Located in the Kishacoquillas Valley about 2 miles southeast of the village of Milroy, Alexander is a large water cavern from which Mammoth Spring flows. Mammoth Spring is the third largest spring in Pennsylvania and flows at an average of 14,000 gallons per minute through an opening in above ground limestone. Although the spring was known by settlers, the dry cave itself was not found until John Spielman and Henry Schmidt explored the opening from which the water of Mammoth Spring flowed in 1926. Soon after, the cave began to be explored and adapted for use as a commercial cave.
By 1929, an additional artificial opening was created in the dry section of the cave to better allow commercialization and the cave had been opened for tours. 115 stairs were created to allow people to enter the heavily decorated Cathedral room. This magnificent room contained delicate pencils and films, stalactites, ribbons, domes, stumps, and columns. In order to allow visitors to see more of the cave, boat tours were added in 1930.
The cave continued operating as a show cave until 1959, when the lease on the caverns expired and the landowners chose not to renew. The cavern was closed and sealed. Several years later in approximately 1966, it was noted that the door had been removed from the artificial entrance. Upon investigation it was found that many of the beautiful natural sculptures had been vandalized.
In 1986 when Bald Eagle Grotto was formed, negotiations to regain access to this cave began with the landowner. A management plan was decided upon and accepted, allowing the continued enjoyment and exploration of this exceptional cave. At this time there is over 11,200 feet of surveyed passage.
Guidelines
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No caving on Sundays. All other days, visitors are expected to be off the property between sunset and sunrise.
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No PAY TO CAVE. Bald Eagle Grotto (BEG) is a non-profit, all volunteer organization. A chapter of the National Speleological Society (NSS).
MONETARY DONATIONS ARE ACCEPTED ON BEHALF OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS
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Tours are limited to 10 people, and they must remain with the Bald Eagle Grotto keyholder.
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Vehicles should be kept to a minimum when traveling on the property. Extreme caution and a slow approach to the cavern should be exercised as landowners work the property daily and livestock freely roam the property.
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Be respectful of the landowners. No horseplay, loud talk, or music while on the property.
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Apart from the building entrance to the cavern, ABSOLUTELY NO photography or videos of any kind are to be taken while above ground on the landowner's property.
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Participants must be comfortable in a small boat and understand that they are entering at their own risk. If you wish to wear a personal flotation device (PFD), you must bring your own.
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Bald Eagle Grotto follows the safety guidelines of the National Speleological Society (NSS) and The National Cave Rescue Commission (NCRC). As such, sections of the cavern may be inaccessible due to environmental conditions.
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Pennsylvania State and Federal law protects all caves on public or private grounds. Do not touch or damage cave formations.
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Pennsylvania Regular Session 1987-1988 Senate Bill 1405
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Federal Cave Resources Protection Act of 1988
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Trip Requests
Please take a moment to carefully review the guidelines for visiting Alexander Caverns. Once you’ve done so, please indicate your level of caving experience so we can plan accordingly—such as how long you’ve been caving and whether you’ll need to borrow a helmet or other gear. We also ask that you provide up to three preferred dates for your visit, keeping in mind that caving is not permitted on Sundays and that the caverns are closed from November through May to protect bats during their hibernation period. Please note that all requests are handled by VOLUNTEERS, and we appreciate your patience and cooperation as we work to accommodate visit requests.