# Grotto (National Speleological Society)

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 February 2024.

### Alabama

* Birmingham Grotto
* Central Alabama Grotto
* Cullman 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
* San Diego Grotto
* San Francisco Bay Chapter of the NSS
* San Joaquin Valley
* Shascade Caving Society
* Shasta Area Grotto
* Southern California Grotto
* 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
* 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

* Hawai'i Grotto

### Idaho

* 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
* 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

* 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

### Minnesota

* Minnesota Caving Club
* Minnesota Speleological Society

### 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
* 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

* Mesilla Valley Grotto
* New Mexico Tech Student Grotto
* Parajito 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

### North Carolina

* Charlotte Caving Club
* 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
* 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

### Rhode Island

* none based out of Rhode Island

### 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 Speleological Society
* Bexar Grotto
* Dallas-Fort Worth Grotto
* Greater Houston Grotto
* GUAD Grotto
* Lubbock Area Grotto
* Permian Basin Speleological Society
* UT Grotto

### Utah

* 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
* VPI Cave Club
* Virginia Highlands Grotto
* Walker Mountain Grotto

### Washington

* Cascade Grotto

### West Virginia

* Charleston Grotto
* ESSO Grotto
* Germany Valley Grotto
* Greenbrier Grotto
* Monongahela grotto
* Monroe County Cavers
* Mountain State Grotto
* Parkersburg Area Grotto
* TRA Grotto
* Tri-State Grotto
* West Virginia University Student Grotto
* Western Maryland Grotto

### Wisconsin

* Great Lakes Cavers
* Wisconsin Speleological Society

### Wyoming

* Armpit Grotto
* Hole-in-the-Wall Grotto

### International

* Anthros Costa Rica Grotto
* Balincaguin Conservancy Grotto

### Traveling

* Gypsy Underground Grotto
* Israeli Caving Club
* Out of Bounds Grotto
* Stonewall Cavers