Lone Ash Cave Adventures

Come learn what makes cave ecosystems so delicate and special. In this adventure, you will have the opportunity to see unique formations and animals that only exist in caves (and maybe even animals that are found NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH). View the "starlight room" and what makes it sparkle, stalagmites and stalactites, rimstones and flowstones, as well as other unique cave formations.

This is not a walking only cave tour. Participants must be able to bend, stoop, duck, crawl, scoot, crouch, and balance on uneven terrain without handrails. This tour is moderately strenuous and not recommended if you have a heart condition, breathing issues, poor balance, trouble walking, issues climbing stairs, claustrophobia, or have back, knee, hip, ankle, or foot problems.

All participants are required to wear provided helmets, headlamps, gloves, and knee pads (unless you are providing your own). Participants must wear clothes that can get dirty and muddy (moisture-wicking fabrics [not cotton] work best), as well as non-slip closed-toe shoes. Open-toe shoes will not be permitted. Wear long pants and a light jacket. Virginia caves are about 54° year-round; wear appropriate clothing to spend about an hour and fifteen minutes in the cool damp temperatures/environment. Please bring water and snacks in a personal small day pack (that can get dirty). A change of clothes/shoes is recommended for after the adventure.

To protect the resource, visitors are asked not to touch the cave walls or features along the route that aren't part of the designated course. Pets and tobacco products of any kind are not allowed.

Registration is required, and space is limited to 12. Please call 276-699-6778 to register. The cost is $15 per person or $12 per person for groups of four or more. You may pay in advance over the phone or in-person on the day of arrival. There is an age requirement which is strictly enforced for safety reasons. Youth participants must be supervised by an adult, and at least 10 years old.

An advanced caving route is available, but not open to the public. If you are part of a cave grotto, society, or are an intermediate caving group of 4 or more, please reach out to Chief Ranger Erin Pitts (erin.pitts@dcr.virginia.gov) to schedule a tour. This advanced route involves a ladder, a mix of steep flowstone walls with water features, and basic rope skills for navigating short vertical sections.

Location: The adventure will begin at the Depot Gift Shop at Foster Falls.

Our programs are designed to be inclusive and welcoming to all. If you require accommodations or assistance to participate, or have questions regarding pre-existing medical conditions that could affect your safety, please contact us in advance at 276-699-6778.

2025 Cave Tour Dates:
5/26 (Memorial Day; opening season cave tour)
6/10
6/17
6/24
7/1
7/15
7/22
7/29 (Naturalist Week; this cave tour is FREE. It will fill up, you must register in advance or be put on our waiting list). Naturalist Week is a week-long series of programs lead by regional experts in their fields. Check our website for more details. This tour is lead by a local DCR Cave Biologist and dives deep into cave mapping, cave animals found nowhere else on EARTH, and all of the unique cave formations.
8/9 (Our only SATURDAY cave tour this year)
9/1 (Labor Day; last cave tour of the season) 

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