Grand Caverns Park is a National Natural Landmark and the oldest continually operating show cave in the United States – all right here in the Shenandoah Valley. The park is naturally vulnerable to flooding because its elevation is below the river and the park is located along a sharp bend in the river. After flood damage in the 1990s, two culverts 100 feet apart were constructed to allow floodwater to flow under the main roadway through the park. Although these culverts have helped prevent flooding, the excessive amount of water from Hurricane Helene overwhelmed the system. The water found shortcuts, flowing over the road and riverbanks. It exposed tree root balls and carved tracks in footpaths, scouring the walking trail along the river and exposing historic river rock throughout the alluvial floodplain. Flooding also eroded the riverside trail used to haul heavy machinery in and out of the park. Fortunately, the wooded area along the southern side of the property seemed to help lessen the impact of floodwater and repair work was soon underway. Crews cleaned up the debris and added gravel where needed for about $2,500. They are also investigating more ways to lessen flooding impacts and create an alternative trail for heavy machinery. One happy outcome was the opportunity to repurpose a well-intact fallen tree. Often fallen trees are so damaged that they are only good for firewood, but this tree had fallen into another, cushioning the fall. The trunk remained intact and became a new feature for the natural playground (see picture).
Picture: Left: A fallen tree “upcycled” into a playground climbing feature; Right: Pathway under bridge