Go Inside Linville Caverns – North Carolina’s Most Stunning Caves

In the beautiful state of North Carolina, caves and caverns are plentiful, especially in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Blue Ridge is part of the spectacular Appalachian mountain range and is breathtaking no matter what season you choose to visit. You can travel on the Blue Ridge Parkway to reach the Linville Caverns.

Today, visiting the Linville Caverns means taking a trip into the mysterious mountain, walking along a light-guided pathway while listening to one of the tour guides explain the formation of the cave to you. It is one of the best cavern experiences you can have in North Carolina.

In this article, we will explore the history and geography of the caves and talk about what you should expect to see and experience while inside the Linville Caverns.

History of Linville Caverns

Lineville Caverns is located at the southern entrance to western North Carolina’s High Country region, only a few miles from Linville Falls and the Blue Ridge Parkway. The cavern is located inside Humpback Mountain. The Linville Caverns were first explored in the early 1800s by Henry E. Colton, who found them accidentally during a fishing trip. When he saw trout swimming in and out of what appeared to be a solid mountain rock, he decided to investigate. Colton swam underwater and realized they had stumbled upon a cave where fish hid in the wading pool out of danger’s way.

In 1858, Colton, who later worked as the state geologist of Tennessee, wrote an article in the NC Presbyterian.

Previous to this, nothing of a very remarkable nature had met with, but now began the wondrous splendors of that hidden world. Stooping through a low passage, in which the coldest of water ran rippling and singing a merry song, which echoed back a thousand times from the dark dismal arched roof of the unmeasured space which stretched itself before, behind, and above us, we emerged into an immense passage, whose roof was far beyond the reach of the glare of our torches, except where the fantastic festoons of stalactites hang down within our touch. It looked like the arch of some grand old cathedral, yet it was too sublime, too perfect in all its beautiful proportions, to be anything of human, but a model which man might attempt to imitate.

Henry E. Colton, NC Presbyterian, 1858

Legends

The cave served the purpose of a hiding place for soldiers during the Civil War from 1861-1865. Rumor is that these soldiers lived in the cave and hid from all the soldiers. They had abandoned their posts and hid in the cavern until the war ended. You can see the stains from fires and smoke in the caves. Found in the cave was a small workshop supposedly run by an elderly man who mended soldiers’ boots.

Another legend talks about Thomas Edison sending a group of people into the Linville Caverns to search for platinum. At one point, platinum was important in the creation of incandescent lanterns. Unfortunately, the team of explorers returned empty-handed.

Yet another legend from the 1900s resurfaced and may be true. In 1915, two teenage boys were in the cave with a lantern. The boy holding the lantern dropped it, and the two plunged into darkness. They were luckily able to crawl around until they found the stream inside the Linville Caverns and followed it to the mouth of the cave and were okay. It took them two days of crawling to find their way out, and when they got to the entrance, they were both hypothermic.

In 1939, after renovations by John Q. Gilkey, the caverns opened for public tours and have since undergone many lighting, path, and safety upgrades.

Geology and Geography of Linville Caverns

At some point in the Cambrian era, the Linville Caverns first formed at the base of what is known as Humpback Mountain. The caves formed in marine sedimentary rocks known as shady dolomite. The shady dolomite was deposited on the paleo continent of Laurentia approximately 509-521 years ago. The outcrops along the eastern margin happen to be in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The shady dolomite’s ingredients are limestone, dolomite, and mudrock. In the shady dolomite that makes up the Linville Caverns, you can still see fossils of marine anthropods, double-shelled mollusks, starfish, sea urchins, and other such ancient marine life. Hydrothermal ores deposited along the shady dolomite, which created iron and zinc.

Mineral Formations

Inside the Linville Caverns, you will experience the beauty of the stalagmites and stalactites that continue to grow with continued mineral deposits. The historic stream that runs through the Humpback Mountain in the Linville Caverns helped form the caves. The slow-moving stream was produced by the mountain and its carbon dioxide, which dissolved the limestone and dolomite and formed caves. During your tour of these caves, you may see calcite crystals and marvelous cave coral.

The formations inside the caverns are worth a look. However, you will see the names; pickled pigs ears, jesus, Moses, and “guess what rock,” which visitors get to name while inside the cave. In the thin stream that runs through the cave, you can see blind trout swimming in. Being in the darkness all the time makes the trout go blind as they are not born that way. Be careful not to wander into the bottomless pool. A 250-foot cable was lowered into the pool and did not touch the bottom. Certain places on the cave floor look very similar to what explorers have said is white moss.

What Lurks Inside Linville Caverns

There is something for every explorer in the Linville Caverns. You can gaze warily at the Bottomless Pool, walk along the white moss formation on the floor, and peer into the Cathedral Room with a floor only a couple of inches thick and a scattering of glowing, magical stones like cobalt and carnelian throughout the cave walls. It truly is a magical place, and the tour guide helps make it that way as they recount the stories of another time when a fisherman discovered the cave and later when two teenage boys armed with only a lantern get lost in the darkness. This is a special place, but the people you bring along make it even more special. The caverns are handicapped accessible, at least some of the way, and it is child and pet friendly. The well-lit path helps everyone stay together and safely on solid ground.

You may say hello to some live-action cave inhabitants, like, the Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus) and the Tri-Colored Bat (Perimyotis subflavus). Sadly, the cave is infected with White-Nose Syndrome. White-Nose Syndrome (Geomyces destructans) poses no health risk to humans. The NC Wildlife Commission and the US Fish & Wildlife are working with Linville Caverns to eradicate the Whit-Nose Syndrome from the bats in the cave.

Visiting Linville Caverns

Linville Caverns truly is a magical place, and the tour guide helps make it that way as they recount the stories of another time when a fisherman discovered the cave and later when two teenage boys armed with only a lantern get lost in the darkness. This is a special place, but the people you bring along make it even more special. Luckily, the caverns are handicapped accessible, at least some of the way, and it is child and pet friendly. The well-lit path helps everyone stay together and safely on solid ground.

A Few Suggestions

• Wear comfortable nonslip shoes. The ground inside of the cave is always wet.
• Wear a light jacket if 52 degrees is cold for you. The cave always stays the same temperature.
• Bring your camera or camera phone; just don’t drop them in the Bottomless Pool.
• If it is a rainy day, bring a rainproof jacket because water tends to drip in the cave.
• The pathway is handicapped accessible, except for a dead-end path into a newer section of the cave and the area with a few steps at the end of the exhibit.
• Due to space, the family who owns the cave asks that you not bring a backpack, stroller, or child-carrying backpack. However, front-facing infant carriers can be used.
• Restrooms are located at the entrance to the cave and close before the last tour has finished, so be sure to visit it before entering the cave.
• It’s always a good idea to bring a bottle of water along; other types of drinks or food are prohibited.
• The tour of Linville Caverns lasts approximately 45 minutes.
• Pets are allowed as long as you can carry your friend. No leashed animals are allowed.
• The owners recommend purchasing your tickets in advance. They sell out quickly.
• The cave is only open Thursday – Monday, June through August, from 9 am-6 pm. From September – November, the caves are open 9 am – 5 pm. From December – February, the caves are open Saturdays & Sundays 9 am – 4:30 pm. Make sure to call for updates to the hours at 828-756-4171 or email [email protected]. 
• Do not touch anything inside of the cave, and do not cross the creek outside of the cave. However, it is hazardous due to landslides.

Adventures are Forever

Near the end of the tour, you can visit the gift shop for souvenirs, but the best part of finishing the tour is the fantastic view from the metal bridge of the Bottomless Lake, estimated to be 250 feet deep. The clear water’s illumination provides a magical experience. No matter what time of year you go, Linville Caverns does not disappoint.

FAQ

Q: How much does it cost to go to Linville Caverns?

A: Children under 5 are free, children 5 – 12 are $11, Adults are $13, and seniors over 62 are $12.

Q: How far underground is Linville Caverns?

A: The caverns are 1300 feet underground, but the tour only covers the top 600 feet. The deepest 700 feet are too narrow and dangerous for the general public.

Q: Are there bears in the Linville Gorge?

A: Black bears are native to the area, though you will likely not see one.