SMG meets at 7:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each and every month in the University of Tennessee's Earth and Planetary Sciences Building (formerly called the Geology Building) on the UT Knoxville campus.  The room we meet in can vary due to conflicts with classes.  We try to get rooms 302 or 307 if we can, but often they are taken by classes.  If you don't find us in either of these two rooms, please look in other rooms on the first, second, or third floors. 

See UT maps webpage for how to find the Earth and Planetary Sciences Building.  [Display map #8 to get a map of "The Hill".  The Earth and Planetary Sciences Building is shown ~south of Ayers Hall]. 

Parking on "The Hill" is technically restricted, but in practice they don't seem to hassle unregistered cars that late in the evening.  If you don't feel like taking a chance on getting a ticket, there is always street parking on the other side of Cumberland Avenue in the Fort Sanders area.  (Hey, the walk will help get you in shape for your next cave trip).

If you're interested in caving you should check us out.

The Smoky Mountain Grotto was chartered by the NSS in 1960s.   Since then the grotto has made many contributions to caving, especially in the areas of exploration, mapping, and conservation.  Membership averages about 20-30 members, and  about 75% of the total membership are also NSS members.  Many of our members are also active in other NSS Internal Organizations, such as the Southeastern Regional Association, the Tennessee Cave Survey, the Southeastern Cave Conservancy, and others.  The grotto stays active in conservation efforts such as cave cleanups, gate installation, bat counts, and working with landowners.  Membership dues are $10.00 a year for regular members, $5.00 for students, and $2.00 a year for family members.  Please contact the grotto at the e-mail link below for additional information.

SMG was host for the 2002 SERA Summer Cave Carnival.  This event has long since past but we've left the web page posted for now in case anybody's interested in any of the info ...