Stalactites or Stalagmites?

From Washington DC we headed towards Shenandoah National Park in Northern Virginia. We took a slight detour to cross into West Virginia, then turned right around and were back on our way. After setting up camp the boys went long boarding while I fixed dinner. We didn't do too much other than camp at Shenandoah. Once packed up the next morning we left and saw some amazing views from a couple scenic overlooks while driving along the park road. 

Our next stop was a few miles down the road. The Luray Caverns and Wishing Well. After waiting a short while in line we went down the stairs to begin the tour. Several years ago our family had toured the Carlsbad Caverns while on vacation in New Mexico. This was somewhat similar. There were lots of stalactites and stalagmites in all sizes, short and long, thin and thick. We tried to stay towards the back of the tour group, so Jacob could get pictures without other people in them. :-) We saw a small lake down there that due to the reflections of the stalactites on the surface made the water look 6-8 ft deep, but it was actually only 8-15 inches! There was also a wishing well that collects approximately $30,000 each year. That money is donated to various charities in the local area. The cavern was quite spectacular and we enjoyed the tour. 

Then it was over the hill and through the woods to Grandma's (& Grandpa's) house we went! On the way we hit 10,000 miles. We were greatly disappointed when the trip odometer reset to 0.0 after hitting 9,999.9m.

Next Stop: Grandma and Grandpa's, NC

-Sarah


P.S. - Stalagmites hang from the ceiling and stalactites rise up from the ground ... or actually it might be the other way around ... it's been two years since we've were there ... 

Here's a few more photos from the Caverns: