There is a ton of cave related information on the Web, but finding the interesting bits can be a drag. Try some of the links below for a starting point. They are in no particular order at this time, but when this list gets a little more cumbersome, I'll be sure to organize things a bit better. Check back from time to time for new links.

National Speleological Society (NSS)
Our parent organization. Contains links to grottos in your area, and information on all things about caves and caving.

Western Region
An association of NSS grottos in California, Nevada, and Southern Oregon which promotes cave conservation, the scientific study of caves, exploration, and speleoeducation.

Other Grottos and Friends of the SFBC
Links to other grottos, focusing on the western side of the United States. For a list of every grotto, visit the NSS website.

Vancouver Island Cave Exploration Group
You're a little further north? The Vancouver Island Cave Exploration Group covers caving in western Canada, focusing on Vancouver Island. There are also links to other caving groups in western Canada. This is a great starting point for Canadian cavers!

NSS Cave Diving Section
Diving in caves requires special equipment and training. Learn about this dangerous, yet rewarding, combination of caving and diving here.

The Cave Page
Considered by some to be one of the most complete caving pages on the Web, this page by Sherry Mayo is based in Australia but covers issues relating to cavers from all over the world. A must visit! Be sure to check out Sherry's "links" section for a ton of useful caving links!

California State Parks Service
The home page for the California State Parks Service. Get the inside track on our state parks!

California and Federal Caving Laws, Plus Laws in Other States
If you're a California caver, you must read this information! We also provide links to other sites on the Web where you can find legal information in your state.

CavePics Homepage
Gems of the Golden State : The 15 best caves to visit in California is richly illustrated with nearly seventy top quality photographs by life SFBC members, Peter and Ann Bosted, who have been photographing California's finest caves for over two decades.


California Bat Conservation Fund
The California Bat Conservation Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of bats. Their philosophy is one of education, rehabilitation of injured and orphaned bats, and cooperation with other conservation efforts.

North American Bat Conservation Partnership
An organization of Bat Conservation International dedicted to "promote more effective protection of bats and their habitats through collaboration of bat researchers, private organizations and foundations, corporations, and government agencies in Mexico, Canada, and the United States." While there, be sure to visit their closed cave list and the archives of their newsletter, BATS Magazine.

Discovery Online : Bat Hangouts


When you're in trouble underground, it's not the time to try to learn about cave rescue in California. Take a peek at these links to get up to speed on some of the things which are involved in getting yourself back out of trouble...

National Cave Rescue Commission (NCRC)
What do you do if you get injured or lost in a cave? Who do you call if you can't get yourself out? Well, noone because you're stuck in a cave. But your friends and family should have access to this information in case of an emergency. Every member of your group should also know who to contact if the unthinkable happens. The NCRC contains information critical for all cavers to know. For more specific regional information, try one of the links below:

Self Rescue Group
The Self Rescue Group is a team of cavers in the Western Region that are dedicated to developing and teaching self rescue techniques to other cavers. This is self rescue at its most basic - dealing with the situation with what you have on hand.

San Bernardino County Cave Rescue Team
The Sheriff's Cave Rescue Team in San Bernardino County is the only formally organized, trained and equipped, agency-affiliated rescue team dedicated to cave rescue in the State of California.


NSS Cave Conservation and Management
Information on cave conservation and management. News briefs and bulletins which concern cavers. Is your favorite cave about to be closed? Is a new land management proposal threatening to restrict access to our caves? Does a local group need assistance cleaning or gating a cave in your area? It's all here.

Cave Bolting and Climbing Issues
Rock climbers have just as much right to caves as do cavers, yet some climbing practices can inadvertantly do serious damage to the very caves we all love. This page discusses issues of bolting and climbing in caves, particularly the damage which can be caused by bolts and climbing chalk. If you're a climber, please read this information before pounding in that bolt or chalking up!


Cave Research Foundation
The Cave Research Foundation (CRF)coordinates research efforts and expeditions. The local branch of the CRF covers the Sequoia and Kings Canyon Cave Management and Lava Beds Research Center. An unofficial official Pacific CRF site is also available with some really great information!

Karst Waters Institute
If you understand the hydrology of an area, you will understand how and why caves form, why your home just got swallowed up by that sinkhole, and how water gets from point A to point B in karst. The Karst Waters Institute promotes scientific studies of karst areas, sponsors workshops and conferences, and occasionally publishes scientific articles.

Center for Cave and Karst Studies
Run by a group of twenty professors, specializing in all topics cave related, this organization studies karst related issues, particularly involving caves. If your interested in the scientific side of caving, they also offer classes.


Several Federal agencies may be of interest to cavers. Don't be afraid to take advantage of these sites--after all, if you're a US tax payer, you're paying for it!

Speaking of the National Park Service, I found this nice NPS publication from the NPS Cave and Karst Resources. This is a quarterly newsletter which will be "...a forum for information and idea exchanges between National Park Service units that contain caves." There is some really great material in these first issues, and I heartily recommend checking them out! It is a very slow site, however, so please be patient!

©2008. These pages and their contents are property of the San Francisco Bay Chapter Incorporated, part of the National Speleological Society, except where otherwise noted. Opinions expressed within are not necessarily those of the SFBC, its board members, or the NSS.