Caving in the United States
Pictures Courtesy of Carlsbad Caverns National Park
My first experience with caves was when a friend and I drove across country from Boston to San Diego. We camped in Carlsbad, New Mexico and the next morning visited the Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
Having grown up in an urban environment I had never seen a cave like this before. It was amazing to think that sulfuric acid had carved out the 8.3-acre main room and 300 known caves in the area.
It got me thinking about early man exploring caves for shelter from the elements, their enemies or out of curiosity.
The Native Americans mined caves for Gypsum and used it for paint as well as for medical purposes.
Still, like the depths of the ocean many expansive cave systems are some of the last parts of our Earth that remain unexplored.
Over 70% of the United States has a significant amount of caves to observe. Many of the more accessible caves have been explored and mapped, but there are an unthinkable number of miles that are yet to be seen by man.
The Sport Today
As a recreational sport caving has grown in popularity over the last century or two. It can be an exciting, dangerous and an awe-inspiring activity.
Today, many people begin caving because they are looking for exercise. Sometimes they are trying to fulfill their insatiable need for adventure or a means to conducting scientific research. Caving is good for all of these reasons and more.
The Adventure
Standing at the edge of a dark opening that has been etched into the side of a mountain, the cold silence of a cave draws you a few feet into its entrance. 
Suddenly your nerves outweigh your curiosity of the deep black, but you turn on your hands free helmet light, take a breath and go.
Exotic formations, streams and waterfalls, tight crawlways, deep canyons and pits are some of the things waiting for a caver.
States like Virginia, West Virginia, New Mexico, California, Oregon, Washington, Tennessee, Alabama, and Arkansas have many highly accessible and well-explored caves.
Like my experience with the Carlsbad Caverns many National and State Parks have tours (self guided and otherwise) where you can learn about this amazing underground world.
Many new caves need extensive digging and crawling just to get into them. This kind of caving is not normal for the new comer. Most work of this sort is done by highly skilled workers that map these caves and is as much work as it is adventure.
Due to the availability of modern protective wear and equipment, caving has developed into a sophisticated, athletic pastime in recent decades. It has come to be known as an "Extreme Sport" to the annoyance of many.
What Caving Is Really About
The most important lesson that I learned was that despite being carved from rock these places are rather fragile ecosystems. This makes caving more than adventure; it is a way to understand the Earth better.
The motto of the National Speleological Society (NSS) is "Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints and kill nothing but time". Caving responsibly is important.
Pollution is also a big concern. Water that flows through a cave eventually comes out in streams and rivers, and can even seriously affect the surface environment, not to mention the delicate cave dwelling species that call that cave home.
The look but not touch principal that caving is built on helps preserve these pristine areas for future generations. The slightest misstep or fingerprint can spoil a floor or wall that has been in the works for hundreds, thousands and even millions of years.
When you visit or go caving please take this lesson to heart and be careful what you touch and where you step. Delicate and majestic formations can't be replaced.
How To Start Caving
Most caves are privately owned, dangerous and delicate. You usually won't find much public information on caves because of legal liability and conservation issues as well.
So where do you go to find out about a cool place to go?
The National Speleological Society has more than 12,000 members and 200 "Grottos" (local organizations) to help you find any information you need to be a safe and happy caver.
The NSS does more than any other organization to study, explore, and conserve cave resources. They protect access to caves, encourage responsible management of caves and their unique environments, and promote responsible caving.
The fee is a meager $36 per year or $720 for a lifetime membership. If you are not sure if you want to join yet you could go thru other cavers.
NSS cavers have been doing this work since before 1941. The information they collect is preserved and passed down mostly thru grottos. Grottos are the easy way to be safe and effective with your time.
By getting involved with a grotto you will have access to more caves than you know what to do with. Talk to the right people and you could be in one this weekend.
Sitting here writing this article I can still feel the chill of the cave and smell the dank aroma of 280 million years of evolution. Caves are something you can enjoy no mater what level you want to take part in.
The casual observer can find a place such as Carlsbad Caverns National Park or if you really want to get into the sport then join a Grotto and visit a lesser known cave in your area.