HR3 Accomplishments

The following are caves that were found and/or have been surveyed by HR3 since its inception.

Caves with question marks for TCS numbers have not been assigned a TCS number yet; they have not been turned in.


Choose a link to the year of interest. Caves are categorized by their ending survey date. For example, if a cave was surveyed from 1991 to 1994, then the cave will be listed in 1994 accomplishments.

HR3 Accomplishments by Year



1990 Accomplishments

Cave Name TCS Number New Cave? Survey Dates Surveyed H. Length Vertical Extent Notes
South Iris Cave TVB 549 Y 4/90 105 feet 24 feet Located and surveyed by Marbry Hardin and Ron Zawislak.
Bottlebrush Cave TWR 353 Y Unsurveyed 60 feet est. 15 feet est. Located by Don Lance and Marbry Hardin on October 27, 1990, during a ridgewalk. Cave consisted of a single room filled with stalactites resembling bottle brushes.




1992 Accomplishments

Cave Name TCS Number New Cave? Survey Dates Surveyed H. Length Vertical Extent Notes
Black Santa Cave TBE 33 Y 2/29/92 575 feet 24 feet Located by Brian Roebuck; surveyed by Don Lance, Keith Filson, and Turner Boone.
Blue Crystal Well TCN 1 N 4/16/92 361 feet 111 feet Surveyed by Don Lance and Marbry Hardin
Rolling Thunder Cave TMR 11 Y 7/12/92 441 feet 20 feet Located by Brian and Lynn Roebuck; surveyed by Lynn Roebuck, Brian Roebuck, Shanda Clark, Keith Filson, Kim Filson, Ron Zawislak, and Don Lance.
Murrays Moo Cave TBE 34 Y 8/2/92 53 feet 5 feet Located by Brian and Lynn Roebuck; grade 1 survey (tape & sketch) performed by Don Lance and Jeff Dodson.




1993 Accomplishments

Cave Name TCS Number New Cave? Survey Dates Surveyed H. Length Vertical Extent Notes
John Hollins Cave TCN 17 N 2/6/93 251 feet 38 feet Surveyed by Don and Sherry Lance.
Kave Kave Kave TBE 37 Y 4/10/93 86 feet 47 feet Located by Brian and Lynn Roebuck; surveyed by Brian Roebuck, Lynn Roebuck, Don Lance, Jeff Dodson, Tim Denton. Cave entrance was located in a sink used for KKK meetings decades ago, and meeting goers supposedly hung their robes in the cave entrance.
Gung Hole TBE 36 Y 4/10/93 39 feet 50 feet Located by Brian and Lynn Roebuck; surveyed by Don Lance and Jeff Dodson
Ledbetter Waterfall Cave TBE 38 Y Unsurveyed 200 feet est. 30 feet est. Located by Brian and Lynn Roebuck; HR3 visited the cave on 4/10/93.
Boof Saltpetre Pit TBE 35 Y 8/6/93 421 feet 96 feet Located by Brian Roebuck and his dog Boof. Surveyed by Don Lance, Ron Zawislak, Marbry Hardin, John Ferree, Brian Roebuck, Dave Keever




1994 Accomplishments

Cave Name TCS Number New Cave? Survey Dates Surveyed H. Length Vertical Extent Notes
Lamaroba Cave TRU 19 N 7/9/94 107 feet 17 feet Surveyed by Keith Filson, John Ferree and Don Lance. Survey found the cave to be under Interstate 24.
Billy Stone Cave TMR 1 N 10/9/94-11/6/94 2,621 feet 36 feet Surveyed by Brian Roebuck, Lynn Roebuck, Shanda Clark, Keith Filson, Don Lance, Roger Dahlman, Tony Clymer, Marbry Hardin, and Ron Zawislak. At the time of the completion of the survey, the cave was the longest in Moore County according to TCS data.
Killer Kricket Kave TVB 583 Y Spring '91 - Winter '94 1,570 feet 23 feet Located by Ron Zawislak, Marbry Hardin, and Keith Filson; surveyed by Ron Zawislak, Marbry Hardin, Keith Filson, Don Lance, Tony Asbrock, and Roger Moon. Cave was named for its large population of cave crickets.
Shoffner Cave TBE 26 N 6/6/93-12/3/94 2,460 feet 110 feet Surveyed by Ron Zawislak, Don Lance, Keith Filson, Marbry Hardin, Lynn Roebuck. Aided by PSCS members Bobby Biddix and Tony Asbrock. Previous grade 4 survey in late 60's listed length as 1,400 feet with unknown vertical extent. During the resurvey, Lynn Roebuck located a virgin extension that added over 1,000 feet to the length and greatly extended the depth of the cave. Shoffner is now the second deepest cave in Bedford County.
Litterbox Hole TBE 39 Y 12/10/94 244 feet 21 feet Located by Brian and Lynn Roebuck; surveyed by Lynn Roebuck, Brian Roebuck, Keith Filson, Ron Zawislak, and Marbry Hardin.




1995 Accomplishments

Cave Name TCS Number New Cave? Survey Dates Surveyed H. Length Vertical Extent Notes
Duke's Dungeon TVB 551 Y Unsurveyed 60 feet 8 feet Located by Ron Zawislak and Marbry Hardin in 1/95.
Will Stone Cave TMR 9 N 2/18/95-9/9/95 7,512 feet 93 feet Surveyed by Don Lance, Ron Zawislak, Lynn Roebuck, Brian Roebuck, Roger Dahlman, Keith Filson, Marbry Hardin, Bill Love, Jeff Dodson, Dave Keever, Robert Brasier, John Ferree, and Karen Carr. The survey found over 5,000 feet of virgin cave and revealed the cave to be Moore County's longest and deepest cave. NOTE - The landowner has closed access to this cave, and it is now gated.
Duke's Wild Iris Cave TVB 564 Y 4/90-9/30/95 560 feet 93 feet Located by Ron Zawislak and Marby Hardin; surveyed by Ron Zawislak, Marbry Hardin, Dave Keever, Don Lance, Keith Filson, Karen Carr and John Smyre. Cave included three pits of 28', 15', and 35'.
Hale of a Cave TBE 41 Y 10/14/95-11/18/95 1,473 feet 76 feet Located by Brian and Lynn Roebuck. Surveyed by Lynn Roebuck, Brian Roebuck, Don Lance, Keith Filson, Marbry Hardin, and Karen Carr.




1996 Accomplishments

Cave Name TCS Number New Cave? Survey Dates Surveyed H. Length Vertical Extent Notes
My Cave TRU 83 Y 6/23/96 38 feet 71 feet Located by Matt Sizemore. Surveyed by Ron Zawislak, Brian Roebuck, Don Lance, Keith Filson, and Matt Sizemore. Survey found this to be a bad air cave.
Espey Cave TCN 10 N 6/6/90-8/31/96 31,823 feet (6.03 miles) 150 feet This was HR3's first survey project. Over a six-year period, the survey of Espey Cave consisted of 66 survey trips. When the survey began, the Tennessee Cave Survey (TCS) estimated the cave to be just over 2 miles long. In the process of surveying the cave, HR3 located over a mile of virgin cave, including the largest room in the cave. The current length places Espey Cave as the second longest cave in Cannon County -- behind Haws Spring Cave (TCN 81), estimated to be around 40,000 feet in length. Espey, however, is the longest completely surveyed cave in Cannon County.
Raby Cow Drop TMR 12 Y Unsurveyed 15 feet est. 44 feet est. This pit was discovered by Jeremy (Batbubba) Hill, and he visited the cave with Brian Roebuck. The drop was taped on 10/17/96, and a grade 1 map will be submitted to the TCS. The cave was named for Mr. Raby's cow, who visited the cave by accident. He misses her still...
Rebel Dyke Cave TBE 49 Y 11/16/96 1,266 feet 78 feet This cave was located by Jeremy (Batbubba) Hill, and HR3 visited and surveyed the cave on the same day. Much of the cave consisted of large passage (50 feet wide, 20 feet tall), with old civil war era dates.
Stump Butt Pit TRU 104 Y Unsurveyed 20 feet est. 47 feet est. This pit was located initially by Marbry Hardin on high-resolution topographic maps, then verified during a ridgewalk by Don Lance. The pit was dropped by Marbry Hardin on 11/24/96, who taped the depth.
Eat Mo Spam Pit TRU 102 Y Unsurveyed 20 feet est. 32 feet est. This pit was located by Don Lance, Karen Carr, and Marbry Hardin during the same day that Stump Butt Pit was dropped. Don dropped the pit, and taped the depth. Named in honor of Jeff Dodson's favorite cuisine.
Eyes In The Dark Cave TWR 349 Y 12/14/96 116 feet 65 feet First located by Marbry Hardin and Don Lance during a ridgewalk on October 27, 1990. A return trip by Marbry, Don, Keith Filson and Jeremy Hill surveyed the cave.
Ti-D-Hole TWR 351 Y 12/96 320 feet 10 feet This cave, explored by Marbry Hardin and Keith Filson, was mostly stream crawl.




1997 Accomplishments

Cave Name TCS Number New Cave? Survey Dates Surveyed H. Length Vertical Extent Notes
Troxler Pit TBE 17 Y 5/3/97 35 feet 59 feet This pit was located with the help of a landowner and was explored/surveyed on May 3, 1997. Surveyed by Lynn Roebuck, Brian Roebuck, Jeremy Hill, and Don Lance.
Weavers Well TBE 55 Y 5/3/97 186 feet 80 feet On the same day that Troxler Pit was explored, HR3 members Jeremy Hill, Lynn Roebuck, Brian Roebuck and Don Lance explored and surveyed this nearby pit. The cave contained a nice 40-foot dome and some nice small helictites.
Psycho Hodag Cave TBE 48 Y 5/13/97 414 feet 26 feet Located by Jeremy Hill, and surveyed by Jeremy, Ray Pope, Brian Roebuck and Lynn Roebuck. As for why the cave received this name, well... why not visit the cave and find out?
Four Points of Light Cave TBE 45 Y 6/21/97 475 feet 44 feet Located by Jeremy Hill. Surveyed by Ray Pope, Jeremy Hill, Brian Roebuck, Lynn Roebuck and Ron Zawislak. The cave got its name for its four entrances, which light up more than half of the cave's length. The cave was entirely pleasant walking passage.
Fountain Cave TBE 44 Y 6/21/97 1,082 feet 57 feet Located by Jeremy Hill, this cave is well-known locally. The large entrance passage (20 feet by 20 feet) leads to the "fountain" -- a large flowstone formation with deep rimstone dams.
Baby Buzzard North Cave TBE 42 Y 7/13/97 65 feet 20 feet Located by Jeremy Hill, the cave was surveyed by Jeremy, Brian Roebuck, Lynn Roebuck, Marbry Hardin and Ron Zawislak. Entrance extends from the base of a joint canyon that is 7 feet wide and 20 feet deep.
Baby Buzzard South Cave TBE 43 Y 7/13/97 98 feet 23 feet This cave is the south companion to Baby Buzzard North Cave, and was surveyed the same day.
Natural Light Cave TBE 46 Y 7/13/97 76 feet 15 feet Located by Lynn Roebuck. Surveyed by Lynn, Brian Roebuck, Ron Zawislak and Marbry Hardin. Cave has two entrances, a walk-in entrance and a pit entrance. Due to cave length and entrances, no light is needed to visit the cave in the daytime.
One Shot Cave TBE 47 Y 7/13/97 78 feet 19 feet This cave was first located by Jeremy Hill on 6/21/97. It was surveyed by Jeremy, Ray Pope, Brian Zawislak, Brian Roebuck and Lynn Roebuck. The cave consisted of one single survey shot, hence its name.
Henpeck Hell Cave TCN 127 Y 7/12/97 - 7/20/97 389 feet 25 feet This cave, across the road from Henpeck Mill Cave, was dug open by HR3 members during July of 1997. Subsequent survey trips found the cave to be 95% flat-out belly crawl. A strong wind ends in breakdown. Only two small areas in the entire cave permit standing.
Warren Springs Cave TBE 40 Y 7/2/94 - 8/2/97 10,232 feet 91 feet This cave was located by Dave Keever and Tom Gover during May of 1994. HR3 arrived and began the survey two months later; the first survey trip netted 2,493 feet of large borehole. After 10 survey trips over 3 years, the survey was finally completed and Warren Springs became Bedford County's second longest cave. (It missed the title of #1 by only a few hundred feet.) Surveys were complicated due to the only entrance to the cave. The spring entrance sumps shut during the winter and after rains, so the cave is only accessible at various times during the summer. In addition, the landowner uses the spring as a water supply, which complicates access.  Ron Zawislak has released a map into the TCS Mapbook series.
Moonshine Cave TBE 52 Y 10/19/97 116 feet 8 feet With the help of the landowner, this new TCS cave was located by HR3 members Ron Zawislak, Karen Carr, Ray Pope, Marbry Hardin, Lynn Roebuck, and Brian Roebuck.  This short cave consists of a single passage around 3 to 5 feet high and 20 feet wide.  It has 3 skylight entrances at the front of the cave, and halfway into the cave are some barrel hoops -- the remnants of a moonshine still from many years ago.
Ground Rat Cave TBE 51 Y 10/19/97 194 feet 8 feet With the help of the landowner, this new TCS cave was located by the same HR3 crew on the same day as Moonshine Cave.  The 10-foot-wide by 8-foot-high entrance leads down a single passage with walking dimensions, but lowers to 1 foot high in the back.  Old inactive flowstone was observed.
Growling Spider Cave TBE 58 Y 10/19/97 297 feet 17 feet With the help of the landowner, this new TCS cave was located by the same HR3 crew on the same day as Moonshine Cave. This cave contains a mix of crawling and walking passage, with one 13-foot-high room about 100 feet from the entrance.  Three passages, about 45 feet long each, exit the room.  The cave is mostly devoid of formations.
Hornadays Catacombs TBE 59 Y 8/10/97 - 12/7/97 1,289 feet 35 feet This is a new Bedford cave that was unknown to the TCS. Cave passages are very dry, have many forks and loops, and a quantity of animal bones were found in the entrance areas. Some dates were found scribbled on the walls from the 1800's.
Ward Cave #1 TBE 14 N 1/28/96 - 12/7/97 3,017 feet 48 feet

The new grade 5 survey of this cave consisted of 5 survey trips during 1996-1997.  The final survey is over 500 feet longer than the 1960's grade 4 survey, has increased the vertical extent by 10 feet, and includes new passages not in the original survey.  Ron Zawislak has released the new map into the TCS Mapbook series.

 

 

1998 Accomplishments

Cave Name TCS Number New Cave? Survey Dates Surveyed H. Length Vertical Extent Notes
Marbrys Cave TBE ?? Y Unsurveyed ?? feet ?? feet This cave was located on 1/1/98. Awaiting survey data and description.
12 Gage Cave TBE 56 Y Unsurveyed 100 feet est. 20 feet est. This cave was discovered and explored on 12/7/96 by Jeremy "Batbubba" Hill, Brian Roebuck and Daniel Cole.  It is described as a "nasty little hole", and was not surveyed.  And no, that's not a misspelling - "Gage" is the landowner's name.
Stone Wall Cave TBE 62 Y 2/8/98 321 feet 40 feet This cave was dug into by Jeremy "Batbubba" Hill and Biff Hicks on 1/30/98, and was surveyed by HR3.  Mostly a crawl cave that trends downward toward Ward Cave #1 (TBE 14) until it pinches out.
Antler Cave TBE 50 Y 3/28/98 147 feet 14 feet This cave was located on 3/28/98 and subsequently surveyed by HR3.   After entering an 8-foot-high, 12-foot-wide entrance, the cave has mostly pleasant walking passage.  The cave appears to end in flowstone in an unexplored crawl 9 feet from the floor.  Explored and surveyed by Marbry Hardin, Bill Love, Brian Roebuck, Ron Zawislak.
Knot In Tree Cave TBE 60 Y 3/28/98 84 feet 17 feet This cave was located on the same day as Antler Cave (3/28/98) and surveyed on the same day as Antler Cave (3/28/98).  Located in a sink with a tree with a large knot, this small cave leads downward into a walking passage 9 feet high.  A few small crawls are at the back of the cave.
Twisted Tree Cave TBE 64 Y 4/25/98 160 feet 11 feet This cave was located earlier in 1998, and subsequently surveyed on 4/25/98.  The cave entrance is located at the bottom of a 25-foot deep canyon, from where a large twisted tree grows.  The walking passage gradually lowers to stooping height, and some inactive flowstone is present.
Right Angle Cave TBE 61 Y 4/25/98 67 feet 9 feet This cave was located early in 1998, and was surveyed on 4/25/98.  Although in an impressively-sized sink, the 9-foot by 8-foot entrance leads to passage that quickly ends.  No formations present; barely qualified as a TCS cave.
Curve Cave TBE ?? Y 4/25/98 130 feet ?? feet This cave was located early in 1998, and was surveyed on 4/25/98.  The cave has high canyon passage and is decorated with flowstone.  Awaiting vertical extent data by Ray Pope.
Parachute Pit TBE 54 Y 7/12/98 73 feet 43 feet This cave was located during an HR3 ridgewalk on 3/28/98, and was surveyed later.  After a few feet of passage, a 25-foot pit is encountered with passage at the bottom.  This passage is about 7 feet wide and 30 feet high, and contains some "parachute" formations that are reminiscent of Davidson County's Parachute Cave (TDA 16).
Mud Wallow Cave TBE 53 Y 7/12/98 134 feet 14 feet This cave was located on the same day as Parachute Pit (3/28/98), and was surveyed on the same day as Parachute Pit (7/12/98).  The cave was nicknamed "Chocolate Orgasm" by HR3 members due to the huge abundance of chocolate-like mud in the cave.  The cave's stoop entrance leads to walking passage with some formations.  Although walking, the cave's high mud content and mud-covered log jams make it "a thoroughly disgusting cave." (Ron Zawislak's words.)
Halliburton Cave TBE 8 N 7/15/98 - 8/15/98 2,524 feet 18 feet  This cave has been known for a long time in the Noah community of Bedford County, and was first reported in Tom Barr's Caves of Tennessee.  The cave was unsurveyed, and listed in the Tennessee Cave Survey as 1,200 feet long with a 6-foot vertical extent.  HR3 obtained permission from the landowner, and conducted a survey of the cave on July 18 and August 15 of 1998.  Very little new cave was found, but the survey revealed a larger cave that was a quarter-mile in length.  The entire cave is very joint-controlled, with 5 or so parallel passages.  Some very nice formations are found in the back of the cave, and the entire cave has a small overburden -- maybe less than 10 feet in some places.

 

1999 Accomplishments

Cave Name TCS Number New Cave? Survey Dates Surveyed H. Length Vertical Extent Notes
Dead Dog Drop TBE 66 Y 8/7/99 122 feet 58 feet This cave was located by Jeremy "Batbubba" Hill on 1/1/98, but was not surveyed by HR3 until 1999.  Named for one of the fur masses that could be identified at the bottom.  The pit required a strong stomach and nose in "Old Yeller's Death Chamber" as the surveyors remember it. Surveyed by HR3 members Batbubba, Brian Roebuck and Don Lance.  HR3 members Lynn Roebuck and David Yoest stayed above and prepared to help the survey team if problems were encountered.
Gina Cave

(aka Growling Turtle Pit)

 TBE 67 Y 8/7/99 ?? feet. ?? feet This cave is located across from Psycho Hodag Cave (TBE 48 - see above).  It was located sometime around the same date - 5/13/97.  It was surveyed on the same day as Dead Dog Drop (TBE 66), 8/7/99.  The large pit entrance is impressive, but no passage leaves the bottom.  Batbubba heard a growling noise in the pit during the earlier recon trip, but the surveyors only found a headless turtle in the bottom.  (Hence HR3's first name for the pit.) Later Batbubba decided to change the name to Gina Cave.  Surveyed by the same crew given above for Dead Dog Drop.
Playground Cave TBE 68 Y 8/7/99 134 feet 20 feet Jeremy "Batbubba" Hill first located this cave on 1/1/98.  An easy hands-and-knees cave, with a tight squeeze at one end.  The cave has two entrances and a few formations.  .50 caliber shells were found in the cave.  Named for the karst area near the cave where neighborhood kids used to play.  Surveyed by the entire HR3 crew as Dead Dog Drop (TBE 66), above.
Uh-ohlio Pit TRU ?? Y 10/30/99 15 feet est. 31 feet est. Discovered earlier by Marbry Hardin, this small pit was surveyed on a return trip by Marby and Don Lance.  A 5-foot wide crack drops mostly free for 25 feet, which then slopes gradually to a flowstone plug.  A tight hole in the flowstone drops another 9 feet to a small room, where the cave terminates.
Gory Hole TRU ?? Y 10/30/99 20 feet est. 61 feet est. Discovered by Marbry Hardin and Don Lance while ridgewalking, and it was surveyed the same day.  The pit was only 200 feet from Uh-ohlio Pit, and its entrance is in the shape of a "T".  The pit drops for 55 feet, all against the wall.  The narrow passage at the bottom goes a very short distance and slopes downward before terminating.  Overall, the cave is narrow, tight and "razor blade" projections tug at clothing, packs and anything else within reach. Fun to do on rope.
Arrowpoint Pit TRU ?? Y 10/30/99 12 feet est. 32 feet est.  Discovered by Marbry Hardin and Don Lance while ridgewalking, and it was surveyed the same day.  Named for the shape of the entrance.  The 5-foot wide entrance drops 32 feet to a room 10 feet in diameter.  Some flowstone is present.  Everything is very clean, apparently all dirt has been washed out by water entering the pit.
Pulsar Cave ?? Y ?? ?? feet ?? feet  Marbry Hardin will be providing information soon on this cave.
Yarbrough Cave TLI 16 Y 3/27/98 - 11/7/99 274 feet 57 feet Found by Jeremy "Batbubba" Hill, and surveyed by Batbubba, Brian Roebuck, Lynn Roebuck, Ray Pope and Karen Carr.  It was originally referred to as "Lincoln Borehole Cave" by Batbubba; however, on a return trip the landowners decided to give a name to the cave.  The entrance is at the bottom of a hillside beside a creekbed. Just inside, the first room is about 175 ft long and 30ft wide. At the end of the 1st room, there is a tight squeeze that leads to a 25ft death climb. At the top, there is a squeeze to the right that leads to the final room.
Blue Ball Cave TBE 69 Y 11/7/99 123 feet 10 feet Found by Jeremy "Batbubba" Hill, and surveyed by Batbubba, Brian Roebuck, Lynn Roebuck, Ray Pope and Karen Carr.  It's a short walk-in cave located in a bluff on Duck River in Bedford County. All of this cave can be seen without a flashlight.

 

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