Ohio Caverns
Aug 08 '01
The Bottom Line This time I visited the caverns I had my 7 year old nephew, two junior high girls and my senior citizen parents and we all enjoyed the visit.
Last week we had company and we wanted to show them all the diverse attractions that Ohio has to offer. One of our first stops was Ohio Caverns. It is about a forty minute drive from Dayton and it is well worth it.
One of the first things that will surprise you is that the caverns are located in the middle of rolling farm country. When you pull into the grounds you will notice how well manicured the 35 acre park is year round.
The parking is close to the park office. This park is privately owned so there is an admission to get into the caverns. The cost is 9.50 for adults, 5.00 for children ages 5-12, and children younger than four are free.
I have never had to wait more than fifteen minutes for a tour to start. The tour guides are very pleasant and took the time to answer everyone's questions. There are many opportunities in the caverns to take still photography so don't forget your camera.
The groups in each tour are about twenty five people. You descend down a staircase to get to the caverns. One of the appealing things about the caverns is that there is a constant temperature of 54 degrees all year. This was wonderful for us since the weather outside was sweltering. I would recommend bringing along a sweater just in case you get chilly.
The tour guide stops several times to give you the complete history of the caverns. They were founded by a local field hand that noticed after a rain how the water seemed to quickly disappear into the ground. It took workers years to get the mud out of the caverns so people could go down and see them.
These are Ohio's largest caverns. This is a must see if you are in the area. There are plenty of stalagmites and stalactites for you to admire and photograph. The guide will tell you the kind of damage you will do to the crystals if you touch them. She even has a "dirty" crystal that you can touch if you just have to touch.
I appreciated the fact that the paths in the caverns were very smooth and I didn't have to worry about tripping along the way since it isn't too bright. The guide does turn out the lights when we are stopped just to give us an idea of just how dark it was for the workers who were digging out the mud from the pathways.
The trip was about a mile in length. It took about forty five minutes for our tour. It wasn't too long it seemed just perfect. There are no food or drinks in the caverns, but there are lovely picnic facilities that you can use before or after your tour.
A stop in the gift shop is a must. There is something for everyone. You can find something for less than a dollar such as polished rocks and toys for the little ones. The girls with me enjoyed looking at all of the jewelry displayed and each chose a ring.
There are no rest rooms in the cavern so make sure you use the facilities which are in a building close to the parking lot. There is also a drinking fountain in case you are thirsty.
The hours for the park are November 1 through March 31, 9am to 4pm, April 1 through October 31, 9am to 5pm. The only days Ohio Caverns are closed are Christmas and Thanksgiving.
If you are coming from Dayton you would take I-70 east to US 68 North to State Route 507 East. It is three miles to the caverns.
If you are coming from Columbus you would take US 33 Northwest to State Route 245 West(which is in Marysville). You will drive 19 miles to the caverns.
If you have any questions and want to call the caverns their number is (937) 465-4017.
Your family will have memories that will last a lifetime and they are sure to learn something too.
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erin5oaks
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