Lee and Karen Duquette
toured Endless Caverns
1800 Endless Caverns Road
New Market, Virginia 22844
(Shenandoah Valley)
July 16, 2023
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Note: Endless Caverns is home to colonies
of bats,
primarily little brown bats, that may be visible on the tour route.
Phone: `'540.896.2283 for information for hours and costs and any other
information. Enjoy this visit. |
FYI: There is a campground with hookups at Endless
Caverns. The two RV Gypsies did not stay there, however.
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A cave or cavern is a natural
void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to
enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep
underground. Caves that extend further underground than the opening
is wide are called endogene caves. Most caves are formed in limestone
by dissolution.
 Endless
Caverns was discovered back in 1879 as simply a deep, dark hole covered
by boulders. Sitting at the base of the Massanutten Mountain range,
this six-mile cave system still has areas that have yet to be explored.
Comfortable walking shoes are recommended to fully enjoy the countless
tunnels and chambers in this cave system.The present mapped extent of
Endless Caverns is 5.5 miles, making it the 20th longest cave in Virginia
and the 176th longest in the United States. Its deepest measured point
is 160 feet below the surface. Check their website for tour hours and
more. |
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Below: As usual, the two RV Gypsies arrived a bit early
for their tour, so while waiting for the tour to begin they took a little
walk around the outside area to take a few photos and enjoy the scenery. |
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Below: Finally it was time for the tour. Everyone was
jammed into a small room to hear a short speech before being led past
the iron gate shown below.
OOPS! The guide forgot his "good luck"
charm and had to leave for a moment to go get it, while everyone stood
around in the small area staring the entry gate. Really???? |
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Below: Looking up! |
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As shown below, sometimes the tour group
came to a short set of stairs going up or down. |
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Below: Often, the most interesting scenery in the caverns,
was a peek into small spaces, which had added lights.
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Below: Columns illuminated with background lighting. |
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Below: The older teenagers were chosen to go into a
special area where they had to bend, stoop,or sometimes crawl to get
there. Once inside, they were able to stand up and enjoy some sort of
a beautiful view, which was not seeable by Lee or Karen Duquette, nor
the parents in the group waiting for the teenagers to return. |
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Below: Stalactite is a mineral formation that hangs
from the ceiling of caves. |
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Below: Stairs up out of the caverns. |
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