Carter Cave Mines, Cascade Caverns/Smokey Valley

Swifty

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Aug 13, 2007
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Hello All,
As close as I can remember, Coming from I- 64 to Carter Caves State Park, just before you get to the entry of the park, there is a concrete bridge going over the creek. If you park without crossing the bridge and proceed :walk: up stream to Cascade Caverns or Smokey Valley area you will come to the first big turn in the creek, just before you make the turn along the trailside is a cliff, under this cliff is a mine shaft it is approx 6X8ft. rectangular and about 10ft deep it is filled in. It is definitely a shaft going strait down, as far as I know it has not been escavated.
Further up the trail towards Cascade Caverns on same side is a monument rock, it resembles and Indian Head, looking out over across the creek, I believe there may be two of them, (this particular monument rock is mentioned in silver mine folklore/legend somewhere, but I can't remember which story). :read2:
There are several small caves as you travel to Cascade Caverns on the Cascade Cavern side of the creek. Also in one of the hollows just before you get to Cascade Caverns is a very small waterfall coming out of the Cliff, we found it one day taking break or puff :sleepy2:. It has a very narrow entrance but high enough to stand in. Water comes out of it about 6 inches deep. I explored it back as far as I could without proper lights, the passage continued on, don't know if it hooks up with Cascade Caverns or not, but it is something I always wanted to check out more, but never have gotten too. Also in the valley up behind Cascade Caverns are several more caves. Across the creek from Cascade Caverns proper as you go back down the creek are a few more caves.
Also across from the main store in Carter City, directly up from the front of the store is a ridge high up, the store owner told me it had many indian burial sites within it. The Indians had a special name for the cave system, it stared with the letter "O", the name meant place of many holes. Some of the entrances are closed off by the owner but there are probably other entrances to be found. Well I though I'd share some of my past hikin info with ya'll who are interested in the area, good luck, hope ya'll find somethin.

L37something -aka-The Swizard
 

boomer

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Jul 8, 2003
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Swizard, read my post from yesterday on (indian waybill revisited), telling about the kenton salt works and the indian cave with the arm and gold nuggets. you never know, you may be close. Cascade Caverns was at one time used by counterfeiters and where did they get the silver. there are a few stories of gold nuggets being found on tygert and kenny and little sandy river. also there in smoky valley silver bars, a furnace and money molds have been found.
 

Curtis

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Sep 3, 2008
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The Swizard ,

This is great "boots on the ground" stuff. I was at the CC park this winter looking at various things (like the natural bridges), must have been right over the top of the mine you mentioned so I missed it. This is great information. The O system of caves locations are interesting, could be the "Great Cave of the Shawnee" is near there or part of it.
 

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