Wolf River Cave

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Wolf River Cave

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Wolf River Cave is an important resource to our state. Recent studies have shown it to be the second most important known bat cave in Tennessee. We have long known about archeological sites in the cave and we have been worried for too long about vandals finding the "good stuff" in the cave. It is unfortunate but true that endangered bats had to be killed to spark the rallying cry, but at least we have avoided more serious destruction of one of our more beautiful and ecologically significant caves. A bat-friendly gate was installed on the entrance to the cave in Summer of 2000. Winter 2000/2001 bat counts showed an increase in the number of hibernating bats using the cave. Garbage has been almost completely eradicated from Wolf River Cave and other cave biota is flourishing. A threatened Rafinesque's Big-eared bat was found in the register room which is incredible considering the historically high traffic in this portion of the cave. Albino cave crawfish are making their way back into the main cave stream where they had been sporadic at best before the gating. Visitation is open but severly restricted and all visitors are briefed on cave safety, the importance of this cave, and they are asked to sign a release which allows us to keep track of total visitation. Wolf River Cave and the surrounding 33 are owned by the Southeastern Cave Conservancy (SCCi). Management of the cave is overseen by the Wolf River Cave Management Committee, an appointed committee under direction of the SCCi in association with the Tennessee Chapter of the Nature Conservancy.

Thanks to everyone that helped to further protect this valuable and important cave. The Upper Cumberland Grotto would like to thank in particular the previous landowners of Wolf River Cave, The Southeaster Cave Conservancy, the Tennessee Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, Bat Conservation International, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the American Cave Conservation Association, Eric Britzke and the Biology Department at Tennessee Technological University, and all of the volunteers who are too numerous to list here.

The following photos were taken on a Kodak DC 215 digital camera or an Olympus D360-L digital camera and the resolution was greatly reduced to facilitate loading time over the Internet. All photos are copyrighted 2001 by Jay Greene and Kristen Bobo unless otherwise noted.

Go to Wolf River Cave page two featuring an NSS article about the cave.

Go to Wolf River Cave page three featuring a trip report from 1999.

SCCi's Wolf River Cave Preserve Page

Andrew Dickins and Jay Greene inside the gate during a period of low water. The cave stream exits the cave in the left of the photo. The bars of the gate are spaced at 5 3/4 inches apart vertically. This distance keeps most people from squeezing through the gate and still allows bats to fly through relatively easily. This type of gate, using steel angle instead of round-bar reduces the amount of air turbulance as it passes through the gate. Photo by Kristen Bobo, 2001.

A group shot taken just inside the gate. From left to right are: Erin, Mike Woeste, and Jim Landram, all from Ohio, and continuing L to R are Kristen Bobo, Greg King, Jay Greene, and Andrew Dickins, all of the Upper Cumberland Grotto. Photo by Kristen Bobo, 2001, modified by Jay Greene.

An albino cave crawfish found in the main cave stream near the front of the cave. These guys are making a comeback since the installation of the gate.

A Rafenesque's Big-Eared bat found in the register room of Wolf River Cave. This is a sign of the effectiveness of the new gate on the cave. The bat was found right over the rock table that has been in the register room for years and years. This area has historically been such a high visitation part of the cave that this bat would have never roosted there.

Erin and Mike negotiate some breakdown.

Kristen points at some crystals on the wall of the Treasure Chamber in Wolf River Cave.

A small shelf in the Treasure Chamber features some clay sculptures that cavers have left over the years. This rose is particularly nice.

A large crystal found in the Treasure Chamber. Notice my fingers at the bottom of the photo for scale.

An interesting stalactite with white helectites on the bottom. The photo is taken looking straight up. Photo by Jay Greene, 2001.

More interesting helectites growing on a stalactite.

More gravity defying formations in the Treasure Chamber.

A cluster of stalactites, calcite crystals, and helectites hanging from the ceiling in the Treasure Chamber. Notice the bat in the upper right quadrant of the photo. Photo by Jay Greene, 2001.

A decomposing bat in a crystal bed. The wings are the vertical bones on the right and left, and the skull is in the top center.

Crystals in the Treasure Chamber. Photo by Jay Greene, 2001.

Kristen Bobo taking photos of Crystals in the Treasure Chamber.

The photo that Kristen was taking in the above pic.

This photo shows the interface of the limestone and the gypsum. Photo by Kristen Bobo, 2001.

Jim Landram holds a large crystal found in the Treasure Chamber, Wolf River Cave.

Kristen and Jim observe some claw marks and hair imprints from a large cat. These impressions could be up to 15,000 years old. The area is flagged off for protection. Photo by Jay Greene, 2001.