About Us

Who we are

The Palmetto Grotto is as an upstate South Carolina caving group that aims to contribute to the caving community by supporting recreation and fellowship, peer learning, cave exploration, and cave conservation.

We participate in a variety of cave-related activities such as:

Beginner horizontal and vertical caving trips
Advanced horizontal and vertical caving trips
Opportunities to practice vertical caving techniques
Knowledge sharing
Day trips and overnight trips
And more!

Our goal is to be a welcoming environment for cavers of all experience levels. Come to a meeting to learn more!

How to participate

The best way to get involved is to meet us in person at our monthly meetings. We meet at 7pm on the first Thursday of each month at ProjectROCK in Easley. We occasionally reschedule meetings for other caving events, so be sure to check our Instagram page for the latest information. If you cannot attend a meeting, visit our contact page to reach out for more information.

FAQ

Do I need to be an experienced caver to participate?

Definitely not! We believe caving is cool and it is one of our main goals to help interested people get into caving. As a grotto, we often organize caving trips specifically for beginners, and the best way to get started is to come to a meeting.

When and where are your meetings?

We usually meet the first Thursday of every month at 7pm at ProjectROCK in Easley (upstairs). Occasionally, we move these meetings due to conflicting caving events. Check our social media for up-to-date information.

What’s the best way to learn about upcoming events?

The very best way is to come to a meeting. If you are unable to attend in person, you can keep up with us on social media or reach out at palmettogrotto@gmail.com to be added to our newsletter.

How does membership work with the Palmetto Grotto?

You do not need to be a member to begin joining grotto events. However, after joining us for two cave trips you must be a member to join for a third trip and beyond. Our membership costs $20, with all proceeds going back into the grotto to help support things like communal gear purchases. We also require prospective members to hold National Speleological Society membership and meet at least two of the following criteria:

Attains a 2/3 majority vote of the executive committee in favor of gaining membership
Has been a participant on at least one official Palmetto Grotto cave trip
Has attended at least two general meetings of the Palmetto Grotto
Has been caving at least twice with an active Grotto member outside of a Grotto trip
Has learned vertical techniques and/or passed an evaluation of vertical caving ability with an officer of the Grotto
Is a member of a local chapter of the NSS other than the Palmetto Grotto