Lost River - Karst Information Portal

water depth, this
passage eventually
splits in two directions.
The left hand lead is
a muddy overflow
route that leads to
Echo Lake. Give a
couple of yells here.
The right hand lead
lowers to hands and
knees, intersecting a
few domes, and finally
stand-up passage right
before the stream
sumps.
Reference: 1973
Convention
Guidebook.
Henderson Park is a natural area that
belongs to the City of Salem; The Nature
Conservancy has a conservation easement. It
used to be the water source for the town and
remnants of the water system can still be seen.
There are several collection basins, and a pump
house can be seen in the valley downstream
from the caves. There are three fine caves
in Henderson Park. There is a road of sorts
through the park that passes by all three caves.
You can drive it in a loop if there are no trees
Traveling the road in the Henderson Park
valley along the stream from east to west
you will find a side road to the right after one
ford and just before the second. Follow this
road to a parking area at the end. There is a trail
to the right up and over a small hill that leads to
the cave entrance.
The entrance to Middle Cave is located
under an overhanging ledge. A stream emerges
Washington County Caves
Kevin Komisarcik in Freericksburg Cave. Photo by Dave Black.
Henderson Park
Middle Cave
down and it is not too wet, but you might
wish you had four-wheel drive. The property
is usually locked up and it is necessary to get
permission from the Mayor’s office and pick
up a key at the Police Department. Be sure to
close it behind you so it looks locked to casual
observers. If you are leery of driving down into
the valley, there is a parking spot near a large
tree about 100 yards before the road starts to
descend sharply which is a reasonable walk
from all three caves.
By Jack Hissong
from the entrance. The narrow passage leads
to a small, 6-foot waterfall into a small, round
room. The passage beyond this waterfall is
about 10 feet wide and 4 feet high with a water
floor. This passage leads for 300 feet to a 20foot
waterfall that pours into a pool in the
center of a good size room. There is a 400-foot
side passage in this section.
Access to the remainder of the cave requires
421