Things to do at Alabaster Caverns State Park
The kids were off for Spring Break, but we didn’t have any big plans. My husband and I decided to take off work on Thursday and take our youngest to Alabaster Caverns State Park near Freedom, Oklahoma to have a picnic, go hiking, and tour the cave! Who wouldn’t love a day out exploring a cave, taking a picnic, and hiking! Our oldest had a babysitting gig over Spring Break, and I wish now we would have gotten her and the boy she was babysitting and took them with us. This is an easy day trip for us because Alabaster Caverns is only about 45 minutes away from us. Alabaster Caverns is formed of alabaster, a rare form of gypsum. It is the largest gypsum cavern in the world that can be toured by the public.
Picnic Area
It was a really windy day, but we were not too worried about that because the park has sheltered picnic areas and trees along the hiking trails to block most of the wind. Plus, no wind in the caves. Lol!
We decided to start with a picnic because my youngest declared she was starving and it was almost noon. I packed ham and cheese sandwiches, chips, pickles, and water. Even though it was windy, the temperature outside was perfect, in the upper 70s. We found a great picnic area that was close to the park office and protected from the wind. My daughter had a new lunch box and I packed her lunch in it. She was so excited to try it out. It is super cute, you can find it on Amazon.
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Park Office & Tickets for the Guided Tour
After we ate, we went into the office to buy our tickets for the guided cave tour. The tickets were $10 each for my husband and me and our youngest was free (she’s 5-years-old). They have a small gift shop, snacks, drinks and a small museum in the back. We still had almost an hour before our tour would start. They start every hour on the hour from 9am-4pm.
We looked around the gift shop and they have some cute t-shirts and quite a few bat items. They have badges for walking sticks. My husband always purchases one when we go to parks that sell them, and attaches them to his walking stick (like this one). He has quite a collection. We bought his walking stick while visiting the Great Rocky Mountains National Park, you can find badges at most state and national parks. We looked through the museum in the back until my daughter started to get cranky, then we went to the playground so she could play.
Playground, Campsites & Restroom
They have a nice small playground with swings, a slide, and a rock for the kids to climb on. My daughter had a lot of fun playing. It was a good spot to kill some time before the cave tour started.
I took my daughter to the restroom a few minutes before our cave tour. Their restrooms are clean and had the necessities that are typical of a State Park restroom. I would give it a thumbs up for park bathrooms, it sure beats porta-potties.
There is a small campground at the park for tents and RVs. I noticed a volleyball set up, but the net was down, so that may be up more around the summertime (it was up when we went last summer). There was no one set up at the campsites (it was a weekday and March), so if you want to check the place out when it’s not crowded, March during the week would be a great time. I’ve seen several campers in the summer, so I’m sure it’s busier then.
Alabaster Caverns Cave Tour
The tour lasts 45 minutes and is a walking tour with steps and slick spots. It is 3/4 mile long and cold in the cave, usually in the 50s-60s. Bring a light jacket, even in the Summer, if you don’t like the cooler temperatures. I was fine without one, but I think the cave is a nice way to cool off. This tour is not for someone who cannot handle an easy hike. It’s not hard at all, but if you have any handicaps, it is not very accessible to accommodate that.
Warning
If you are claustrophobic, this tour is probably not for you.
What to expect at Alabaster Caverns
Expect a pretty quick pace through the cave, but with lots of stops and great information on the cavern. You will not be allowed to bring your camera or phone to take photos. No food or drinks either. A few years ago we could take pictures inside the cave. I need to try to find those pictures. You can see photos of the inside of the caverns on the Travel Oklahoma site.
We met our tour guide outside of the office, along with about 10 other people. This was a pretty small group, we’ve been in bigger groups in the past, but that was always on the weekend. I think they allow up to 40 people per tour. We walked down several stairs to reach the entrance. Our guide was pretty friendly, she kept up a pretty fast pace. The cave has electricity with plenty of lighting, but it is all on a timer, so you want to keep up with the guide, as the lights turned off behind us.
Alabaster Caverns is formed from gypsum, and you will see a variety of colors throughout the cave. My husband and I are tall, so we had to duck our heads a few times, one lady forgot to duck and bumped her head really good. Alabaster Caverns is an amazing formation of nature. I’ve been there several times but I am always awed by its beauty and uniqueness.
The best part of the tour was all the bats hibernating! There were several colonies of bats throughout the cave hanging upside down from high places. Some were even close enough to touch, but of course, we did not want to disturb them. You will likely not see any bats in the Summer. Go in the Spring or Winter to catch sight of the bats.
The guide pointed out lots of neat formations in the caverns, all with fun names that the last owner (before the state purchased it) created. One of the great things about the cave is that you can touch the walls and ceilings. There are no stalactites in this cave, like in most caves, that you are not allowed to touch.
At one point during the tour they turn the lights off, and we were in total darkness for about a minute. My daughter does not like the dark, but luckily she did not freak out. Once the tour was over they gave us a ride back to the Park office.
Hiking at Alabaster Caverns State Park
After the cave tour, we decided to take a short hike down to the stream. This is not a bad hike, especially with the nice weather. I was a little nervous my daughter would trip and fall off the ledge because the trail is a bit narrow in spots! The trail gets pretty narrow and a bit overgrown as you make your way down to the stream. Don’t expect a wide, well-maintained trail system.
When we got to the stream, my daughter wanted to take her shoes off and get in. It was freezing! So, of course, we did not let her. We walked along the stream a bit, then headed back towards the park office. Our hike lasted about 45 minutes.
We went back to the park office and bought a couple of waters, then we headed home. We made a quick stop in Freedom at the convenience store and got snacks, my husband said they have really good pizza. He works in the area and grabs lunch in Freedom occasionally.
Conclusion
Alabaster Caverns State Park is a super neat place to take your kids to visit. If they love the outdoors and cool caves, they will love an adventure at this unique State Park! I love taking adventures with my family! Watching my children discover new things and see the smiles and delight on their faces beats about any feeling out there. Have you visited Alabaster Caverns State Park? What are your favorite adventures with your family? Rather close to home or far away.
Update
The cave entrance at Alabaster Caverns is currently blocked due to fallen rocks. When visiting you will enter at the original exit, hike through the cavern then turn back around to hike back to the exit/entrance.
Shopping
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There’s a pretty steep drop off here. Notice the narrow trail.
Steps leading to the cave entrance
Cave Entrance
