Introduction

The West Virginia Cave Conservancy (WVCC), a non-profit, West Virginia Corporation, was graciously gifted Harr Cave #2 located in Tucker County, West Virginia, by the previous owner, Rob Coleman, in 2021. Harr Cave #2 is west of the town of Laneville.

History

Harr Cave #2 was opened by Dave “O.B.” Collins in the early to mid 1960s, according to Alan Carpenter who had a conversation with the original landowner Mr. Harr. Not much else is known about the cave’s history. There are three Harr caves reported to the West Virginia Speleological Survey and Harr Cave #2, is the largest of them all and the best known.

In the late 2000s, the cave was rediscovered by the landowner, Rob Coleman. He and his wife, Cathy, were thinning saplings on their property and found a log pile. Upon pulling the logs off they discovered a metal gate below. They noticed that the hole in the ground had been widened and fitted with an old rusted metal ladder that dropped several feet into complete darkness. Since then, visitation has been allowed to the cave.

Cave Resources

Harr #2 Cave is 1,141 feet long and 19 feet deep. The cave was mapped by the Tucker County Speleological Survey in 1983, with a map drafted by Alan Carpenter a year later.

The entrance is a gated 8-foot-deep pit. The pit is roughly three feet in diameter and a metal ladder is loosely attached to the southern wall of the pit that makes the climbdown more awkward than it would be without it. Cave passage continues at the bottom of the pit. There is no active stream in the cave. There are several formation galleries in the cave.

Greg Springer, a geology professor at Ohio University, has been studying a sample of an old stalagmite, which was already broken and on the floor, so the cave wasn’t damaged to obtain the sample. His research involves studying patterns of deposition as a means to extract information on past climate changes.

The cave is not a significant bat hibernaculum.

Surface Resources

Harr #2 Cave is close to the property manager’s house on private property.

Publicity Policy

WVCC will publicize the Harr Cave #2 Preserve only to the extent necessary to accomplish WVCC’s mission goals. Publicity of details and location information will only be available within the established caving community. Publicity available to the general public will be limited to information needed to promote our educational and scientific goals. In the event of a rescue at Lost Cave, WVCC will make every effort to minimize media coverage, especially any location information.

Management

The Board of Directors has established a management committee 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 preserve 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.
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 West 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, based on scientific need.
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

The cave will be maintained in an “open” condition to visitors, regardless of any organizational affiliation, provided that at least one responsible caver over the age of 18 is included. No cave-for-pay or any other activity “for pay” is allowed.

Advance notification of visitation to the cave is required.

The cave is gated, but not locked. There is a cattle grate that covers the entrance and needs to be put back after people leave the cave.

Parking

There is a pull-off spot on Laneville Road that will fit three vehicles at most. There is not much space, so please carpool and plan accordingly.

Property Manager

The Property Manager of Harr Cave #2 is Rob Coleman. You may contact him at for information about the preserve such as, permission, cave description, and directions.

Permission to enter the cave is granted by the discretion of the Property Manager.