Laurel Caverns
P. O. Box 62,
Hopwood, PA
15445
DO NOT SEND MAIL TO OUR PHYSICAL ADDRESS, PLEASE USE THIS MAILING ADDRESS.
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
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.
Reservations are only needed for groups of 15 or more people wanting a private tour.
Scout troops need to call for reservations, regardless of numbers so they can be put on our schedule.
Reservations are required if one wishes to bring a group of fifteen or more from a lawfully structured educational institution (schools, summer camps, scout groups, church groups, etc.)
Please call 724-438-3003 and ask for Lillian to get group rates, discuss combining the guided tour with the self-guided option, learn more, have accommodation questions answered, and/or book a tour.
This option has no steps, involves 600 feet of walking over the easiest trails in the lit portion of Laurel Caverns. It is available seven days a week between 9:00 am & 4:00 pm. Tours leave every twenty minutes and last about a half hour. This tour is designed for the general public and does not require special equipment or clothing, other than a light jacket or sweater. The cave temperature is 52o year-round. Those who take this option may also take the Self-Guided Tour at no additional cost.
This option has about 100 steps and involves 800 feet of walking over the most difficult trails in the lit portion of Laurel Caverns. It is available seven days a week between 9:00 am & 4:00 pm. A brief orientation is provided and the tour lasts about a half hour. It does not include the traditional tour path. It is ideal for those in excellent health with a tight schedule. It also serves those who already know the cave’s history and geology, either from this website or the traditional tour. Rates are: $17- age 18-65; $15- over age 65; $13- age 12-17; $11- age 5-11; $3- 4 & under. $0- Infants.
To meet the often-specialized needs of schools, summer camps, scout groups, church youth groups, family reunions, and the like, this option has many options. Accommodation needs are extremely important, though often challenging to meet due the natural architecture of Laurel Caverns. For groups wanting add-ons, Laurel Caverns offers its Fun Patch Program, Panning for Gemstones, The Grottoes of Learning, and even grab bags. Specialized geology programs are also available. Call Lillian at 724-438-3003 for rates, requests, reservations, and answers to your questions.
(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.
With about 10,000 sq. ft. the Grottoes is the largest simulated cave in the world. It was created for the purpose of studying the birth and growth rate of stalactites. Here, children may see real stalactites while, with the lanterns provided, safely explore a dark cave. They are also invited to play archeologist and find 12 animal paintings put there by “prehistoric cavemen.” This is an ideal cave exploring activity for children between 4 and 9 years of age.
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