man named Colonel Brown bought the cave. He wanted to make it easier and safer for people to visit. He had the entire cave wired for electricity! The grand opening with electric lights happened in August 1920. More electrical work was done in 1928 by experts Samuel Hibben and W.A. Oglesby.
Today, Endless Caverns is still a popular place to visit. There's even a campground nearby where people can stay in their RVs.
Wildlife in the Cave
Bats Living in Endless Caverns
Endless Caverns is home to many bats. You might even see colonies of them during your tour! Most of the bats living here are little brown bats. Caves provide a safe, cool place for bats to live and sleep.
Exploring the Cave's Size
How Big is Endless Caverns?
The mapped parts of Endless Caverns stretch for about 5.5 miles. This makes it one of the longest caves in Virginia! It's the 20th longest cave in the state and the 176th longest in the entire United States.
The deepest point measured inside the cave is about 160 feet below the ground. Imagine how much rock is above you when you're down there!