Caving
（重定向自Potholing）
![Caving in a muddy section of Black Chasm Cave in California.](/Images/godic/202502/04/Caving20700.jpg")
![Stephens Gap, a vertical cave in Alabama.](/Images/godic/202502/04/Alabama_cave_2005-04-24.km0700.jpg")
![Caving in the north of England, an area that is also popular for pothole exploring](/Images/godic/202502/04/Caveman-ic0700.jpg")
![Caver in an Alabama cave showing common caving wear: coveralls, helmet-mounted lights, heavy boots and gloves.](/Images/godic/202502/04/Caving10700.jpg")
Caving — also traditionally known as spelunking in the United States and Canada and potholing in the United Kingdom and Ireland — is the recreational pastime of exploring wild (generally non-commercial) cave systems. In contrast, speleology is the scientific study of caves and the cave environment.