Only a handful of preppers can afford a $ 70k nuclear bunker.
But if you think about it, there are a lot of natural nuclear shelters in the US that are absolutely free.
All you need to do is to identify the closest one to your home and maybe include it into your bug out plan in case a nuclear war is looming (or an asteroid impact).
Keep in mind that these bunkers are all naturally EMP hardened. But they will protect you only from the nuclear blast and the initial radiation burst.
Sometimes the shelter is so close that is right below your feet. It’s the case in Detroit, where just 1200 Feet below there is a salt mine that can easily shelter the entire population of Detroit! Actually, it can shelter over 5 million people.
The salt mine was used to mine table salt, but with the decline in salt prices the mine is now used to mine road salt for winter. The Michigan basin and the great lakes area (since there are also huge salt mines in Canada), used to be part of a sea which sank into the earth. The salt was left behind and formed the massive deposits that we mine today.
Detroit isn’t the only city with a salt mine below it. Other cities like Houston and Cleveland (1400 feet below) are also situated over salt mines.
So I’m going to start with…
…The Underground Salt Mines:
Salt mines are your best option because they are very spacious with large rooms rather than narrow, dark, high humidity tunnels like you see in mines!
Caves
From 1964-1973 the USA and CIA conducted a secret war to support the Royal Laos Government and to stop the communist incursion by dropping bombs on then communist Lagos and northern Vietnam.
Unbelievably in these years the USA dropped more bombs than any other time in the history of war. 270Million cluster bombs, 210 million more than Iraq in 1991, 1998 and 2006 COMBINED! 7 million tons of bombs, more than twice the amount dropped in Europe and Asia in WWII. This is equal to a laneload of bombs every 8 minutes, 24 hrs. a day for 9 years.
Kaysone Phomvihane who was the leader of the communist movement led his people to limestone caves in the craggy mountains at the Vietnam boarder. The shelter has become known as the ‘City of Victory’ and is a tourist attraction.
There is an extensive network of caves all across the USA. I have made a list of the largest ones, state by state for your reference.
There are many advantages to cave living even in an emergency situation. They tend to retain heat in the winter and are cool in the summer as well as an excellent natural hide away from natural disasters.
There was even a reference to living in limestone caves of Missouri the film “Deep Impact” when comet was to hit the earth and flood a greater part of the world.
The reality is that nature provides most things that we need to survive, so why not a cave as a refuge for war or nuclear bombs?
Underground Mines:
You might find it hard to believe, but Kansas City has a “nuclear shelter” which houses 10 percent of city’s commercial real estate.
Subtropolis – as it is called – is an ex limestone mine with an excavated size of 140 football fields, which was turned into an underground industrial park. The limestone deposits are six times stronger than concrete.
UPDATE:
Find The Closest Mine to Your Home:
Unfortunately, there isn’t a reliable map with all US underground mines. I tried to use Google Maps but it has a lot of other facilities with the name “mines” and also surface mines. You can see it here.
But you can use a website to find the closest mine to your home. Just enter your location and make sure you’ve checked “underground” and a 50 miles radius. The results is your closest “nuclear shelter”.
If you don’t have any mines near your home, scroll down and you’ll find “mines by state”, select your state and see what mines are close to you.
A Final Word
Of course, a specially made nuclear bunker has food, water and oxygen reserves. These natural shelters will protect you only from the nuclear blast and the initial radiation burst.
Chances are that you won’t be warned about a nuclear blast, but (just in case) here are 3 signs that you need to take “nuclear” cover:
1 – When your electronics stop working (most of them)
Most experts agree that the next nuclear war will start with at least an EMP. If one of the nuclear powers blasts a nuclear weapon 275 miles above the US it will produce an EMP that will basically send us, the Canadian and the Mexicans back to the Dark Ages. This is exactly what our enemy wants: to disrupt our communication and our ability to retaliate at full capacity. I have something you need to watch. It’s much better than I am at explaining the threat. Watch it and learn what you should fear most (Video), what an EMP effects and how you can protect your electronics, car, mobile phones, etc. (Source)
2 – When you hear on the news that a nuclear bomb has just detonated somewhere
It doesn’t matter if it’s in the US, Russia or China… I’m thinking that when a nuclear bomb explodes we face 3 possibilities: a nuclear war which may involve the US, nuclear terrorism which means that the first explosion may be followed by another four, or human error like in 1956 when the US Air Force accidentally dropped two atomic bombs on North Carolina. If it’s the last case… then yes you’ve probably evacuated in vain. But the risk worth the effort! (Source)
3 – When a Nuclear Bomb explodes a few miles away, but does not kill you.
If you’re not killed in the first few minutes, you can live a lifetime or die of cancer in the next few days. The longer you expose yourself to radiation (in the radioactive area) the lowest the chances to survive. Take your family and leave as fast as you can! (Source)
Because an article is way too short to include info on all mines in the U.S. I suggest you use it as a starting point to find the closest location and then find more info about it.
You may also like:
This Bug Will Kill Most of the Americans during the Next Crisis (Video)
How much does a nuclear bunker cost?
What really happens when you bury a shipping container (Video)
To the best of my knowledge, there are no salt mines in Albuquerque. Perhaps somewhere else in the state, but not in Albuquerque. Map locations, even speculation, would be a good thing to include for people.
Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, located just north of Albuquerque. It was salt mine, then became nuclear waste dump.
I found most salt mines on http://mines.findthedata.com/d/p/Salt You can find more details there.
Yes, Igor, the salt mine was abandoned and part of it was turned into a deep geological repository – Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (Wipp). Indeed the information is not very accurate.
Because an article is way too short to include info on all mines in the U.S. I suggest you use it as a starting point to find the closest location and then find more info about it.
Are you referring to the salt mine near santa fe? A lot of people were against that becoming a whipp plant, but it was done anyway. Its kinda crazy just how close to town that plant really is.. (yes i have been to, but not in it).
That website is no longer available.
Are there any on tennessee near brentwood?
The nearest are the zinc mines at Gordonsville, Elmwood, and Carthage (all in Smith County).
The WIPP is actually located in Carlsbad, NM which is actually South of Albuquerque. I dont think you would live very long in there considering they store radioactive material in there and their recent problems
The lucky ones die in the blast as life as we know it will end
What about Vermont?
None- what part of vt ? I am from the 802 also
There are 3 in Vermont. Waterbury, Hyde Park, and Graniteville.
Where in Hyde park? I currently reside there.
If one or an EMP is set off in another state. Would you recommend taking iodine?
Yes… Within 30 mins of the blast. Continue taking for 14 days.
Vermont is a nuclear free state so they should be just fine !
You don’t want to go where they have a mine listed in my state. Its not a mine like the old gold mine shafts of yesteryear. This is an open pit mine. So basically no where to hide. Just because its a mine doesn’t mean it has a mine shaft or is below ground to protect you. The mine they mention in my state is open pit mine. Would be terrible if people came there and there was no protection. Would be an open pit grave instead. Do your research people.
Exactly! Please use this article as a starting point to find the closest UNDERGROUND location and then find more info about it.
Did u find one
Realistically – it is YOUR LIFE!
Wouldn’t that be worth taking the time to go see what you would be depending on BEFORE you HAVE TO???
What is closest to the bronx nyc? Any recommendations?
Where can I find a bunker in Oklahoma that’s free
How about Canada?
Where would I access the maps for locations in my country?
Does southern illinois have any mines or caves for bunkers?
It is coal country. Perhaps Carbondale.
You need to separate the bottom two caves listed under Ohio,,,Robbers Cave & Oklahoma are in Oklahoma, not Ohio
Thanks! Corrected!
Camuy Cave is in the island of Puerto Rico, you have it under Pennsylvania.
http://islandsofpuertorico.com/parques-de-las-cavernas-del-rio-camuy/
I have a map from the city dated 1961 which was given to each resident at the time listing the fall out shelters available in the city. Are the “fallout shelters” any protection? providing they still exist…
IN ALBERTA CANADA Where can I find ONE?
WIPP site is way south of Alb. near Carlsbad NM
We live in Georgia and they mine Kaolin here. Would this be considered a safe mine? Thanks!
Where would you go in Florida are their any underground mines in Florida.. Where are the closes ones if not in Florida
Under ground bunker will house many thousand people under Orange County convention center if you know where to enter
Robbers Cave isn’t actually a cave. Its a wide seam between two large rocks.
What would happen to the nuclear power plants during an EMP?
Depends on the design. So many North American nuclear plants are one-off ‘custom’ designs, despite principles being identical. Has made nuclear power far too expensive, when settling on a modular design and just replicating it would have saved beaucoup bucks.
Older ones not ‘upgraded’ may still be using vacuum-tube control circuits; even recent designs using Integrated Circuits may be well shielded, so then it would be exterior power distribution control circuits most vulnerable. Plants would be OK, but still no electricity for cities.
Still unclear as to why Fukushima operators didn’t just ram in their control rods once they knew a tsunami was approaching. Nigh as stupid as Chernobyl operators.
What Americans usually don’t know is the Medieval Bakufu (Shogunate), after a tsunami on that same coast, had placed giant boulders partway up the coastal hills marking a safety zone. Stones were carved with signs saying in effect “Don’t build below this point.” But modern Japanese regimes are ‘smarter’ than Medieval warriors – NOT.
I live in Buffalo, NY… About 20 minutes from Niagara Falls.. I have no car… there is no hope for me or my family and loved ones if this happens. According to the maps of assumed targets, we will be vaporized. It’s a terrifying feeling. Especially THESE DAYS.
Don’t worry too much about it. If you are as close to ground zero as you say, about all you will ever see is a bright flash. No feeling of pain as you will be vaporized before your brain could send a message to your nervous system. Best way to go. Not like dying of radiation poisoning or thermal burns as the Japanese who survived the immediate detonations of the 2 atomic bombs at the end of WW2. Besides, you would only have about 20 minutes from launch to impact to get away. Best bet is to get underground in a subway system or some kind of tunnel. Roads out of Buffalo would be gridlocked anyway. Even if you did manage to get away, you would have to travel west because of prevailing winds to escape radioactive fallout. So you would have to travel along Lake Erie toward Cleveland (most likely another target) or north on Transit Road to Lockport and west Niagara Falls and cross into Canada. Hopefully, Canada would not be under attack also.
Since the entire nuke exsplosive weapons program is fake (its really just a pathway to stealing trillions of dollars using the same old fear porn) and thst all the photos and videos of “detonations” are just studio photography special effects (the USAAF station at Lookout Mountain Laurel Canyon Hollywood CA) produced by Hollywood special effects teams, there has never been any yrue reaaon to fear nuclear holocaust.
Answer the question “why has no nuclear detonation EVER been used in any war since 1945?
The USA allehedly held monopoly on the tech for four years…yet never used the weapons again? Come on.
All nukes were fake.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki were firebombed like Tokyo and all other Japanese cities.
The nuke story was created to allow the jaos to surrender and “save face” while the photos all show that damaged cities look exactly like every other firebpmbed jap city, with the streets clear of explosion debris and the streetcars running the next day.
What’s the closest to Atlanta?
Linville Caverns NC is about a 4.5 hour drive but in this situation I would recommend getting as far away from the city as possible..
I would think Tate ga. near jasper and canton marble mines would be best place to go.
Under ground bunker will house many thousand people under Orange County convention center if you know where to enter
What about in fl? Where do you go?
Some of your links don’t work. How do I find a free place to go if I live in New York City?
Is there a shelter or mine in santa fe?
I live about 40 mins away from houston tx a small town called east bernard tx. Where would we have to go to stay safe
Why is the government not opening these sites up? If they know this can save lives I feel they should do way more. The government knows the risk is high for a nuclear bomb to hit us. Why is there nothing being done!!!
There are no known natural underground protections for the people of Boston. Where to go? Nh? Vt? any suggestions?
You do realize that a nuclear boom will affect the air for decades, due to radiation. It can last up to 3,000-20,000 years. Depending on how much nuclear waste has been put in the nuclear boom. You need a nuclear shelter that is built to lock air from getting inside. Need tons and tons of food and water to survive. To be honest, it’s sightly pointless trying to survival a nuclear bomb. You would not even be alive when the radius settle down.
Where the hell did you get that information? Air will NOT be affected for a long time. GROUND CONTAMINATION is what you have to worry about. Look at Chernobyl. The radiation is in the ground. The area that was contaminated is unsafe because of the radiation that is in the earth. The radiation released into the atmosphere traveled across Europe and Scandinavia. Under your theory, Ukraine, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Sweden and Norway would be inhabitable right now. Get some knowledge in your head before you start spouting off! BTW, I was a Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Specialist for 18 years in the Army, so I know what I’m talking about.
X-NBCNCO Can you offer us your advise, most of us here are teachable and want to learn.
I think “goodluck” has been binge-watching “The 100” on Netflix, lol 😉
Do you think it makes any sense to invest in a prep shelter?
Ok Military Specialist , your EXPERIENCE makes you the MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE person that i can ask this question of.
I DESIRE TO MAKE A AIR FILTER TO FILTER OUT ANY CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL, OR GAS , TO SUPPLY FRESH AIR TO MY UNDERGROUND BUNKER I AM PLANNING TO BUILD MYSELF.
i would build my system like detailed in the book “EMERGENCY AIR” BY F.J. BOHAN AND USE HEPA FILTERS to filter out RADIATION and such. but i suspect that in the future we need to think about the government attempting to rid themselves of people of our mindset.it is no problem to stock pure oxygen to introduce into the air supply slowly but if a family or 2 needed to stay UNDERGROUND for say 2 years, and air intake pipe was well hidden they might just survive if they could filter the in coming air!! would an ACTIVATED CHARCOAL FILTER take care of gasses?
i myself desire to have enough filters plumbed inline so we can live for 5 years if needed and just open and close valves to change filters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
if you make your answer public then everyone could possibly benefit from your knowledge!!
thank you!
Are there any bomb shelters close to Springfield, Ohio?
Under ground bunker will house many thousand people under Orange County convention center if you know where to enter
OK Badbob
Since you’ve said this three times now…tell us where to enter…pretty please..or email
becausewecare 9 gmail com
findthedata.com
This site is no longer available.
We are sorry for the inconvenience.
Floridians are pretty much SOL regarding underground mines. Highly variable water table, and without grid electricity such could fill with water. There may be some caves in northwestern Florida.
Canadians: Here’s a Wikipedia page which lists mines in Ontario, but some are bound to be open-pit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mines_in_Ontario
Apparently there’s salt mines right across the river from Detroit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windsor_Salt_Mine
For Alberta, seems that mines may get reused for storing noxious things such as natural gas.
If even a limited nuclear war gets started in the Northern Hemisphere, nobody will be happy and millions will die. Thanks ever so much, Clinton, Bush, and Obama. And all those corrupt Congresses.
What about Waterbury Connecticut
Need help in Texas finding shelters
Texas: might try looking into caves. Highland central TX has some very large and extensive cave networks. One advantage of caves is they may have plentiful underground filtered water sources. (For humans, 4 days without clean water = death; fouled water = rapid & very unpleasant death.)
Natural formations however shed slabs and boulders from ceilings during earthquakes, and near-ground nuclear detonations likely to induce ceiling falls too. So choosing a cave shelter likely entails ‘improving’ said cave with internal reinforcing.
An EMP circa 100 miles above central-east Kansas likely moves little earth. Depends on the device; an atomic-only missile warhead could blind outdoor eyes, and cook unsheltered ICs (all sorts of modern gear likely to stop working for some radius). A thermonuclear (hydrogen) warhead exploded circa 10 miles up could ruin everyone’s century in a 150-mile diameter sphere.
For an enemy with very few nuclear devices, Kansas City area a likely first target. (Perhaps sole, for then a North Korea could disappear from maps and history.)
Goal: Maximum disruption at least cost for an attacker. Later targets could be NE cities (NYC, DC…), SoCal (Dago), and the Seattle-Tacoma area.
Other North American targets are only feasible for attackers who have 100s of ready missiles. That’s not to say offshore bases such as Pearl, Diego Garcia, Qattar, Ramstein, etc. might not be opening salvos when adversaries reckon another Obama is in charge.
When thinking of these mines make note of their age. I live in Las Vegas, N.V. and for those of you who don’t know other than mining tourist mineral mining is Nevadas’ principal industry (hell it’s on the state seal) however many of those mines while providing ample coverage from EMP and possibly could be cheaply purchased from the state and made for this use are supported by 150-100 year old timber that has been dangerously dry rotted for 50 years probably wouldn’t take the blast. Then all you’ve done is made sure you got buried when you die. Check with your states geology/siesmology department (usually a state university like UNR or in California UCLA,) and see if the area is sound. They would likely know about any shifting the mine has done as it shows up on their equipment. If you can afford the token payment usually asked for by the state it might be worth buying a derilict mine and having a contractor or diy shore up the roof with modern materials that way it’ll also be stocked as well.
Is there any bunker or protection near Myrtle Beach?
In general, folk along those coastlines which are very near a sea-level are screwed. Mountainous coasts might feature caves and underground fresh water.
Maybe an undersea habitat could work, but at least three caveats. 1) Tsunami-earthquakes; 2) power for bilge pumps needed; 3) local folk likely to know all about situation.
Prepping / survival generally involves radical changes and serious commitments, unless subject folk grew up in small distant subsistence communities.
For monied folk, I hear tell there’s some expatriot communities on Caribbean islands, way down by Belize. And some islands & sites on Pacific coast of Costa Rica. But if things go really bad, U$ -maybe all ‘paper’ money- likely worthless.
Brentwood TN, etc. Caves near Nashtown –
http://tnstateparks.com/parks/about/dunbar-cave
Folks unable to use search engines, and then go to see situation for selves?
Could you please give me a location in south-central Alaska? Although it is non-contiguous, we are indeed a State in the United States.
This is an interesting article, but your comment at the end about “taking your family and getting as far away as possible” is probably not a good plan.
If you survive the blast, you want to be indoors, preferably in a basement or something for a week or so if you can possible do it, but at least 3 days. The reason being that if you flee immediately you’re going to expose yourself to more radiation.
https://emilms.fema.gov/IS3/FEMA_IS/is03/REM0504050.htm
You want to shelter in place for as long as possible if you have adequate shelter – if you’re outside the radius where literally 100% of the buildings are knocked down, you have time – if you don’t you’re probably screwed anyway. If your house is still standing, and the water is still on get as much water as you can and get as far underground as possible – in most cases that’s probably just your basement.
https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/gory-details/nuclear-attack-there%E2%80%99s-no-avoiding-brutal-math
Alaska: unless you’re in or near an important military installation, best to ‘bug-in’. As in digging and lining a big hole.
Other suggestions would be looking North for a deep old cave with stable ceilings. Or a deep overhang which faces East. North Korea and other credible assailants unlikely to hit the Yukon.
Whatever you do, don’t construct anything which presents wood to an exterior. Might consider making a buried or semi-buried ‘home-away-from-home’ in northern valley.
Have never understood hinterland Alaskans building using wood – fire a big hazard in Winter.
Your best bet would be to get away from Ground Zero has fast as possible. Take a vacation to Fiji now.
Impossible to predict the hour and day of a nuclear exchange. Best to look at a map of your country and get NW (Northern Hemisphere) of the most likely targets.
Most likely targets: governmental and financial centers, and military bases. A nuclear exchange between regimes having 1,000s of warheads likely to also involve manufacturing and logistics centers. That latter also means ports such as Jax, Miami, Tampa, Mobile, New Orleans, & Galveston.
I live in Maine and have a family of five..we live in central Maine where could we go and survive the trip there if anything were to happen?
I recollect Maine has caves. Look for those well off roads and without beaten paths to them. Well-known ones may be already occupied when urban/suburban folk get there.
An ill-known cave with flowing underground water is nigh ideal, unless it experiences Spring freshets. If it does, there will be signs of ‘high-water marks’. But Northern caves and overhangs are a last resort – in Winter they are dismal to say the least.
Likely better in Maine to have a well-stocked stone or concrete cellar fitted with all extant conveniences which don’t require electrical power.
What’s The Closest Natural Nuclear Bunker, Underground Mines to Your Home? Fairfax Virginia
If you are thinking a mine will be a place for your family, be sure there is a way to get into and out of the mines without electricity.
I’ve actually been in the salt mine in Grand Saline, Texas. As a geology major at a nearby university, I went on a field trip to the mine. It was a long, dark elevator ride down into the mine, which is about 57 stories below ground level.
Really old mines with horizontal surface adits maybe feasible. May be hazardous due to rotten or dried-out supports. Mines which had followed ore seams through rock best. Like caves, such mines may experience rock falls due to ground-water freeze-thaw cycles, or due earthquakes.
I own the old Carey mine in Lyons Ks. 1000ft deep. 540 rooms. 10 miles of shaft. I’m interested in selling. 620 257 8100.
I would rather die than share a mine (or other mass shelter) with thousands of other people in a SHTF situation.
Caves and Mines are owned they may not take kindly to large flocks of people wandering in and may not want the liability.
I’m south of Nashua, NH – near Devens base, Massachusetts…Anyplace out here?
Here in Arizona. Lots of old mines,but dangerous. What about caves or anything else?
A BUNKER NEEDS FOOD SOURCE WHICH COULD BE OILYMUSHROOMS (GROWN ON LOGS IN DARK AND WATER OR WOODSHAVINGS) AND ALGAE. ALSO ROOTCUTTINGS OF FRUIT TREES COULD BE ATTACHED TO ROOTS OF ABOVEGROUND TREES INTO THE BUNKER..
The link to the mines map has already been shadow-banned, even via secure browser like Brave
I think I may have asked my question the wrong way. I want to know how you stay so private building a bunker when you need so many permits.
so if a nuclear attack occurs, I am going to drive to a salt mine and actually be allowed to live there? And won’t everyone else be trying to get in also?
The salt mines closest to me are still working mines.
Are there caves near Greenville, SC? I can’t find a map site – Keep getting error messages!
Is there a cave near Greenville, SC? All the websites I’ve tried give me error messages.
coastal nc? see nothing….
Sad to see people still cannot do research or make decisions for themselves when they right now have a lot of information provided to them! Stop asking well I live here, where can I go? LOL you are just one family in millions and people cannot answer for all of you and none of you! Most of you are just here and ask a dumb question because you are so afraid of what scares you and it is temporary for you!
You have no idea and will not come back and help others-not that talking on the web is secret anyway!
Get a clue because NOW with this “communist regime” stealing everything from us is when you should be most prepared- instead of being so afraid of the orange man and his tweets !
Funny how stupid humans have become and do not have any common sense anymore- they still fear Trump and have walked into the devils arms. Good luck but…
Most important: do research! Talk to people! Decide if you are going to bug in or bug out first. Then go from there and most is common sense. Do NOT believe what anyone you don’t know until you do research for yourself.
<3
Do you really think lefties are prepping?
You are an interesting dichotomy.
You clearly fancy yourself a conservative, yet you employ leftist tactics. You’re not going to be much help to your family when they come knocking on the door, because you have already shown you’re willing to throw anyone under the bus in order to “look good.”
Good job, genius.
Dismissed.
I am FAR from a leftist and I have my family who are Leftists who have been spitting their wokeness and ignorance to me and my husband constant. Yet they will come here and we are preparing with them in mind!
See what happens when a Leftist like you assumes?
See just because we will NOT take anymore bs from ignorant commies anymore -like you durely does NOT mean I am cruel! Nor am I gullible!
You know nothing about me! I am now wheelchair confined and some of the commie family who I continue to help are name calling little woke brats!
They will need to earn their keep here and help out. Heck I am even purchasing diapers for them-cloth ones!
Grow up and get a life!
Let me get this straight – you’re engaging in infantile leftist tactics like name calling, insinuation (yes, I’ll wait while you look it up), slurs, etc, with the hope that some idiot will believe your myopic accusations; and to top it off, you throw out your ace card (handicap) before all the cards are dealt, meaning you’re out of ammo. And if that wasn’t enough, you go full-on sympathy ploy saying how you’re helping the ingrates you created in still another vain attempt at manipulation.
Ingrates aren’t created, they’re raised.
I strongly recommend that you use a grammar checker the next time you deign to reply.
The more you dig your heels in, the worse you look,
Had enough ?
Can you say “Bend over and kiss your ass goodbye?” Boomer wisdom, always free. The people slain by Katrina (piss ant mega nothing), 1800 souls, died of thirst mostly. In a flood. So waiting down there in a salt cave, count the days (weeks, months, years) until the calvary (killed in nuclear war) come to your rescue. JR
thank you in advance.
are there any underground shelters in or around Las Vegas Henderson area- or boulder city NV.