Smoke Hole Caverns

Like other caves of the region, Smoke Hole Caverns formed as acidic groundwater slowly dissolved passages through ancient limestone, rock laid down long ago when this land lay beneath a shallow sea and later lifted into the folded ridges of the highlands. Over enormous stretches of time the water hollowed out the chambers that visitors walk today.

Dripping and flowing water then decorated those chambers, depositing minerals grain by grain to build stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and sheets of stone. The cave is especially known for a tall ribbon flow, a curtain-like formation that hangs in graceful folds, and for other formations that reward a slow, attentive walk with a guide.

The Smoke Hole region takes its name, by most accounts, from smoke that once rose from the mouths of its caves. This mountain country was, for a very long time, part of the ancestral homeland and shared hunting ground of the Shawnee, the Seneca, and other native nations whose descendants continue elsewhere today, and tradition holds that native people used the sheltered caves and cured meat over fires within them, sending smoke curling out of the openings.

In later years the remote hollows of the Smoke Hole earned a reputation as a haven for mountain moonshiners, who found the hidden country and its caves ideal for distilling out of sight of the law. The cave is also said to have served as a shelter and storage place during the Civil War. These threads of history give Smoke Hole Caverns a richness beyond its formations.

Visitors explore Smoke Hole Caverns on a guided tour, walking a lit path through the chambers while a guide points out the formations and shares the cave's history. The route includes some stairs and damp, uneven footing, so sturdy shoes are wise, and the payoff is a close look at a hidden world of stone.

As in any cave, the temperature underground stays cool and steady all year, which makes a summer visit a refreshing escape from the heat and a winter visit surprisingly comfortable. A light jacket keeps the experience pleasant no matter the season above ground.

Above the cave lies the Smoke Hole itself, a rugged gorge where the South Branch of the Potomac River twists through steep, forested mountains. It is some of the wildest scenery in West Virginia, laced with trails and fishing water and prized for its remoteness and beauty, part of the vast Monongahela National Forest.

The cave sits within easy reach of other highland wonders, including the towering fins of Seneca Rocks and the summit of Spruce Knob, the state's highest point. For travelers exploring the Potomac Highlands, Smoke Hole Caverns pairs a memorable underground tour with a chance to venture into one of the state's most spectacular wild landscapes.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.