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South Pittsburg Pit Preserve

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South Pittsburg Pit is located in the city of South Pittsburg in Marion County, Tennessee. The cave has a beautiful 160-foot entrance pit and more than 2,200 feet of surveyed passage, and has been a popular destination for cavers since its initial exploration by Chattanooga Grotto members in February 1964. 

The South Pittsburg Pit Preserve includes the pit entrance and ten acres overlying the cave passages, as well as easements for access to and from the preserve. The seller has also donated an additional ten acres to serve as a buffer against future development in the area. Access to the twenty-acre preserve is available via the established trail which begins behind the water tank above Lloyd Park in South Pittsburg. 

The purchase was financed by a 10-year, $40,000 mortgage. We were able to pay off the mortgage in large part because of our Sustaining Members. The stable monthly income allows the SCCi to buy even more caves that we all love and enjoy. Please consider joining the SCCi as a Sustaining Member.  For as little as $10 a month you can be a cave owner. For information on SCCi Sustaining Membership, see our Sustaining page or contact Sustaining Membership manager Bill Stringfellow at sustaining@scci.org. Regular memberships are also available for $25 per year.

NOTICE: To help prevent the spread of the deadly White Nose Syndrome (WNS) affecting bat populations, please read the SCCi Cave Visitation Policy and follow the guidelines before visiting South Pittsburg Pit:

Acreage: 20.0 acres in Marion County, Tennessee
Property Manager: David Crisp (southpittsburg@scci.org)
Access: Open, 12 person limit on group size.

Commercial Use Statement
The Board of the Southeastern Cave Conservancy, Inc. (SCCi) reaffirms its standing policy that bans the commercial use of our properties, and specifically, prohibits any activity where a charge of any type is made. Should you have any questions, contact the SCCi Chair at chair@scci.org .