Introduction

The West Virginia Cave Conservancy (WVCC), a non-profit corporation in West Virginia, purchased approximately four acres of land from Dr. Lewis Webb in Narrows, Virginia. Located on this property is the main vertical entrance to Giant Caverns and the long since collapsed historic entrance. This parcel was subdivided from an approximately 150-acre wooded area which extends to Sentinel Point, the remainder of which the Town of Narrows purchased from Dr. Webb, as an addition to the Town’s Mill Creek Park. This park includes a network of mountain bike and hiking trails, which were locally designed and constructed.

Giant Caverns is a historically significant place within western Virginia which offers many opportunities for educational and recreational use.

History

In the early 20th century Giant Cavern was a vibrant tourist destination in Narrows, Virginia. The cave was supported by a building made from local stone which served as a gift shop and entrance to the cave. The walls of this structure are still standing and are visible about 75 yards from the cave’s vertical entrance. In the cellar of the building was the horizontal entrance to the cave which has since collapsed. The collapse of the commercial entrance was likely caused by the foundation of the structure sheltering the entrance to the cave.

In the 1920s the cave was a destination for people stopping in Giles on the summer tourist circuit. Dances were held in the cave which further enhanced its commercial success. In the 1930s the structure serving the cave was known to be a speak easy where patrons partook of illegal spirits. A 100-room hotel was planned for the area, but the plans were abandoned with the economic downturn that also resulted in the closure of the cave.

Since then, the cave has been accessed by locals through a series of ladders and by local cavers through SRT from the vertical entrance. The drop is about 90 feet and is considered a good location for local grottoes of the NSS to teach new cavers basic vertical caving techniques (rappelling, climbing rope, etc.)

Cave Resources

Giant Cavers is designated as Significant under the Virginia Cave Protection Act, and is further significant for its historical, biological, geological, and esthetic resources.

Giant Caverns is a notable historic site. The cave lives up to its name, widely regarded as the second largest single room in Virginia. Artifacts from its time as a tourist cave are still clearly visible. The local school students learn about it in class, and it is held in high regard in the community.

Giant Caverns derives most of its biological significance from the globally rare cave-limited invertebrates known from the cave. These include two species known only from northern Giles County, west of the New River:

– Pumpkin-headed millipede (Pseudotremia peponocranium) – type locality Giant Caverns
– New River Valley Cave Beetle (Pseudanophthalmus egberti)

The cave is not considered a significant bat hibernaculum but is known to house a few bats, mainly tricolored bats (Perimyotis subflavus, formerly Eastern Pipistrelle).

Geologically, the cave is developed in limestones of Middle Ordovician Age along the northwestern scarp slope of Wolf Creek Mountain and is part of a significant belt of caves and karst the extends westward along the flank of Wolk Creek Mountain, and to the east wraps beneath Angels Rest and continues southwest along the southern flank of Pearis Mountain.

The rappel is suited for a first-time vertical caver but is not without challenge. The cave is fairly well decorated with flowstone, rimstone pools and large stalagmites. This makes the cave a rewarding place for first-time vertical cavers to visit.

Though not designated as hydrologically significant, the cave is hydrologically active with a small stream running in high water through the main chamber.

Surface Resources

The park land recently purchased by the town makes Giant Cavern part of a large space set aside for natural area recreation. The wooded area surrounding the cave, taken with the ~150 acres kept by the town of Narrows, provides a significant forested sanctuary for wildlife as well as for outdoor enthusiasts.

Publicity Policy

WVCC will publicize Giant Cavern only to the extent necessary to accomplish our mission goals. Publicity of details and location information will only be available within the established caving community. Information available to the public will be limited to what is specifically required to promote our educational and scientific goals. The WVCC will make every effort to minimize media coverage in the event of a rescue at the cave, especially any location information. The WVCC realizes that Giant Cavern is a significant point of pride for the community. The Preserve Manager will work with local grottoes to make sure that the community members of Narrows receive the proper training to access the cave should they wish to do so.

Management

The Board of Directors has established a property manager to implement and monitor this management plan. The Board will be responsible for any plan changes. The property manager will report to the Board on the status of the preserve, with any recommendations for changes to this plan.

The property manager will be responsible for monitoring the following rules controlling use of the preserve:

1. No camping or fires will be permitted at this time.
2. All trash and human waste must be packed out. Anyone encountering trash is encouraged to carry it out. Please report any recent graffiti to WVCC.
3. ATV’s, dirt bikes, and snowmobiles are not permitted on the preserve.
4. Collection of rocks, flora, fauna, etc. on the surface is prohibited. Any collection underground must be done in accordance with Virginia laws, which require a permit from the state, based in part on permission from the Board. The Board will approve such requests on an individual basis.
5. No placement of permanent bolts or anchors is allowed. No other defacement of the cave is allowed.
6. Parking is allowed only in designated areas.
7. No hunting will be allowed on the property. No fireworks or firearms will be allowed on the property.
8. No commercial activity, including cave-for-pay, will be allowed on the property.
9. Visitors’ conduct should conform to National Speleological Society conservation guidelines, and to NSS Safety and Techniques Committee recommendations.
10. Visitors are expected to comply with all applicable state and federal laws.

Access Policy

Giant Caverns will be maintained in an “open” condition and will be freely available to all vertically competent and responsible cavers regardless of any organizational affiliation. The WVCC reserves the right to institute access controls if resources are discovered upon the property which require additional protection.

In general, access to the cave will be maintained as open as practical. No release form or permit is required for visitation.

An obvious parking area is established for about four cars in the hairpin turn on Cave Street at the cave trailhead. If visitors have bat stickers on their cars, they are requested to park with them facing the road for the benefit of the former landowner in accordance with long standing custom.

Property Manager

The Property Manager of Giant Cavern is Dan Crowder. You may contact him at with questions about the cave and preserve.