Curious about caves? Special cave tours and events during Va. Cave Week starting April 22

Virginia Cave Week, beginning on Earth Day, April 22, and running through April 28, is intended to promote an understanding of Virginia’s caves and the surrounding limestone habitats known as karst. Spotlight will be on the Virginia Cave and Karst Trail, a collaborative project between the governor-appointed Virginia Cave Board and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).

The Virginia Cave and Karst Trail has more than 20 stops where visitors can learn about caves and karst features. The purpose of the trail is to educate people about these sensitive environments and to promote their protection.

Most stops are in Virginia’s scenic Ridge and Valley province. Each offers visitors a unique experience such as an interpretive program, a scenic view or fee-based tour. A few stops have trails or self-guided tours.

The Virginia Cave Week website, http://www.vacaveweek.com has m,aterial related to cave and karst education.

Virginia has significant karst features and more than 4,000 caves. They provide habitat for rare, threatened and endangered species, such as the Virginia big-eared bat, Virginia’s state bat, and the Madison Cave isopod.

The following events will take place during Virginia Cave Week.

Sunday, April 22, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., Grand Caverns – Grottoes, Virginia
U.S. Geological Survey Research Geologist and Vice Chair of the Virginia Cave Board, Daniel Doctor, Ph.D., will offer two geologic interpretive tours of Grand Caverns. Do you have questions about how caves are formed, what formations inside a cave are called or want to know more about the Madison Cave isopod? This is rare opportunity to talk with a geologist about this and more. Entrance on these tours will be half-price, $10 for adults and $5.50 for kids.

Sunday, April 22, 1 p.m., Skyline Caverns Karst Education Trail Walk – Front Royal, Virginia
Members of the Front Royal Grotto will host an aboveground walk along the Cave and Karst Education Trail. Learn about the connection between surface karst features and the ground below. Participants will meet in the parking lot at the beginning of the trail. For more information, contact Janet Tinkham, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), 540-933-6850.

Monday, April 23, 7 p.m., Wildwood Park Karst Trail Walk and Talk – Radford, Virginia
Wil Orndorff of DCR’s Natural Heritage Program will lead a walk through Radford’s Wildwood Park. He will discuss karst features and challenges they pose in an urban setting. In addition, participants will learn about the significance of Virginia caves and karst in the New River Valley and beyond. Participants will meet at the trailhead. Call 804-786-7951 to register.

Tuesday, April 24, 6 p.m., Falls Ridge Preserve of the Nature Conservancy – Montgomery County, Virginia
Join Wil Orndorff of DCR’s Natural Heritage Program to learn more about karst landforms at Falls Ridge.  These include an 80 foot-high travertine-waterfall complex, small caves and other karst landforms including sinkholes. This stop on the Virginia Cave and Karst Trail involves a 3-mile, moderately difficult hike.  Starting at 7 p.m., a shorter hike focusing on the waterfall will be available. Call 804-786-7951 to register.

Wednesday, April 25, 7 p.m., Rockland Park – Front Royal, Virginia
Join DCR karst protection staff for walking tours of Rockland Park, home to the federally threatened Madison Cave isopod. Learn about the isopod, karst landforms and the steps that citizens, government agencies, and businesses have taken to protect these rare karst resources. Call 804-786-7951 to register.

Saturday, April 28, 1 p.m., Natural Chimneys – Mount Solon, Virginia
The Highland County Cave Survey will host a guided walk to look at karst features that feed the aquifer around Natural Chimneys and recharge springs along Mossy Creek. Participants will meet at the pavilion at the Natural Chimneys parking lot. For more information, contact Rick Lambert, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), 540-468-2722.

In addition to activities during Virginia Cave Week, DCR will host two events the first weekend of May.  These events will highlight the exceptional biodiversity of southwestern Virginia:

Friday, May 4 –Natural Tunnel, Cedars, Surgener Cave and Powell River Field Day
Join us for several field trips to observe unique natural communities, rare plants and karst features including an underground stream. The event wraps up with an evening presentation. Register for individual trips and the presentation through the link below.

Saturday, May 5, 9 a.m., The Cedars and Powell River Appreciation Day – Jonesville, Virginia
This all-day event features a lineup of great speakers describing the biology of the uplands, underlying caves and the Powell River. There is also an afternoon field trip to the Cedars Natural Area Preserve. Lunch will be provided and registration is required, as space is limited.

Call 804-786-7951 for more information. Register at: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/other/natural-heritage-registration

For more about Virginia Cave Week and the Virginia Karst Trail, visit:
http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/karsthome 
http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/vacavetrail
http://www.vacaveweek.com/