Mel’s Hole does not have a confirmed depth; it is considered an urban legend, not a documented geological feature.
What Mel Claimed
According to Mel Waters’ original radio call–in story, he said he lowered at least 80,000 feet (around 24,000 meters) of fishing line into the hole without hitting bottom, leading to the claim that it was “bottomless.” Some retellings and videos exaggerate this even further, but all are based on his unverified personal account rather than measurements by scientists.
Scientific And Official View
Geologists point out that a vertical, open hole tens of thousands of feet deep in normal rock is geologically impossible, because the surrounding rock and heat would cause it to collapse or melt equipment long before reaching such depths. Local and state officials and geologists also report no verified location for Mel’s Hole, no records of Mel Waters owning the supposed property, and suggest that at most there may have been an ordinary mine shaft that inspired the tale.
Bottom Line
In story terms, Mel’s Hole is “at least 80,000 feet deep and maybe bottomless.” In reality, there is no evidence the hole exists at all, so its true depth is unknown and the extreme depths claimed are considered fictitious.