A Grotto is an internal organization of the National Speleological Society

National Speleological Society

The National Speleological Society is an organization formed in 1941 to advance the exploration, conservation, study, and understanding of caves in the United States. Originally located in Washington D.C., its current offices are in Huntsville, Alabama...

 (NSS). They generally function as the local NSS chapter/club. Many Grottos however, operate in areas outside of 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

Here are the Grottos of the NSS as listed in 2009.

Alabama

• Birmingham Grotto
• Central Alabama Grotto
• Cullman Grotto
• Gadsden Grotto
• Huntsville Grotto
• Jackson County Grotto
• Montgomery 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
• San Diego Grotto
• San Francisco Bay Chapter of the NSS
• San Joaquin Valley
• Shascade Caving Society
• Shasta Area Grotto
• Southern California Grotto
  Southern California Grotto
  The Southern California Grotto is a chapter of the National Speleological Society based in the Greater Los Angeles area....
  
  
• Stanislaus Speleology Association
• Waldo Brothers Grotto

Colorado

• Colorado Grotto
• Colorado Western Slope Grotto
• Front Range Grotto
• Northern Colorado Grotto
• Red Canyon Grotto
• Southern Colorado Mountain
• 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
• 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

Hawaii

• none based out of Hawaii

Idaho

• Bear River Grotto
• Gem State Grotto
• Silver Sage Grotto

Illinois

• Little Egypt Grotto
• Near Normal Grotto
• Rock River Speleological Society
• Sub-Urban Chicago Grotto
• Windy City Grotto

Indiana

• Bloomington Indian 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 Speleological Society

Kentucky

• Blues Grass Grotto
• Fort Knox Grotto
• Green River Grotto
• Hart of Kentucky Grotto
• Louisville Grotto
• Pine Mountain Grotto
• Rockcastle Regional Grotto

Louisiana

• Crescent City Cavers

Maine

• none based out of Maine

Maryland

• Baltimore Grotto
• Frederick Grotto
• Sligo Grotto
• Western Maryland Grotto

Massachusetts

• Boston Grotto

Michigan

• Detroit Urban Grotto
• Michigan Interlakes Grotto
• Western Michigan Grotto

Minnesota

• Minnesota Speleological Society

Mississippi

• JUST Cavers

Missouri

• Branson Area Tri-Lakes Grotto
• Chouteau Grotto
• Kansas City Area Grotto
• Meramec Valley Grotto
• Middle Mississippi Valley Grotto
• Missouri Sch. Mines Spelunkers Club
• Ozark Highlands Grotto
• SEMO Grotto
• Springfield Plateau Grotto
• Stygian Grotto

Montana

• Northern Rocky Mountain Grotto

Nebraska

• none based out of Nebraska

Nevada

• Northern Nevada Grotto
• Southern Nevada Grotto

New Hampshire

• none based out of New Hampshire

New Jersey

• Central New Jersey Grotto
• New Jersey Tri-State Speleological Society
• Northern New Jersey Grotto

New Mexico

• Guadalupe Grotto
• Hondo Grotto
• Mesilla Valley Grotto
• New Mexico Tech Student Grotto
• Parajito Grotto
• Pecos Valley Grotto
• Sandia Grotto
• Sierra Blanca Grotto
• Whites Sands Grotto

New York

• Helderberg-Hudson Grotto
• Met Grotto
• Niagara Frontier Grotto
• Rensselaer Outing Club
• Shawangunk-Catskill Area Grotto
• Syracuse University Outing

North Carolina

• Bryson City Grotto
• Flittermouse Grotto
• Triangle Troglodytes

North Dakota

• none based out of North Dakota

Ohio

• Central Ohio Grotto
• Cleveland Grotto
• Dayton Underground Grotto
• Greater Cincinnati Grotto
• Miami Valley Grotto
• Ohio Cavers and Climbers
• Red-Eye Karst Team
• Shady Grove Grotto
• 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
  Oregon High Desert Grotto
  The Oregon High Desert Grotto is a caving club, known as a Grotto.OHDG is involved with caving and conservation efforts in central Oregon and beyond, including the Oregon Caves National Monument, the Lava Beds National Monument in northern California, and caves in western Idaho...
  
  
• Willamette Valley Grotto

Pennsylvania

• Bald Eagle Grotto
• Bucks County Grotto
• Buffalo Valley Grotto
• Cave Hill Grotto
• Franklin County Grotto
• Greater Allentown Grotto
• Huntingdon County Cave Hunters
• Loyalhanna Grotto
• Nittany Grotto
• Pennsylvania Inner-Earth Grotto
• Philadelphia Grotto
• Pittsburgh Grotto
• Seven Valleys Grotto
• York Grotto

Rhode Island

• none based out of Rhode Island

South Carolina

• South Carolina Interstate Grotto

South Dakota

• Paha Sapa Grotto

Tennessee

• Chattanooga Grotto
• Clarksville Underground
• Devilstep Grotto
• East Tennessee Grotto
• Nashville Grotto
• Obey River Grotto
• Sewanee Mountain Grotto
• Six Ridges Grotto
• Smoky Mountain Grotto
• Southport Chronic Cavers
• Spencer Mountain Grotto
• Tennessee Central Basin Grotto
• Upper Cumberland Grotto

Texas

• Aggie Speleological Society
• Bexar Grotto
• Cowtown Grotto
• Dallas-Fort Worth Grotto
• Galveston Grotto
• Greater Houston Grotto
• Lubbock Area Grotto
• Permian Basin Speleological Society
• UT Grotto

Utah

• Salt Lake Grotto
• Timpanogos Grotto
• Utah Grotto
• Wasatch Grotto

Vermont

• Vermont Cavers Association

Virginia

• Battlefield Area Troglodyte Society
• Blue Ridge Grotto
• Charlottesville Grotto
• Fairfax Underground Network
• Front Royal Grotto
• Grapevine Grotto
• James River Grotto
• Madison University Student Grotto
• Mid-Virginia Underground Grotto
• Mountain Empire Grotto
• New River Valley Grotto
• Richmond Area Speleological Society
• Tidewater Grotto
• Virginia Highlands Grotto
• VPI Cave Club

Washington

• Cascade Grotto

West Virginia

• Charleston Grotto
• ESSO Grotto
• Germany Valley Grotto
• Greater Randolph (GROSS)
• Monongahela Grotto
• Monroe County Cavers
• Mountain State Grotto
• Parkersburg Area Grotto
• TRA Grotto
• Tri-State Grotto
• West Virginia University Student Grotto

Wisconsin

• Great Lakes Cavers
• Wisconsin Speleological Society

Wyoming

• Armpit Grotto
• Hole-in-the-Wall Grotto

International

• Anthros Costa Rica Grotto
• Balincaguin Conservancy Grotto
• PAAMUL - Gruta de

Traveling

• Gypsy Underground Grotto
• Stonewall Cavers

External links

• National Speleological Society
• NSS Internal Organizations
• List of Grottos
• Western NSS Grottos