This Map Shows The Shortest Route To 7 Of Georgia's Most Incredible Caves
By Marisa Roman|Published May 29, 2017
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Marisa Roman
Author
A New Jersey native with over 15 years of writing experience, Marisa has studied at both New York University and Florida International University. She has lived all over the country, including a decade stint in South Florida. Marisa is well-versed in exploration as she travels a good majority of the year in her self-converted Sprinter van. Her articles have been featured in various notable publications over the years, she has a published collection of short stories, and three completed screenplays under her belt.
One of the coolest parts about natural Georgia that most people don’t realize, is that there are tons of discovered caves and caverns just waiting to be explored. In fact, it’s been noted that more than 500 caves have been discovered in our great state! Some of the caves are more notable, while others remain quite elusive. We’ve decided to come up with the ultimate itinerary in exploring some of the most beautiful caves in Georgia, perfect for a weekend summer adventure worth remembering.
The entire trip takes less than 2 hours driving time, but can absolutely be extended for a full weekend, especially once you’re able to explore inside the caves. For the full itinerary and exact location of each cave, click here. Annnnd now onto our first cave!
Petty John’s cave is located in Walker County, Georgia and is a karst cave reaching a surveyed depth of more than 200 ft. The surveyed length of Petty John’s cave is more than 30,000 ft. Which only means that this wild cave has a lot to be explored, perfect for beginner and expert spelunkers alike!
Ellison’s Cave is probably the most notable cave in Georgia, as it is actually the 12th deepest cave in the United States. With a length of almost 65,000 ft. and a depth of more than 1,000 ft., this cave is not for the faint of heart. However, the decent into this stunning cave might be worth the entire experience.
Also located in Pigeon Mountain is the Dragfold Pit cave. This 110-foot cave is one the simpler side in terms of depth and width, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth rappelling down.
The Fox Mountain Preserve is next on the route, and is one of the best and brightest cave and karst preserves in the Southern United States. One of the favorites on this preserve is Hurricane Cave, with over a mile of accessible passageways for spelunkers. But there are other caves and pits worth exploring in this area if you have time, including Rusty’s Cave, Cemetery Pit, Byer’s Cave and more!
There are two notable caves located in Cloudland Canyon State Park that we think are absolutely worth exploring—the first being Sitton’s Cave. This stunning river cave has a giant entryway, which then takes a narrow turn down a two-foot-high crawlspace. Once you make it through, however, you’ll be in a huge cave room with incredible rock formations all around.
The next notable cave in Cloudland Canyon State Park is Case Cave, which does require a bit of rappelling before entering the cave. You will descend about 30 ft. into the cave, and then travel through roughly three miles of stunning passages underground, even stumbling upon a hidden lake that most people never get to see.
Frick’s Cave rounds out this trip, and is a pretty special place especially over the summer. In fact, Frick’s cave is one of only two gray bat caves in the state, and more than 10,000 of these endangered species call this cave home every summer. Unfortunately because of these endangered species, entering the cave is forbidden. However, if you’re lucky enough to get permission, you may just be able to head down into the depths on your own accord.
Even if you aren’t an experienced spelunker or cave explorer, it’s still fun to hike to these entry points and know that they dive deep into the core of Georgia. Also, there may even be cave tours or guides with whom you can use to enter the cave and explore down below with a professional!
