SoCal Trail RunningOutside SoCalGreat Smoky Mountains National ParkDay 3- Tuckaleechee and Dupont

Tuckaleechee Caverns

A tour of Tuckaleechee Caverns in Townsend, Tennessee. I huge cavern system with a great backstory.
The Tuckaleechee Cavern was discovered by 6 and 8 year old brothers almost 100 years ago. They kept the caves a secret through their teen years, then went off to WWII, then came back and decided to try to make a living off the caverns. They saved up money then bought the land and the mineral rights for everything below the surface. The caverns are still a family business today.
1 The Tuckaleechee Cavern was discovered by 6 and 8 year old brothers almost 100 years ago. They kept the caves a secret through their teen years, then went off to WWII, then came back and decided to try to make a living off the caverns. They saved up money then bought the land and the mineral rights for everything below the surface. The caverns are still a family business today.
 The government has seismic monitors installed deep in the caverns. It's evidentaly a cost effective way for them to install equipment where it can still be easily accessed. The sensors detect earthquake activity and also nuclear testing. Tuckaleechee was the first US installation to detect the recent North Korean nuclear tests.
2 The government has seismic monitors installed deep in the caverns. It's evidentaly a cost effective way for them to install equipment where it can still be easily accessed. The sensors detect earthquake activity and also nuclear testing. Tuckaleechee was the first US installation to detect the recent North Korean nuclear tests.
 Tuckaleechee is a huge cavern system. The tour lasts 1 hour 20 minutes and explores less than 1% of the cavern!
3 Tuckaleechee is a huge cavern system. The tour lasts 1 hour 20 minutes and explores less than 1% of the cavern!
 A "drapery" formation.
4 A "drapery" formation.
The "bear" formation.
5 The "bear" formation.
 There are actually small plants growing in the cave. The spores are brought in on visitor's clothes, and then the plants grow where there's lights. Hopefully Tuckaleechee switches to LED lights like other caverns, which would prevent the unnatural plant growth.
6 There are actually small plants growing in the cave. The spores are brought in on visitor's clothes, and then the plants grow where there's lights. Hopefully Tuckaleechee switches to LED lights like other caverns, which would prevent the unnatural plant growth.
 Some impressive columns.
7 Some impressive columns.
 The formations may not be as elaborate as some other, more well known, caverns. But it's a huge cavern system, the biggest I have been in so far.
8 The formations may not be as elaborate as some other, more well known, caverns. But it's a huge cavern system, the biggest I have been in so far.
The "Big Room". Over 400ft long, 300ft wide, and 150ft deep. It's pretty impressive. It's really hard to get a sense of scale, the distances are very deceiving.
9 The "Big Room". Over 400ft long, 300ft wide, and 150ft deep. It's pretty impressive. It's really hard to get a sense of scale, the distances are very deceiving.
 Those stalagmites at the top look pretty small, but they're actually over 25 feet tall!
10 Those stalagmites at the top look pretty small, but they're actually over 25 feet tall!
 More Big Room formations.
11 More Big Room formations.
 The "palette" formation. It's partially detached from the ceiling.
12 The "palette" formation. It's partially detached from the ceiling.
Moving on in the tour, we walk along the underground stream. It's a good size stream.
13 Moving on in the tour, we walk along the underground stream. It's a good size stream.
 If you look closely towards the center of the picture, you can see a small, lobster looking creature in the water. They are actually a native species living down here.
14 If you look closely towards the center of the picture, you can see a small, lobster looking creature in the water. They are actually a native species living down here.
 It's cool to see this much water underground, and there are actually small cascades in places.
15 It's cool to see this much water underground, and there are actually small cascades in places.
 Visitors can stop and drink from the springs or even fill their water bottles. It's evidently ultra pure water.
16 Visitors can stop and drink from the springs or even fill their water bottles. It's evidently ultra pure water.
The wishing well. Water drips from somewhere high up above into this little pool. They use it to take donations for local charities.
17 The wishing well. Water drips from somewhere high up above into this little pool. They use it to take donations for local charities.
 Soon we arrive at the waterfall, the grand finale of the tour.
18 Soon we arrive at the waterfall, the grand finale of the tour.
 It's a 210 foot high, two tier waterfall. Tallest underground waterfall in the Eastern US.
19 It's a 210 foot high, two tier waterfall. Tallest underground waterfall in the Eastern US.
 You can mostly just see the lower tier of the falls as the upper tier is in the cavern above.
20 You can mostly just see the lower tier of the falls as the upper tier is in the cavern above.
Video of the lower tier of Silver Falls.
21 Video of the lower tier of Silver Falls.
 Video showing a little bit of the upper tier.
22 Video showing a little bit of the upper tier.
 Ready to leave the cavern. A great tour! Now time to start the long drive towards Charleston, South Carolina.
23 Ready to leave the cavern. A great tour! Now time to start the long drive towards Charleston, South Carolina.
  
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