Goshute Cave, Nevada

Goshute Cave is one of the more popular and decorated caves in Nevada — REQUIRES a permit to gain access. Please reach out to the Ely Forest Service or your local grotto. Discovered in the late 1800s, it was briefly commercialized but closed due to location and access challenges. The cave has well-known hydrothermal and hypogenic properties giving galleries and side passages very interesting character.

The team: Tim Gocha, April Gocha, Justin Bailey, Randy Paylor, James Edwards. The cave has around 4,000ft of total surveyed passage. The trunk passage is a walking corridor up to 20ft ceiling. Aragonites, folia, and frostwork decorate the cave with speleothem galleries. Mammillaries coat the walls — calcite balls formed in shallow phreatic conditions near the ancient water table.

After exiting we saw smoke blanketing the valley from California fires — impressive, sad, and odd all at once. Goshute Cave is fantastic for cavers at all levels. I'm convinced there are more caves in this range. Wasatch Grotto visited the same day — a great community connection. Highly recommend a visit — permit required through Ely Forest Service.