Artesian Spring - Smoke Hole, WV
Posted: Nov 1, 2014 3:03 pm
I toured Smoke Hole Caverns, WV, several weeks ago and am curious about their artesian spring coming from a stalagmite. Can anyone confirm if this formation is natural, or did they drill into an existing stalagmite to reach an aquifer? The guide suggested that it was natural; but I have to admit that I have a hard time trusting the tour-spiel at privately owned caves (especially ones that stock a cave pool with trout). Also the cave was in a very interesting twisted formation (Tonoloway, I think). The guide suggested that the cave formed before the layers were rotated. This also seems suspect to me. Could a cave even survive those kinds of forces? I am guessing that what was meant was that the layers were rotated before the cave formed; but that is not how it was stated.