How To Visit Luray Caverns, Virginia: Geology’s Hall of Fame

We person seen plentifulness of stalagmites and stalactites successful caverns and caves each implicit the world, but nary tin comparison to the Luray Caverns successful Virginia, known arsenic the largest cavern successful the Eastern United States.

They are besides 1 of the astir visited caverns successful the USA, truthful I was disquieted however its popularity whitethorn person diminished its value.

I did not request to worry; it’s fashionable for a reason. The Luray Caverns are cathedral-sized caverns, with immoderate chambers reaching 10 stories high, with lukewarm lighting cautiously placed to illuminate the astir astounding of its formations. Of each the caverns I’ve seen, Luray is perchance the champion I’ve ever seen.

I was stunned by the pristine information and the abundance of stalagmites and stalactites formations, full-length draperies, immense columns, and dazzling reflector pools that this past caved has formed implicit millions of years.

If you’re reasoning this sounds similar thing you’d similar to explore, this usher has everything you request to cognize astir visiting Luray Caverns…

A Brief History of The Luray Caverns

We were connected our mode to research Ruby Falls successful Chattanooga, but we turned successful to sojourn Luray Caverns not for its sights, but it’s history. It was the find of these caves that grabbed my attention.

Imagine being the archetypal to stumble upon them?

Well, that happened to the section men who discovered the Luray Caverns connected August 13, 1878 – Andrew Campbell, William Campbell, and Benton Stebbins.

They had an inkling that caverns were successful the country owed to the karst topography (limestone and dolomite sedimentary stone deposits).

After feeling an odd, chill breeze originating from a slump connected the hillside, they began digging astatine it.

Five hours later, Andrew, William, and Benton entered the caverns by sliding down into it.

Their archetypal show was what would beryllium dubbed the Washington Column, named aft the archetypal president of the United States.

Little did they cognize the remainder of the quality they were astir to discover.

Such quality that has received world-class designation and dubbed, “Geology’s Fall of Fame.”

The Smithsonian Institution report of July 13 and 14, 1880, concluded: “It is harmless to accidental that determination is astir apt nary different cave successful the satellite much wholly and profusely decorated with stalactite and stalagmite ornamentation than that of Luray.”

And National Geographic erstwhile said the draperies recovered astatine Luray Caverns are immoderate of the “best successful the world.”

Luray Caverns was designated a Registered Natural Landmark successful 1974.

This designation offers extortion to this earthy wonderment forbidding the instauration of immoderate further embellishments (like the Fried Eggs and Organ created earlier this protection).

It besides means it can’t person immoderate colored lights, and visitors tin lone research connected designated paths, which upwind done lone a 3rd of the cave strategy (what indispensable prevarication beyond here?).

The archetypal Grand Illumination of Luray Caverns occurred connected November 9, 1878.

It has been unfastened each time since and attracts 500,000 radical each year.

How to circuit The Luray Caverns

There are 2 ways you tin research Luray Caverns – connected a guided circuit (Special Discovery Tour) of a self-guided circuit (Standard Tour).

If you opt for self-guided, past you tin bash truthful during regular opening hours, and it takes astir an hr to locomotion done the caves.

The different mode is to publication onto a Guided Discovery Tour, which comes with a knowledgeable circuit guide, who volition stock much past astir the discovery, arsenic good arsenic springiness you a transcript of the “Story of Luray Caverns” booklet. You besides get to participate the caverns 30 minutes earlier wide admission, truthful you tin bushed the crowds.

Guided tours are astir an hr long, but you are escaped to research the caverns by yourself afterwards if you privation to instrumentality to instrumentality photos.

Our Self-Guided Tour Experience

We decided to research the Luray Caverns connected a self-guided circuit arsenic we visited during the pandemic erstwhile guided tours were closed, but we would person loved to person joined 1 to larn much astir the find story.

What we discovered for ourselves was a magical, concealed underground satellite of draping flowstones, jaw-dropping formations, towering columns, monolithic chambers, calcite pools and truthful overmuch more.

Paved and well-lit pathways pb you passim the caverns which extends for 60 acres, and scope heights of 10 stories high.

The casual way is 1.25 miles and took america astir an hr with each our gawking stops.

With the self-guided tour, you are fixed a booklet with your summons that lists the assorted “attractions” successful Luray Caves and has a tiny magnitude of accusation astir each one.

Savannah stopped astatine each self-guided fig to enthusiastically work each description.

She was mesmerized by the magic of these formations that instrumentality 120 years to signifier conscionable a cubic inch.

Luray Cavern Highlights

There are 19 stops connected the self-guided circuit – each are unthinkable and worthy spending clip looking at.

Here are conscionable a fewer of the Luray Cavern Highlights for us:

Dream Lake

Dream Lake is the astir exquisite attraction successful Luray Caverns. It’s the astir stunning optical illusion and 1 you’ll ne'er forget.

The stalactites connected the ceiling are mirrored perfectly onto the level aboveground below, creating the illusion of thousands of stalagmites rising up from the level to scope to scope up to them.

It’s an illusion truthful existent that you cannot spot the existent bottommost of the lake, adjacent though it’s lone astir 20 inches astatine its deepest point.

It’s 1 of the archetypal stops connected the circuit and the constituent wherever I said, “Okay, good seeing this has made this circuit worthy it alone.”

Giant Redwood

The Giant Redwood is the oldest and biggest enactment successful the caverns. This immense portion of flowstone is 40 feet precocious and 120 feet successful circumference.

As flowstone takes 300 years to signifier 1 inch, it is estimated to beryllium implicit 7 cardinal years old!  

It’s conscionable arsenic magnificent arsenic the trees it is named after.

Saracen’s Tent

This is wherever we find National Geographic’s champion illustration of draperies successful the world. It’s decidedly the champion illustration I person seen of these flowing delicate curtain formations.

Double Column

The Giant’s Hall is the deepest portion of the caverns (164 ft beneath the aboveground of the earth) and has the largest airspace of immoderate country successful the caverns.

My favourite enactment successful present was the Double Column, the tallest enactment successful the cavern astatine 47ft high. On the beforehand broadside is simply a stalactite reaching each the mode to the level from the ceiling.

Beside it, connected the backmost side, is simply a stalagmite formed from the level reaching astir to the ceiling. They bash not conscionable but are joined broadside by side.

The Fallen Stalactite

I was fascinated by the Fallen Stalactite shaken disconnected the ceiling by an earthquake 7,000 years ago.

It was gigantic and sent a small tense shiver done maine reasoning of earthquakes shaking up this cave. Don’t fear, this was the past disturbance of this magnitude!

Wishing Well

I recovered the Wishing Well fascinating, though I’m unsure of immoderate harm it whitethorn bash to the caves. I asked the ranger who said it doesn’t and is protected to guarantee this.

It’s a beauteous crystal wide greenish pond – the deepest assemblage of h2o successful the caverns with a extent of six feet.

It’s fashionable for privation seekers to propulsion wealth successful the pond. At the extremity of the year, 2 to 3 feet of coins volition screen the pool. We saw plentifulness of notes arsenic well, including $100 bills.

One affirmative is that the wealth is collected annually and donated to biology and acquisition organizations. Over a cardinal dollars has been collected implicit the years.

The Cathedral and Great Stalacpipe Organ

I loved envisioning the occasional dances that were held successful the immense enclosure called the Cathedral, (once known arsenic the ballroom.)

It is present you’ll besides find the Great Stalacpipe Organ, the largest philharmonic instrumentality successful the world, which uses the stalactites arsenic code sources. It’s meant to play astatine assorted times passim the day, but I ne'er heard it.

I was a spot nonplussed astir this portion of the tour, whereas for others it volition beryllium a highlight.

Other Things to Do astatine Luray Caverns

In summation to the Luray Caverns tour, your summons entitles you to respective different perks.

The Shenandoah Heritage Village and Luray Valley Museum

This depository shares much astir the Shenandoah Valley with artifacts dating from the 1750s up to the 1920s. TI’s a gateway to however beingness was lived o the frontier’s edge.

Car & Carriage Museum

Car lovers volition bask the conveyance exhibits that scope a pre-Civil War bicycle, the oldest carriage connected the continent and an 1897 Mercedes-Benz, 1 of the oldest cars successful the state inactive successful operating condition.

Toy Town Junction

This is simply a artifact depository that displays thousands of historical toys and trains making it a favourite for kids.  

Luray Caverns Store

The circuit finishes successful the Luray Caverns Store, which has locally produced products specified arsenic jams, candies, and Virginia wine.

The Garden Maze and Rope Adventure Park

There are 2 separately ticketed attractions the kids volition love.

The Rope Adventure Park consists of 3 levels truthful the children tin ascent according to their ability, comfort, and confidence.

The Garden Maze is wherever the full household volition bask getting mislaid together!

Luray Caverns Opening Hours and Entrance Fees

Luray Caverns is unfastened 365 days a year, rainfall oregon shine. Opening hours alteration depending connected the season.

From April 1st to June 14th, the Luray Caverns are unfastened from 9:00am – 6:00pm, and from Juen 15th to Labor Day, 9:00am – 7:00pm.

From Labor Day to October 31st, they are unfastened from 9:00am – 6:00pm, and from November 1st to March 31st they are unfastened from 9:00am – 4:00pm connected weekdays and 9:00am – 5:00pm connected weekends.

Standard Self-Guided Admission costs $34 for adults and $17 for children aged 6-12, and $32 for ages 62+.

For Special Discovery Tours, tickets outgo $65 per adult, and $35 per child.

There are discounts disposable for students, Giant oregon Martin’s BonusCard holders, and subject personel.

Aged 5 and nether tin participate escaped with a paying adult.

How to get to Luray Caverns, Virginia

Luray Caverns are located successful Shenandoah Valley, sandwiched betwixt the spectacular Blue Ridge Mountains to the eastbound and the Alleghenies to the West.

The closest airdrome is Washington D.C., located 2 hours east. From here, you volition request to prime up a car rental, and thrust oregon instrumentality the Virginia Breeze autobus to Harrisonburg.

You tin besides publication onto a time circuit from Washington D.C. Click present to spot time tours of Luray Caverns from Washington D.C.

From here, thrust northbound on the I-81 N and US-211 E to Luray, wherever the entranceway to the caverns are located conscionable connected the borderline of town. 

FAQs About Visiting Luray Caverns

Things to bash adjacent Luray Caverns

Walk the greenway way done town

The hilly upland municipality volition instrumentality you backmost to 19^th period charm with elaborate ceramic architecture and storefronts lodging section boutiques, antique stores, restaurants, vino bars and breweries.

• Pick up a java from Broad Porch Coffee
• Enjoy a delicious meal astatine Moonshadows
• Walk the greenway way done town
• Enjoy section vino and brew from The Valley Cork
• Go horseback riding with Jordan Hollow Stables
• The Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park
• More Things to Do successful Shenandoah Valley, Virginia

More Virginia Travel Tips

Need much inspiration for a travel to Virginia? Here are immoderate different adjuvant guides…

• Walking an alpaca astatine Point of View Alpaca Farms
• An East Coast Revolutionary War Trail Road Trip
• 10 Fun things to bash successful Williamsburg, VA
• See past travel live successful Greater Williamsburg
• Shenandoah National Park’s Skyline Drive

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