A Grotto is an internal organization of the National Speleological Society (NSS). They generally function as the local NSS chapter/club. Many Grottos however, operate in areas outside their local area, with many operating in several states. Most Grottos also participate in Regions which are loose associations of Grottos. Regions are also an internal organization of the National Speleological Society.
Organization Grottos are required to meet certain organizational requirements as outlined by the National Speleological Society. These include: A constitution and bylaws that are submitted to, and approved by, the NSS A minimum of at least five members of the Society It is NSS policy that full membership in a Grotto requires NSS membership. However, in practice, this is often not the case.
An annual report describing various aspects of the Grotto is submitted to the NSS.
History The New England Grotto was the first NSS Grotto. It was chartered in 1941 with Clay Perry as president and Ned Anderson as vice-president.
Grottos of the NSS Below are the Grottos of the NSS as listed in June 2026. Each grotto links to its own website where one exists, otherwise to its page on the NSS site.
Alabama Birmingham Grotto Central Alabama Grotto Cullman Grotto Druid City Grotto Gadsden Grotto Huntsville Grotto Jackson County Grotto Montgomery Grotto RAT Grotto
Alaska Glacier Grotto
Arizona Central Arizona Grotto Cochise County Cavers Escabrosa Grotto Mule Mountain Caving Club Northern Arizona Grotto Southern Arizona Grotto
Arkansas Boston Mountain Grotto Central Region Arkansas Grotto COBRA Grotto Little Rock Grotto Middle Ozark Lower Earth Society MOLES
California Desert Dog Troglodytes Diablo Grotto Mother Lode Grotto Redwood Grotto San Diego Grotto San Francisco Bay Chapter of the NSS San Joaquin Valley Grotto Shascade Caving Society Shasta Area Grotto Southern California Grotto Stanislaus Speleology Association
Colorado Colorado Grotto Colorado School of Mines Grotto Colorado Western Slope Grotto Front Range Grotto Grotto of the Ancients Northern Colorado Mountain Grotto Southern Colorado Mountain Grotto Timberline Grotto
Connecticut Central Connecticut Grotto
Delaware Commander Cody Caving Club
District of Columbia District of Columbia Grotto
Florida Central Florida Grotto Flint River Grotto Florida Speleological Society River City Grotto Tampa Bay Area Grotto
Georgia Athens Speleological Society Augusta Cave Masters Clayton County Cavers Clock Tower Grotto Dogwood City Grotto Middle Georgia Grotto Pigeon Mountain Grotto Team Poseidon
Hawaii Hawaii Grotto
Idaho Gem State Grotto Rowdy Rendezvous Silver Sage Grotto
Illinois Little Egypt Grotto Near Normal Grotto Sub-Urban Chicago Grotto Windy City Grotto
Indiana Bloomington Indiana Grotto Central Indiana Grotto Eastern Indiana Grotto Evansville Metropolitan Grotto Harrison Crawford Grotto Northern Indiana Grotto Saint Joseph Valley Grotto Western Indiana Grotto
Iowa Iowa Grotto
Kansas Kansas City Area Grotto Kansas Speleological Society
Kentucky Blue Grass Grotto Green River Grotto Louisville Grotto Pine Mountain Grotto Rockcastle Regional Grotto
Louisiana Crescent City Cavers
Maine Boston Grotto Vermont Cavers Association
Maryland Baltimore Grotto Frederick Grotto Sligo Grotto Western Maryland Grotto
Massachusetts Boston Grotto
Michigan Detroit Urban Grotto Michigan Interlakes Grotto
Minnesota Minnesota Caving Club Minnesota Speleological Survey
Mississippi JUST Cavers
Missouri Branson Area Tri-Lakes Grotto Chouteau Grotto Daedalus Cavers Grotto Kansas City Area Grotto Meramec Valley Grotto Middle Mississippi Valley Grotto Missouri School of Mines Spelunkers Club Ozark Highlands Grotto Roubidoux Grotto SEMO Grotto Springfield Plateau Grotto Stygian Grotto
Montana Northern Rocky Mountain Grotto
Nebraska Armpit Grotto Hole-in-the-Wall Grotto Paha Sapa Grotto
Nevada Northern Nevada Grotto Southern Nevada Grotto
New Hampshire Boston Grotto Vermont Cavers Association
New Jersey Central New Jersey Grotto New Jersey Tri-State Speleological Society Northern New Jersey Grotto
New Mexico Gila Area Grotto Grotto of the Ancients Mesilla Valley Grotto New Mexico Tech Student Grotto Pajarito Grotto Pecos Valley Grotto Sandia Grotto Sierra Blanca Grotto White Sands Grotto
New York Helderberg-Hudson Grotto Met Grotto Niagara Frontier Grotto Rensselaer Outing Club Shawangunk-Catskill Area Grotto Syracuse University Outing Club
North Carolina Charlotte Caving Club Flittermouse Grotto Triangle Troglodytes
North Dakota Paha Sapa Grotto
Ohio Central Ohio Grotto Cleveland Grotto Dayton Underground Grotto Greater Cincinnati Grotto Miami Valley Grotto Ohio Cavers and Climbers Standing Stone Grotto Wittenberg University Speleological Society
Oklahoma Arbuckle Mountains Grotto Central Oklahoma Grotto Tulsa Regional OK Grotto
Oregon Oregon Grotto Oregon High Desert Grotto Willamette Valley Grotto
Pennsylvania Bald Eagle Grotto Bucks County Grotto Franklin County Grotto Greater Allentown Grotto Huntingdon County Cave Hunters Loyalhanna Grotto Nittany Grotto Philadelphia Grotto Pittsburgh Grotto Seven Valleys Grotto York Grotto
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Grotto (GEO)
Rhode Island Boston Grotto Vermont Cavers Association
South Carolina South Carolina Interstate Grotto
South Dakota Paha Sapa Grotto
Tennessee Chattanooga Grotto East Tennessee Grotto Mountain Empire Grotto Nashville Grotto Sewanee Mountain Grotto Six Ridges Grotto Smoky Mountain Grotto Southport Chronic Cavers Spencer Mountain Grotto Upper Cumberland Grotto
Texas Aggie Grotto Bexar Grotto Dallas-Fort Worth Grotto Greater Houston Grotto GUAD Grotto Lubbock Area Grotto Permian Basin Speleological Society UT Grotto
Utah Grotto of the Ancients Salt Lake Grotto Timpanogos Grotto Wasatch Grotto
Vermont Vermont Cavers Association
Virginia Battlefield Area Troglodyte Society Blue Ridge Grotto Charlottesville Grotto Fredericksburg Underground Network Front Royal Grotto James River Grotto Madison University Student Grotto New River Valley Grotto Richmond Area Speleological Society Tidewater Grotto Virginia Highlands Grotto VPI Cave Club Walker Mountain Grotto
Washington Cascade Grotto
West Virginia Charleston Grotto ESSO Grotto Germany Valley Grotto Greater Randolph Organization for Speleological Science Greenbrier Grotto Monongahela Grotto Monroe County Cavers Mountain State Grotto Parkersburg Area Grotto Tri-State Grotto West Virginia University Student Grotto Western Maryland Grotto
Wisconsin Wisconsin Speleological Society
Wyoming Armpit Grotto Hole-in-the-Wall Grotto Rowdy Rendezvous
International Anthros Costa Rica Grotto
Traveling Gypsy Underground Grotto Out of Bounds Grotto Stonewall Cavers
References
External links National Speleological Society