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 About
Morgan RV Resorts is the largest private owner and operator of RV Resorts in the U.S. Family owned and operated, the company provides quality, unique, affordable vacation accommodations in some of the country’s most beautiful and family-friendly destinations. Morgan RV Resorts offers an extensive selection of services including clubhouses, restaurants, live entertainment and activities, a swimming pool, hospitality services, wireless internet, and superb locations.
Endless Caverns and RV Resort is located in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. Enjoy the beauty of the area, discover the majestic Caverns, and enjoy camping at our brand new RV Resort. The campground offers many on-site amenities including a new swimming pool, nature trails and playground. Whether you stay for a weekend or the season, you are sure to have a wonderful stay at Endless Caverns and RV Resort.
Cave Tours- We are known throughout the state as one of the caves with the most natural beauty. Tours last approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Guests will enjoy a guided tour through our rustic cave. Cave temperature is year round 55 degrees. Pictures and video taping are permitted. Comfortable closed toed shoes are necessary for all those attending a tour. Winter tours are conducted 7 days a week starting at 9:30am and the last tour leaves at 4:00pm. Tours go about every ½ hour. The cave is not ADA accessible and may not be appropriate for those with fear of small enclosed areas. Bats are present throughout the cave and are protected by the state of Virginia. Pets are not permitted in the cave, but we have a kennel where guests can leave their animals. Food and beverages are not permitted in the cave.
Pricing
- Adults - $16
- Children (4-12) - $8
- 3 and under are free
- Adult Campers - $13
- Child Campers (4-12) - $6.50
- Group rates are available for 10+ guests
Renovations planned for Endless Caverns & RV Resort
You can't help but to be amazed by what you'll see when visiting Endless Caverns. While it's hard to compete with the natural beauty of the area, the renovations will provide visitors with some modern conveniences to make their stay even more enjoyable. We are delighted to be part of the Shenandoah Valley travel industry and anticipate the word to spread regarding the improvements being made to Endless Caverns.
Endless Caverns & RV Resort have begun a renovation project which will include the following projects:
- The plan allows for up to 300 RV sites over the next 24 months. These plans are phased and market driven.
- Refurbishment of all public buildings -- gift shop, conference center and lodge with addition of snack bar and renovations to restroom facilities.
- Landscaping and refurbishment of Caverns' grounds.
- 18 hole putt-putt
- Catch and Release Pond
In addition, the Endless Caverns sign on the side of the Massanutten Mountain has been completely refurbished and lit for the first time in 20 years. This sign is the largest lighted sign in the United States.
History
Endless Caverns was discovered in 1879, on the farm of Ruben Zirkle. Here in the Central section of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, near the town of New Market, two boys and their dog, while rabbit hunting, cornered their prey beneath a cluster of boulders. Removing some loose rock in an effort to find the rabbit, they discovered instead a cave entrance. This began the first of a great many explorations.
Word of this fantastic discovery soon spread. Enthused by the great public interest in the cave, Zirkle opened the caverns for commercial tours. Pathways were smoothed and steps added to accommodate visitors. Horse drawn coaches greeted the passengers at the New Market rail station. Most visitors came on weekends known as “Illumination Days” on which thousands of candles would be placed throughout the cave, in addition to the candles that the visitor carried.
Then in 1919, Edward T. Brown and his son purchased the cave for commercial development. One year later, the caverns were opened to the public with a large visitor center, and, for the first time, presented with electric lighting.
Geology is only part of the fascination of the underground world. The cave is home to a number of specially adapted creatures. Bats are perhaps the most familiar form of life in a cave. Endless Caverns has three species of bats living within: the Eastern Pipistrail Bat, the Brown Bat, and the Large Brown Bat. All are nocturnal creatures who roost during daylight hours and feed at night on flying insects. Bats are the only major predator of night-flying insects. Their sonar ability is a vital tool, enabling one of these little creatures to eat as many as 500 insects in one hour. Of the 39 species of bats in the United States, all but three are insect eaters. The remaining species sustain life on nectar. Endless Caverns, as many of America’s show caves, has a healthy population of these fascinating creatures; and several are usually visible from the tour.
Deep within the cave, in the shallow flowing stream, live several unique aquatic creatures. These specially adapted species are blind and without pigmentation. Their survival depends upon nutrients in the water washing in from above. Nature wastes nothing. Here, deep within the earth, deprived of sunlight and with very little food, these delicate creatures have managed to survive.
Perhaps the most alluring aspect of speleology is exploration. Endless Caverns has a long history of cave exploration beginning in 1925 with the New York Explorers Club. They ventured as far as their skill and equipment of the day would allow. It soon became evident that there were many more passageways yet to be explored, and their supplies were running low. The team decided to leave a note in a bottle for future explorers to discover. The note was a challenge for the next group to move the bottle further into the cave and find an end to the Endless Caverns.
By 1967, exploration techniques had greatly improved. A team from the National Speleological Society returned to explore the cave further. The original bottle was soon discovered. After photographing its contents, the bottle was removed from the cave. Before the expedition concluded, the team place a bottle of their own in the furthest passageway reached. This plastic bottle contained photographic documentation of the original bottle and its note, along with a note of their own, challenging future explorers to find the end. This container was discovered in 1985 and is on display at the caverns. To this day, new discoveries are being made by members of the National Speleological Society.
Currently a project is underway to re-map the cave adding newly found passages. This is an ongoing project, which will take years to complete. Using a compass, measuring tape and clinometer, a survey exploration team, consisting of three members, accurately records the distance, direction, and physical features of the cave.
After the mapping team records this data in the cave, it is then entered into a computer for processing. The adjusted coordinates are then used in the final rendering of the map. The cartographer is able to indicate the geological features of the cave on the map.
The important part of any exploration is to photo-document the unique geological and biological features found within. Care must be taken not to disturb the cave environment. Some documentation is vital in determining geological changes which occur over a long period of time, and accurately identifying biological discoveries.
Unlike the experienced cave explorer, you need only a few simple clothing articles to enjoy a tour of the caverns. The cave remains a constant 55 degrees year round. A light jacket and proper walking shoe is recommended, as the pathways are maintained as naturally as possible. The cave is presented in its natural color, by using white lighting only. To protect the cave from damage and preserve its beauty for future generations to enjoy, the touching of formations is not allowed. If touched, a waxy coating is deposited, which can halt future growth and discolor the formation.
Many visitors to Endless Caverns are amazed by the gigantic Endless Caverns’ sign on the side of the mountain. The sign is over 500 feet long and approximately 35 feet tall. Visible for miles, the sign has long been a landmark to the traveler in the Shenandoah Valley.
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