The Best List of Caves in Maryland

We may have been compensated for this post. Please keep in mind that it affects you in no way financially. If an item is being reviewed, we are not obligated to give a positive review and always use our own words. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. If you would like a review done contact Dannelle at DannelleGay@gmail.com

Sharing is caring!

Maryland, home to the Chesapeake Bay, is best known for the city of Baltimore and the blue crabs. It is also the birthplace of the US national anthem. But, if I am a spelunker, my obvious question would be, “Are there caves in Maryland?”.

The Geological Survey confirms that Maryland is home to more than 50 caves. Most caves are in marble bedrock or limestone and exist in Washington, Allegany, and Garrett counties.

The Best List of Caves in Maryland

Only one of these caves is open for daily tours for the public, but you must join a spelunking club to explore the other caves. 

The Top Caves to Visit in Maryland

Before we proceed with the coverage on the top caves of the state, it is essential to know that some of the caves in Maryland have closed to stop the spread of white-nose syndrome. The caves have been closed to prevent the spread of the infection to other caves.

The best caves in Maryland that deserve a look are – 

• Crystal Grottoes Caverns
• Cumberland Bone Cave
• Devil’s Den
• Goat
• Rocky Gap
• Beaver Run Shelter
• Crabtree
• Muddy Creek Falls Shelter
• Sand Cave
• Woods Place

These are just a few of the caves you can explore in Maryland, but whenever you decide to go to a cave, you must be fully equipped with the right tools and light sources. Let’s break this down a bit into various groups for your easy reference. 

The Best Caves in Maryland

Below you come across some of the top caves in Maryland.

Crystal Caves in Maryland

Maryland has one of the most beautiful crystal caves that has been opened to the public. The cave was discovered in 1920, and authorities used dynamite to create the first entrance for the caves. 

Crystal Grottoes Caverns, Boonsboro

The Crystal Grottoes Caverns have more formations per foot than any other cave in the world. It is also one of those caves that has been preserved naturally. It implies that the cave is untouched and looks the same as it did in the 1920s. You can enter the cave any time of the year as the temperature remains at 54 degrees F throughout the year. If you love adventures and enjoy being surrounded by natural formations, then this cave is perfect for you. 

Haunted Caves in Maryland

Who doesn’t like a good ghost story?

Washington Monument State Park

The Washington Monument, on top of South Mountain, was the first monument that was built to honor George Washington. There is a system of caves that one can find in the rocky crag just below the monument. At night, one can hear distressing cries both from the mountain and from the valley below it. 

Natural Caves in Maryland

These are caves that were formed by natural processes. They can be found in limestone, sandstone, granite, and other types of rock.

Le Gore Quarry-Powells

Powells Cave is located on Israel Creek. It has a crawlway that extends up to 100 ft to the north but is now blocked with stones dumped at the entrance. There are a series of openings in the north face of Le Gore quarry that circles back and connects with Powells Cave. 

Public Caves in Maryland

Greises Cave, Allegany County

The entrance to this cave is over a pile of rocks leading to a 20 ft wide chamber. The passage is 200 ft long and steep and curves to a 40 ft long crawlway with three rooms. During the wet season, the cave has water flowing over some of the upper passages, which forms a waterfall in the Well Room. 

Salt Caves in Maryland

The salt caves in Maryland are a perfect place to breathe comfortably and relax.

Bethesda Salt Cave

It appears like a typical office building from the city streets, but it is much more than you imagine. It can best be described as a warm haven that is filled with Himalayan rock salt. Himalayan Salt gives off a negative ionic charge that helps with internal issues like breathing. When you enter the premises, the staff member will usher you to one of the zero-gravity chairs, where you will just relax and wait for the therapy to begin.

The room atmosphere plays a big part in detoxifying your body. If you want, you can also make yourself comfortable on the salt floor. The salt cave sessions last for 45 min, and people have raved about the positive effects of the sessions for weeks after they visited the cave. 

Wild Caves in Maryland

These are caves that have not been explored and remain largely unknown.

Devil’s Hole Cave, Allegany County

You can find the cave around one mile north of Twiggtown. The cave looks like a vertical shaft connecting to two small rooms at the base. It is one of the largest and interesting of all caves in Allegany County. 

Cumberland Bone Cave, Corriganville

The cave was discovered in 1912 during the construction of the Western Maryland Railway. A huge number of fossils were discovered, which were immediately sent to the US National Museum. Years of exploration have revealed lots of fossils of birds and invertebrates, and all these give us new clues about life from the Pleistocene era.

–>The cave is not open for public view, but travelers can take a quick look any time before dusk. 

As you can see, the small state of Maryland has some pretty great offerings to cave lovers! Make certain to always be safe and prepared before entering any cave so you can make your cave experience a good one!

Other articles you may find helpful or interesting:

• Ultimate Guide to Natural Bridge Caverns, Texas (Tours, Pricing, History, Map)
• Ultimate Guide to Mega Cavern (Tours, Pricing, History)
• Ultimate Guide to Lake Shasta Caverns, California (Tours, Pricing, History, Map)
• Ultimate Guide to Spring Valley Caverns, Minnesota (Tours, Pricing, History, Map)
• Ultimate Guide to Colorado Bend State Park, Texas (Tours, Pricing, History, Map)