The cave is open year-round, with the only exceptions being when the government recommends that the cave be closed (example: Spring of 2009: all WVCC caves are closed until further notice per recommendation by the U.S Department of Fish and Wildlife).

This cave is known to flood dramatically, especially in the Cove Creek Passageway, so please do not plan to enter the cave when weather is expected to be (or has been) very wet.

The entrance is in a location with a high level of visibility and exposure to the public, thus the entrance is controlled. The entrance pipe (approximately a 45-foot drop) has a lid on it that is locked by a combination lock (changed regularly).  In order to enter the cave, trips must contact a member of the Maxwelton Sink Management Team and get the combination. Please plan ahead!  We are cavers too, so if you wait til the last minute, you may not find anyone home from which to gain the combination for access!!  The two major contacts for access to the cave are: Jeff Bray at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by phone: (304) 645-5359, and Ed Swepston at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or by phone: (304) 645-6984.

Please sign the register book as you enter AND leave the cave (you may each sign in or your trip leader can sign everyone in).  Please don’t forget to put times and dates down, especially the time you leave the cave. The register book is located at the bottom of the entrance pipe to your left as you begin to crawl in the cave after leaving the immediate area around the pipe.

If you see anything that may be research related, we ask that you please do not disturb those items!  Also, please try to leave any flagged or permanent survey station intact.
 
Currently there is no other entrance to the cave, so a through trip is not possible.

Please park in designated areas and do not drive into the sinkhole. Note that vehicular access may require a 4-wheel drive at times. Plan accordingly.  Also, we may eventually change the vehicular access to the parking area and cave. Please watch this site for details!

The cave has several delicate areas, due to formations as well as loose rock.  Please stay on marked trails where applicable, and please take extreme caution when traveling through the cave for both safety and aesthetic value.  Be especially careful when traveling the Heaven Passage (which is the passage starting at the entrance until the next significant rope drop).  It gets a lot of traffic!!

We ask that all cavers please respect and adhere to all standard NSS guidelines for cave gear and be sure someone knows what cave you’re visiting and when you expect to be out.

There is currently no cave map available easily.  With good advance notice, the cave management team may be able to acquire a copy of the old map (or sections of it) and get them to you.  We are in the process of resurveying the cave, and will make new maps available when it is finished. Contact a member of the management team if you would like to be involved with surveying the cave.

The WVCC encourages research of any and all kinds in this cave! We especially encourage graduate students looking for any cave related thesis or project (especially geology and development/environmental impact related projects).  Please contact the management team if you are interested in using the cave as a research topic. We may be able to help….alot!

Most of all, please be careful, and enjoy!