The Meramec Valley Grotto (MVG) began as a student caving club at St. Louis Community College in 1968. Several years later, the organization became an internal organization of the National Speleological Society. Our mission is to explore, preserve, and study caves, and to promote fellowship among those interested in caving.
Over the decades, MVG has grown into the biggest and most active caving club in the Midwest, with over 100 members. We publish a monthly, award-winning newsletter, The CAVER.
Most caves in our region have restricted access. MVG only visits caves with landowner permission, often from the state of Missouri. In exchange for access, we provide volunteer labor and expertise to generate detailed maps and biological survey data landowners can use to understand what’s on their property.
New members can quickly learn to operate our survey lasers, and this guide to typical cave fauna makes it easy to contribute on a project trip. We also schedule plenty of recreational trips for those who just want to explore.
If you have any questions about the grotto or our history, please contact us or stop by and attend a meeting.
All members and guests are expected to follow the NSS Code of Conduct.