Participants see all of the lighted cave and, along the way, do the “maze crawl,” enter the large unlit room called: “the Stomach,” and walk/crawl through the unlit, sandy-floored passages of Cale’s Canyon.
Participants must be at least nine years old and have the physical ability to hike fifteen stories deeper into the mountain on its lit passages. Participants must wear firmly-fitting shoes with a good tread, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt or old sweater suitable for a cave temperature of 52oF. Laurel Caverns will supply the lights and the hard hat.
This learning activity is available, every Saturday and Sunday, even walk-ins without reservations, between mid-April and the last weekend in October at 10:00 am; 12:00 pm; and 2:00 pm. This program is available seven days a week for groups of 15, or more, with reservations. Organizations requesting this program should call: 724-438-3003, to make arrangements.
9 years is the minimum age requirement
Two extensive side-passages, one involving some crawling, are also explored. Participants must wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and secure shoes with good tread and ankle support. Hiking boots that have a quarter-inch tread and lace above the ankles are highly recommended. Laurel Caverns provides a hard hat with light, but participants are encouraged to bring hand-held lights as well as well as a change of clothing. An introductory class on cave safety and rescue is a key feature.
For those with the physical ability to endure a twenty-five-story descent into a mountain, and who have reached their 12th birthday, this learning activity is available, every Saturday and Sunday for walk-ins without reservations, between mid-April and the last weekend in October, at 9:30 am and 1:30 pm. For groups, of ten persons or more, excursions are available seven-days a week with a pre-paid deposit by calling 724-438-3003. There are no refunds for weekday reservations; but for those who cannot make their reserved time, a future date can be arranged. A release form must be signed by all participants and lawfully co-signed for minors, then presented at the time one’s program begins. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. Additional rules, not covered here, are found in the release form.
12 years is the minimum age requirement
Part One consists of a classroom orientation that goes beyond that offered in the Introduction to Caving Program.
Part Two takes participants through the lit part of Laurel Caverns into an unlit room, where they are introduced to a difficult crawl, not used in any other programs. The purpose of this crawl is to allow participants to inform themselves, as to their ability to do Part Four. Those who find themselves challenged to complete Part Two, will receive a 50% refund to drop from this program.
Part Three consists of a return to the Visitors’ Center for a lunch break. Participants need to bring their own lunches since Laurel Caverns does not have food service.
Part Four involves a forty-five-story descent into the more dangerous depths of Laurel Caverns, one of the steepest and deepest caves in the United States. Removing an injured person from those depths can take up to six hours and require as many as thirty EMS and Fire Department personal. Further, while twisted or broken ankles are, historically, the primary cause for injury in the very challenging terrain of those lowest depths, recent years have seen an increase in the rescue of adults who, overwhelmed by the unexpected physical challenges that attend deep-cave bouldering, believed they were having a heart attack. All individuals having a recent bone injury, recent medical operation, or history of back problems, knee problems, hip problems, or heart problems, should not to participate in this program.
Participants must have reached their 14th birthday and wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and hiking boots that have a quarter-inch tread and lace above the ankles. Anyone arriving without meeting these requirements will not be admitted. Laurel Caverns provides a hard hat with light, but participants are encouraged to bring hand-held lights as well as a change of clothing.
This learning activity is available, every Saturday and Sunday for walk-ins without reservations, between mid-April and the last weekend in October, at 10:30 am. For groups, of ten persons or more, excursions are available seven-days a week with a pre-paid deposit by calling 724-438-3003. There are no refunds for weekday reservations; but for those who cannot make their reserved time, a future date can be arranged. A release form must be signed by all participants and lawfully co-signed for minors, then presented at the time one’s program begins. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. Additional rules, not covered here, are found in the release form.
14 years is the minimum age requirement
(Click to expand map made by Ryan Maurer Cartologist)
At Laurel Caverns, we take learning underground.
Lookout off the back deck of the Laurel Caverns facility and see a beautiful view high above on Chestnut Ridge.
This popular activity is done in a cave-like setting in a room adjacent to the Laurel Caverns Gift Shop. Participants are given a card showing all the gems they might find, a sand-filled bag containing those gems, a bag to hold the gems, and a sifting tray. They then work the tray in a waist-high water trough that simulates those used to pan for gold in he 1800s. The cost per bag varies with size and market conditions, but there is an effort to keep the cost at Laurel Caverns below what is charged elsewhere.
Home to Pennsylvania’s largest cave.
Laurel Caverns is 8 miles from Hopwood, PA 15445 and 11 miles from Farmington, PA 15437, surrounded by the Forbes State Forest. For purposes of GPS, put in 1065 Skyline Drive, Farmington, Pennsylvania. Please read our directions.
Laurel Caverns is a large natural calcareous sandstone cave located 50 miles south of Pittsburgh. Most of the passage ceilings in its four mile labyrinth are between ten and twenty feet high (many as high as 50 feet) with an average width of over twelve feet. This makes it the largest cave in Pennsylvania. If classified as a sandstone cave, it is the largest sandstone cave in the world. The cave itself is situated beneath a 435 acre privately owned geological preserve. Because this property is at the top of Chestnut Ridge, all of the water that enters the cave is pristine.
The cost of maintaining this preserve is only funded by cave admissions, program admissions, and our gift shop. No local, state or federal tax dollars are used for either the support of this private preservation initiative or for the support of its educational programs. For this reason your patronage is greatly appreciated.
Because of its size, Laurel Caverns is also the largest natural bat hibernaculum in the north-eastern United States. In commitment to its preservation mission, the cave is closed during winter months for the bat’s winter hibernation season. Therefore, visitors will not likely see bats since the cave is open during the spring, summer, and fall months when bats have left the cave.
GPS 1065 Skyline Drive, Farmington, PA 15437
Laurel Caverns is off route 40 east of Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Geographically, it is about 50 miles south of Pittsburgh
Nearby sites are: The Summit Inn, Fort Necessity National Park,
Nemacolin Woodlands, Ohiopyle State Park, Kentuck Knob, and Fallingwater
Rain is never a problem. The cave temperature is a constant 52 degrees.
MAILING ADDRESS:
Laurel Caverns
P. O. Box 62,
Hopwood, PA
15445
Monday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Tuesday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Wednesday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Thursday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sunday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
