Some facts about Lockwood Cave, one of Tennessee's most unusual caves: At 3.13 miles surveyed length, it is probably the longest known cave in the Pennington Fm. In addition, significant portions of the cave are developed in the overlying Warren Point Sandstone by roof collapse; in Lockwood it is not uncommon to be caving in sandstone and quartz pebble conglomerate, with coal and plant fossils visible in the ceiling. Lockwood likely holds the Tennessee record for number of entrances: at least 22, more if you look hard. Lockwood contains three speleogenetically distinctive sections: The "upper" cave, or main "borehole" is a wide straight tunnel developed at the unconformity separating the Pennington limestone from the Pennsylvanian sandstone above; the unconformity surface, complete with remnants of a weathered zone is visible in many places along this tunnel. The "lower" cave, which actually overlaps elevationally with the "upper" cave, is mainly a joint-controlled maze. A third portion of the cave, the downstream entrance section, is a "constructed cave", formed when the surface stream undercut the limestone cliffs to the point that they collapsed, building up a wall of breakdown, closing in a cave passage along the base of the undercut cliffs. Another feature that makes Lockwood unusual is the fact that the several streams flowing through it all come from the nearby sinking of a major surface stream, and are therefore at near-surface water temperature. In the summer the water is warm and bellying down a low stream crawl is no torture; but in the dead of winter this water feels like razor blades slicing away your flesh! All in all, it's a remarkable cave.
Hope you enjoy the photos below...