During our Easter camping trip, we were lucky enough to have visited Virginia’s Natural Chimneys.  Natural Chimney Park is located in Mt. Solon, in Augusta County, Virginia, along the North River.  There is a campground located at the park with a pool, playground, and hiking trails.  Natural Chimneys Park is also home to one of the largest jousting tournaments in the Eastern United States.  The tournament has been held annually the third Saturday in August, since 1821!

It’s pretty amazing that the Shenandoah Valley was once the floor of an inland sea!  The “chimneys” formed from limestone that began to accumulate under the sea during the Paleozoic Era (some 500 million years ago!!) … the seven “chimneys” that stand at Natural Chimneys Park in Mt. Solon, Virginia tower an amazing 120 ft, and have caves within them.  While visiting the chimneys, Cello had her first spelunking expedition!

Jenny and Cello at Natural Chimneys:

Let’s go spelunking!

Brian and Cello entering the cave!

Friends Brandi, and her daughter, Payton, entering the cave:

Thank goodness for iPhones, and camera flashes…it was DARK in there!!

Jenny and Cello taking a rest after our first-ever cave exploration:

It was amazing to learn the history of this incredible natural formation.  The chimneys and the cave we were in is something I will definitely never forget!