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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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Natural Bridge Caverns

A tour of the caverns was part of the package we got from the Natural Bridge Hotel, so Dave and I drove the short distance from the hotel to see them. While sculpting the Natural Bridge 3 million years ago, nature also worked on the Natural Bridge Caverns, and is still at it in the East coast’s deepest “live” caverns.

Open seasonally March through November, visitors enjoy the Natural Bridge Caverns tour. Guests descend more than 34 stories deep within the Earth to get to the magnificent natural display. The caverns highlights are the Colossal Dome Room, Mirror Lake, Wishing Well Room and the Canyon Room.

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