Laurel Caverns State Park

By America's State Parks Editorial TeamApril 16, 2026 · Updated October 13, 2026

🦇 Pennsylvania’s Underground State Park — Guided cave tours through the state’s largest cavern, adventure spelunking, gemstone panning, and the Laurel Highlands landscape above

Beneath Chestnut Ridge in Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands lies the largest cave in the state: more than four miles of passages in calcareous sandstone. Laurel Caverns became Pennsylvania’s first and only underground state park in April 2026. Native Americans were the first to find the cave entrance, and arrowheads have turned up around it; settlers were likely entering the cave in the decade before 1776, and the earliest known newspaper account dates to 1798. Today, guided tours lead visitors through lit passages, up and down steep slopes, and past cross-bedded rock layers left by an ancient shallow sea. For those who want more than a standard tour, adventure spelunking programs put you on your hands and knees in unlit passages — real caving, with helmets and headlamps, in the dark.

Laurel Caverns State Park sits on Chestnut Ridge in Fayette County, about 50 miles south of Pittsburgh, and adjoins Forbes State Forest and State Game Lands 138. The cave itself maintains a constant 52°F temperature year-round — bring a jacket even in August. Above ground, the trails and the view from the visitor center parking area are free to all, and the visitor center holds the ticket window, a souvenir shop and a gemstone-panning room. The caverns close each winter to protect hibernating bats, so cave tours run only from mid-April through the last weekend of October.

What to Do at Laurel Caverns

1. Take a Guided Cave Tour

The Laurel Caverns Conservancy runs two lit walking tours. The Maze Tour takes about 35 minutes and covers 800 feet of the easiest passages without steps. The Full Lighted Tour lasts about an hour, adds 1,200 feet of larger and steeper passages with 143 steps, and passes the 1794 discovery entrance and the 45-foot Calico Falls. The rock is Loyalhanna limestone, roughly half sand held together by calcium carbonate from ancient shells; mildly acidic rainwater dissolved the carbonate and carried off sand to carve the passages. Sandstone caves do not form stalactites, so look instead for cross-bedded layers and the occasional fossil. These two tours are the best option for families with children and visitors new to caving.

2. Go Adventure Spelunking

For a more intense experience, the Conservancy runs three programs that leave the lit route for unlit passages. The Tour and Crawl Program (about 75 minutes, ages 9 and up) adds 200 feet of crawling to the lit tour. The Introduction to Caving Program (about two hours, ages 14 and up) starts with a safety class and descends into the two largest unlit rooms. The Deep Depths Caving Program (about four hours, ages 14 and up) goes on to a deepest point of 452 feet. Walk-ins are taken on weekends; groups call ahead. Wear long pants and long sleeves; the two caving programs also require hiking boots that lace above the ankle and a signed release form. Hard hats and lights are provided, and anyone under 16 must be accompanied by a supervising adult. This is real caving — physically demanding and exhilarating.

3. Pan for Gemstones

Next to the gift shop, a cave-like room has a waist-high water trough for gemstone panning. Each participant gets a sand-filled bag of gems, a sifting tray and a card showing the stones they might find. It is a popular activity for families with children; the price per bag depends on the bag size.

4. Hike the Surface Trails

The aboveground park, including its trails, is open every day of the year from sunrise to 5:00 PM and costs nothing. From the visitor center parking area, the view reaches over the western slope of Chestnut Ridge to Fairchance and Uniontown, and on a clear day to the US Steel Tower in Pittsburgh. The ridge-top forest is dominated by red, chestnut and white oaks, with mountain laurel blooming in June, and raptors ride the ridge winds during migration. Several picnic tables sit on the hill above the visitor center. Hunting is not permitted in the park for the 2026–2027 season; nearby Forbes State Forest and State Game Lands 138 are open to hunters.

Visitor Information

Best Time to Visit

The constant 52°F cave temperature makes a tour a cool escape on summer days. The caverns close after the last weekend of October to protect hibernating bats; in winter only the aboveground park is open.

💰 Trip Cost Estimator

Family of 4 means two adults and two children aged 5–9. Ticket prices are set by the Laurel Caverns Conservancy and were checked in October 2026; tickets are sold on site only.

Nearby Attractions

Ohiopyle State Park — waterfalls, miles of hiking and biking trails, and whitewater rafting on the Youghiogheny River. Forbes State Forest — the state forest around the park, with hiking, camping, hunting and wildlife viewing. Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob — two Frank Lloyd Wright houses in the Laurel Highlands. Fort Necessity National Battlefield — the site of the 1754 battle that the National Park Service calls the opening action of the French and Indian War. The Conservancy also names the Historic Summit Inn, where Skyline Drive leaves US Route 40, and Nemacolin Woodlands as nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I buy tickets online?

No — tickets are only available at the visitor center on-site. Walk up and purchase when you arrive. Groups of 15 or more should call ahead for scheduling.

How cold is the cave?

The cave maintains a constant 52°F year-round. Bring a jacket or sweater even in summer. Long pants are recommended, especially for adventure programs.

Is the cave open in winter?

No. Cave tours run from mid-April through the last weekend of October, and the caverns close in winter to protect hibernating bats. The aboveground park stays open every day of the year, sunrise to 5:00 PM.

Can kids do the adventure spelunking?

The Tour and Crawl Program is open from age 9; the Introduction to Caving and Deep Depths Caving programs require participants to be at least 14. Anyone under 16 must be accompanied by a supervising adult. The Maze Tour and the Full Lighted Tour are suitable for all ages.

Is it wheelchair accessible?

The cave tours are not wheelchair accessible: the Maze Tour has no steps but starts down a sloped entrance ramp, and the Full Lighted Tour adds 143 steps. ADA-accessible parking is in the lower lot closest to the visitor center, and DCNR marks the view from the visitor center parking area as accessible.

Is Laurel Caverns State Park free?

Entry to the park and its trails is free, as at all Pennsylvania state parks. Cave tours are sold on site by the Laurel Caverns Conservancy; in 2026 the Maze Tour costs $18 and the Full Lighted Tour $20 per adult.

Make it a road trip: Pair a visit with Fort Necessity National Battlefield and Braddock Grave, both run by the National Park Service, or with Ohiopyle State Park.

Wildlife & Nature

Laurel Caverns — Pennsylvania’s largest cave — has over four miles of passages through calcareous sandstone. The cave maintains a constant 52°F year-round. Bats hibernate in the cave in winter, when it is closed to tours. The oak forest on Chestnut Ridge supports black bears, bobcats, white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, and timber rattlesnakes.

About the Author

America's State Parks Editorial Team

America's State Parks is an independent online guide to state parks and other public lands in the United States. Our editorial team compiles park profiles from official agency and operator sources and other identified references, and follows our published editorial policy and review methodology. Where a profile shows a source-check date, that date applies to the detail it names. We correct errors when we find them or when readers report them.

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