Howard's Waterfall Cave

"This was my first Spelunking experience and it was great! Half the time we walking upright or crouch walking, the other half was on your hands and knees crawling or flat on belly scooching along. Definitely moderate for beginners. It was about 57° Outside and felt about 50° inside, ended up taking off my jacket. It was dry when I went. But I heard it can be wet and knee pads are a must. We stayed about 3 hours and only ran into 4 different groups inside. It was a great experience even tho we only explored a very small section of the cave, we didn't find the waterfall either. The gravel parking lot is very small and could maybe hold 6 cars. Keep in mind that you should wear something on your hands or plams, and elbow pads for all the scoching. You Will get dirty in this cave so where appropriate clothing and non slip shoes/boots. Overall I had a blast and we will be back soon."

"This is such a beautiful cave!! This was my first time (!!!) caving ever, and I had an amazing time. PLEASE go with a guide. On our trip, we had a girl sprain her ankle when entering the disaster room. Our guide was a certified EMT and knew the cave well, and they’re in the process of getting her out while I write this. Some tips for first time cavers that I learned during my first caving trip: 1) Wear boots or hiking shoes with a good grip on the bottom. This cave is VERY slippery and quite muddy. The day we went was right after a really hard rain so it was especially wet in there. 2) Trust your instincts. If you start getting shaky or think you’re getting tired, head back. You don’t want to be too weak and get stuck in there. 3) Wear knee pads in this cave. It is super rocky during the crawls and it is not an easy entrance into the cave. You will cut and bruise your legs if you don’t. 4) Make sure you secure your headlamp on your helmet! Someone in our group lost theirs into a 30 foot hole. 5) Take it at your own pace. Caving is strenuous and is an exercise of endurance and patience. You’d rather be alive and slow than be at the bottom of a pit. Also, it helps you save energy because getting in and out of the cave is the hardest part!! 6) BRING WATER!! Super important to stay hydrated. I’d say this cave is challenging and fun for both first-time and intermediate cavers. Make sure you have a snack waiting for you when you get out- you’ll need it."

"I love caving and this cave was a lot of fun. It was pretty muddy but that is all part of the experience. There is a good bit of crawling. Not too much climbing. There wasn't any streams to walk through. Good formations. Be sure to bring a change of clothes and shoes for after. I would go again. Make sure you get a permit through the Scci to go."

"Of all the caves we visited when in the area, this would have to be our least favorite. There was no waterfall as the name suggests, even after much rain. There were some decent formations inside. It felt like the majority of the cave was spent on hands and knees. We did take two children 11 and 14. While it was possible for them to explore, I personally don't recommend taking children here. There are way too many holes that drop straight down along the path. Highly recommend taking knee pads to avoid the glass in the crawl into the cave. We found other people there who must not have read the cave requirements- a helmet, headlamp and permit are required. Cave smart, bring a map. This is not a cave I will ever be coming back to."

"The crawl through water was too much for me. Very crowded, didn't get to go all the way in. Very compact entrance, picture doesn't look as small as it looks in person! Definitely not for the claustrophobic!!! Sign says to wear protective gear. Must have a permit with at least three people taking the trip. All three people must sign (electronically) before the permit is issued. Print two copies, one for windshield of your car & one to carry. We went to Walmart to print them off. Parking is limited, it's literally right off the side of the road."