For years, we had been hiking the mountains that bordered Shenandoah Valley. And we had absolutely no idea what was beneath Luray.
My husband and I were section hiking all 550+ miles of trails in Shenandoah National Park. That meant a lot of extended weekends in Virginia, gradually chipping away at sections of trail. Our dogs were part of the adventure, too.
One particular weekend, the weather was miserable. It rained while we hiked the first day. It poured while we hiked the second. By day three, our dogs had apparently completed their own assessment of the situation.
No way.
They were not going back out in that.
Frankly, they had a point.
So we left two very content dogs curled up in our rented cabin and headed to Luray Caverns. We had passed the entrance sign many times and the parking lot always seemed quite full. So it must be a worthwhile excursion, right?
What began as our rainy-day backup plan became a rather surprising adventure. We had hiked miles along the Appalachian Mountains on one side of the Shenandoah Valley and the long trails through the George Washington National Forest on the other side. We had climbed mountains, followed waterfalls and crossed streams. Meanwhile, a magical world was beneath us. Stalactites, stalagmites, and formations created over time.
And it was spectacular!
What Is Luray Caverns?
Located in Luray, Virginia, just outside Shenandoah National Park, Luray Caverns is the largest cavern system in the eastern United States. Its story began on August 13, 1878. Andrew Campbell, William Campbell and Benton Stebbins noticed cool air coming from a limestone sinkhole. After digging for several hours, Andrew and his 13-year-old nephew, Quint Campbell, lowered themselves through the opening by rope, carrying candles to light their way.
Inside were enormous underground chambers filled with stalactites, stalagmites, columns, pools and other formations created drop by drop over an almost unimaginable amount of time. It didn’t remain a secret for long. Their discovery was described as the “find of the century.” By 1881, electric arc lights had been installed inside the caverns. Visitors have been descending beneath Luray ever since.
What You’ll See Inside Luray Caverns
We took a hundred photos and tons of video, trying to capture the beauty of this underground world. Of course, our pictures barely portray the absolute magnificence of the caverns. The size of the chambers. The formations hanging overhead and rising from below. The reflections. The strange shapes created by water and minerals over thousands upon thousands of years.
Rainwater absorbs carbon dioxide as it moves through the soil, becoming slightly acidic. As that water travels through limestone, it slowly dissolves some of the rock. When mineral-rich water reaches an open cavern, tiny deposits of calcium carbonate can remain behind.
Drop.
After drop.
After drop.
Over enormous stretches of time, those deposits create the formations we see today. Stalactites grow downward from the ceiling. Stalagmites build upward from the floor. When the two eventually meet, they can form a column. It is geology operating on a timetable that makes our 550-mile hiking challenge seem rather insignificant.
Dreamy Dream Lake
One of Luray Caverns’ most famous features is Dream Lake. At first glance, the formations reflected in the water can make the lake appear much deeper than it actually is. The still water creates an almost perfect mirror of the stalactites hanging above it. The result is one of those places where your eyes need a second to figure out exactly what they are seeing.
The Great Stalacpipe Organ
When music began reverberating through the cavern, I assumed we were listening to a recording. But I was wrong.
The Great Stalacpipe Organ was created in the 1950s by Leland W. Sprinkle, a mathematician and electronics scientist. Inspired after hearing a guide tap a stalactite, Sprinkle spent three years finding and tuning stalactites across more than three acres of the caverns. He connected them to an organ console using electronic, rubber-tipped mallets that strike the formations to create individual notes.
Today, an automated system can play the organ much like a music box. So what sounded like recorded music was actually coming from stalactites scattered throughout the cavern. Music in nature. How cool is that?
A Wishing Well That Grants Wishes
A little farther along the tour, we came to the Wishing Well. Visitors have been tossing coins into the six-foot-deep pool since 1954. Once a year, the pool is drained and the coins are collected, cleaned, sorted and counted. Then Luray Caverns gives it all away.
Every cent is donated to charitable organizations, supporting causes such as cancer research, medical research, education and other nonprofit programs. Over the years, those coins have added up to more than $1.2 million in donations. After more than 30 years raising money for nonprofits, that detail caught my attention.
One coin doesn’t seem like much. But millions of visitors making wishes? Those wishes add up and I love that!
There’s More Than the Caverns
Luray Caverns may be the reason most people come, but there is quite a bit more to explore on the same grounds. By the time we emerged from underground, the rain had finally stopped. With no reason to rush back to the cabin, we kept exploring.
Car & Carriage Caravan Museum
Our first stop was the Car & Carriage Caravan Museum, filled with beautifully restored vehicles tracing the evolution of transportation. The collection ranges from early horse-drawn carriages to automobiles from the early 20th century.
Even if you aren’t a serious car enthusiast, it is fun to wander through and see just how much transportation changed in a relatively short period of time.
Toy Town Junction
Next came a completely different kind of nostalgia. Toy Town Junction displays thousands of toys and train-related pieces collected over decades. It’s one of those places where you inevitably spot something that makes you say, “I remember that!”
I imagine that the exhibits are especially fun if several generations are traveling together. Everyone would recognize something from their own childhood.
Shenandoah Heritage Village
We finished our exploring outside at Shenandoah Heritage Village. The seven-acre village offers a glimpse into life in the Shenandoah Valley during the 19th century, with historic buildings and exhibits sharing the story of the people who lived and worked in the region.
After spending the morning surrounded by millions of years of natural history underground, it was interesting to finish the day exploring a much more recent chapter of Shenandoah Valley history.
And There’s Still More
Depending on when you visit, there are additional activities on the property, including a garden maze and a ropes course. Those weren’t options during our visit, so we didn’t experience them. Check what is open when you go, particularly if you are visiting outside the main tourism season.
Luray Caverns At-A-Glance
- Address: 101 Cave Hill Road, Luray, Virginia 22835
- Website: Luray Caverns official website
- Hours: Open year-round, with hours varying seasonally. Check the website for current hours.
- General Admission: Includes the self-guided Luray Caverns tour, Car & Carriage Caravan Museum, Toy Town Junction and Shenandoah Heritage Village.
- Guided Discovery Tour: A limited-capacity guided tour that digs deeper into the history and discovery of Luray Caverns. Advance reservations are recommended.
- Group Visits: Discounted admission and additional options are available for larger and school groups.
- Additional Activities: The Garden Maze, Rope Adventure Park and Gem Sluice offer more to do on the grounds. Some require separate admission and availability may vary.
- Accessibility: The caverns have paved, well-lighted walkways and step-free entry. Portions of the route have moderate grades, so check the accessibility information before visiting if mobility is a concern.
- What to Wear: The caverns remain about 54°F year-round, although the high humidity makes it feel warmer. Comfortable walking shoes and a light layer are a good idea.
More Than We Expected
We had come to Luray Caverns simply looking for something to do when hiking wasn’t an option. Instead, we found an entire day of exploring.
The caverns were unquestionably the highlight, but the museums and Shenandoah Heritage Village made the visit much more than an underground tour. After so many weekends spent exploring the mountains and trails of Shenandoah, it was fun to discover another side of the region we thought we knew so well.
