Hot and humid days in the summer can mean creative planning for staying cool and out of the sun. This past weekend, we picked our own fruits and vegetables, watched an infantry and artillery demonstration at the Manassas Battlefield, and decided for Sunday we needed to be indoors. Somewhere we could walk around, check out things of interest, and interact with each other was important, and then it hit me. The caverns in Virginia are cool and an easy drive away!
My youngest hasn't been since she was a toddler. Living in Northern Virginia almost guarantees a day trip to Luray Caverns, but as a practically native Virginia resident, I have seen it more times than one hand can count. We decided to check out the Endless Caverns in New Market. It's a scenic drive and about an hour and a half away from Haymarket.
The Endless Caverns were discovered in 1879 by two little boys chasing a rabbit. As they moved some rocks out of the way, they discovered the cave. It is located at the base of the Massanutten Mountain, and there are six miles of caverns. Much of it has not been explored and is untouched. Those are the rooms I wish I could have seen!
It felt refreshing to leave the heat and to go underground to begin the tour. It is a cool 55-degrees in the caverns, and they recommend you bring a jacket. It does get chilly during the 75-minute tour. The floor of the cave is cobbled, uneven, and slippery in some areas, so sensible shoes are also a smart idea. As usual, I wore flip flops, and stepped into a puddle of cold water on the tour!
Our tour guide pointed out the different formations we were seeing. There are stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and more. We saw rocks carved out by ancient tidal pools, and huge columns and slabs that had fallen in earthquakes hundreds of thousands of years ago. There was the fun "cave bacon" to point out to my daughter, named because the colors and markings in the rock look fit the description. In some spots, the tips of stalagmites and stalactites are broken off because tour guides in the 1920's used to sell them to people on the tours. The cavern is protected now by The Cave Protection Act so it is illegal to deface or remove anything. The cave is alive, so the occasional drop of water may hit your head. You are not allowed to touch anything as the oils from your hand inhibit rock growth, and lights are turned off as rooms are exited to prohibit the growth of moss.
The rooms we were taken through had names to describe particular features seen in them. The Curtain Room, the Blue Room, the Cathedral Room, and the Yosemite Room were a few of them. One room was used as a speakeasy during Prohibition, and dances were held with the participants ducking and avoiding the low hanging ceiling and large column in the middle of the floor.
Our tour guide had some surprises for us along the way. Some of the paths we took were narrow and low, perfect for someone with claustrophobia like me! She turned off all the lights in one room so we could experience complete darkness. Imagine discovering the cavern with only light from a candle! No thank you!
One room had a "singing rock" we could hit, another had a barrel collecting fresh spring water we could dip our hands in. Very cold! There is also a large curtain that people used to sign during tours many years ago. You can still see them, and the oldest dates back to the 1890's! The highlight of the tour is the "fun house" room, and I won't spoil the surprise, but there are no clowns. It was magnificent!
There is an RV park on the premises, too, and it looked like it could be alot of fun (and I'm not a camper!) More information about the caverns and park can be found on their website. You can see more pictures from my visit on Google+.
Stop by the Southern Kitchen on your way in or out of town and order the fried chicken. It is out of this world!
Chrissi Chapman Topoleski
Re/Max Real Estate Connections
Haymarket, VA
571-330-1750
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