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Smoke Hole Caverns

Last time on our way back from Snowshoe, Dave and I stopped at Smoke Hole Gift shop, but didn’t tour the caverns. This time returning from Spring skiing at Silver Creek, we decided to actually take the tour.

The Caverns were made millions of years ago after the North American and African plates collided to create the Appalachian Mountains. According to the resort’s website, Smoke Hole Caverns is an active cave, accumulating 1 cubic inch of new deposits every 120 years. The Smoke Hole Caverns opened for public tours in 1940.

Some of the cave’s interesting formations include the world’s longest ribbon stalactite, genuine Crystal Cave Coral Pool, found in only one other cavern in the world, and the second highest ceiling of any cavern in the eastern United States.

Here is Queen’s Canopy, 13 million years old draperies, inside Smoke Hole Caverns.

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