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You may have walked over caves hundreds of times, completely unaware of the marvelous realm that lays inside the earth so nearby!
How to find a cave:
Ask commercial cave owners or their guides if they know of caves nearby. They may not only know about them, but have explored them themselves.
Check with:
Farmers
Fishermen
Hikers
Hunters
Miners
People who have grown up in the area.
Power company repairmen
 Telephone linemen
You might also become an amateur detective. Your research might include:
County recorder
Historical society
Library
Newspaper editors
Be sure to read up on:
Local history
Diaries
Old newspapers
County geographical surveys
County geological surveys
Watch for streams disappearing underground.
In winter, look for areas where the snow is melted away. It sometimes melts at a cave mouth because a cave is usually warmer inside than the outside air. Sometimes you will see fog coming out of the opening.
Wherever there is red soil, you will probably find caves. Cave bearing rocks and limestone often have iron in them, which causes red silt or clay.
Caving is not an armchair sport. Remember, though, caving can be dangerous. But, with the proper equipment and training, and the company of an experienced group, caving is no more dangerous than many other active outdoor sports.
Take nothing but pictures.
Leave nothing but footprints
Kill nothing but time.
text and photos by Carla Sikorski
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