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Youth Group Caving

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  Photo by Rafi Reyes
Caving with youth can a highly rewarding and enjoyable experience. However, if done improperly, caving with youth can turn into an emotional and financial nightmare. This website contains information that will help adult youth group leaders and cave trip leaders plan and execute the best and safest trip possible.
Photo by Owen Schultz  
Take your time and explore all of the information within this website. Look at the pages that have been designed for other organized youth groups as well as the ones for the group to which you belong. There may be some information that pertains to special circumstances that you may encounter. Another organization may have a method of dealing with a situation that you may find useful.

If you are a youth group leader with little or no caving experience, you are highly encouraged to find an experienced caver to lead you and your group into a cave. However, be aware that not all experienced cavers are safe cavers. Please read the information in offered in all the brochures published by the NSS before allowing anybody to lead your group into a cave. Read the caving accident reports to learn about what has gone wrong in caves.


Consider taking your group to a wild cave trip in a show cave before venturing off into a truly wild cave. Often these tours will satisfy the "caving urge" of many in your group and this is an easy way to arrange a caving trip. Several show caves have badge and patch activities that teach about speleology and geology. Find this information on the Wild Cave Tours and Sightseeing Trips button.

The NSS has volunteer regional coordinators who assist youth group leaders in developing appropriate caving programs. Consider contacting the regional coordinator for your area.
 Photo by Tom White


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