Field Notes Ohio

Ohio's parks, forests and wildlife areas with camping, the ancient mounds beside them, and the Buckeye Trail that links them. Stories, trails, wildlife, and where to eat and fuel up nearby. Book campsites on ReserveOhio.
Try:
The Buckeye TrailA 1,444-mile blue-blazed loop around Ohio, with all 26 sections.
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Mounds & Earthworks43 ancient sites, including the Great Serpent Mound and the Newark Earthworks.
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Historic Sites39 places, from Fort Steuben and Zoar to Camp Chase and the Rankin House, from the frontier to the Civil War.
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Road Trips33 drives, from the Lincoln Highway to the Morgan Heritage Trail.
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Lake Erie Beaches20 public beaches from Conneaut to Toledo and the islands, with a map.
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Oddities & Roadside Attractions19 giants, ghosts and folk-art stops, plus a Mothman just over the line.
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Caves & Caverns12 show caverns, recess caves and rock shelters, with a map.
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Waterfalls34 falls from the Cuyahoga Valley to the Hocking Hills, with trail notes and a map.
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Explore Ohio

One map for every park, mound, historic site, beach, cave, waterfall and oddity in the app.

Lake ErieWest Virginia27 places277 places77 places73 places35 places519 places1913 places1319 places1916 places168 places810 places1010 places109 places98 places820 places204 places43 places3Barkcamp State Park4 places47 places77 places76 places69 places917 places173 places3Harrison Lake State Park2 places2Forked Run State Park3 places32 places26 places610 places103 places32 places2

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117 parks in 7 regions

Ohio Caverns

West Liberty · Champaign County
Show cavern (limestone)

Visiting information you can trust

Check before driving — this site is seasonal, approximate, privately run, or otherwise uncertain. Confirm hours and access with the official source above.
Content last reviewed
September 2026 — this is when Field Notes Ohio's content was last checked, not a live status.
Primary official source
Official page
Location confidence
Approximate — boundary or exact point not confirmed
Approximate location, use the address
Seasonal access
Summer tours May 1 to September 30; Winter Tour October 1 to April 30. Check the official site for tour times and current conditions.
Check current conditions
Official conditions or closures
Reservations or tickets
Tickets or admission info

Prices, hours, closures, campsite availability and trail conditions shown elsewhere on this page are not live — always confirm with the official source before you go.

Ohio's largest known cave system, known as America's most colorful caverns, open year-round.

Type
A limestone show cavern with guided tours
Tour style
Guided, about 50 minutes; tours are limited to 20 people in summer and 28 in winter
Temperature
54°F all year
Season
Open year-round. Summer tours (Natural Wonder and Historic) run May 1 to September 30; the Winter Tour runs October 1 to April 30. Closed only on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day
Steps
Natural Wonder Tour: a ramp entrance and 60 steps up to exit. Historic Tour: 44 steps down and 38 up. Winter Tour: 38 down and 60 up. All steps have railings
Accessibility
The Limestone Tour, about 25 minutes with ramps in and out, is for guests with limited mobility, by reservation only, May 1 to September 30. Strollers are not recommended; pets are not allowed, but certified service dogs are
Size
More than 15,700 feet of passages, 30 to 103 feet deep, under a 35-acre park
Landmarks
Ohio Natural Landmark (2000) and Ohio Historical Landmark (2004)

The story

In August 1897 a farmhand named Robert Noffsinger, working land owned by Abraham William Reams, noticed a sinkhole forming in a low spot in a field. He dug into it with Jordan Reams, broke through the limestone and found a passage. The bedrock is about 400 million years old, and the caves began to form perhaps several thousand years ago, during the Ice Age. The first section opened to the public on September 9, 1897, advertised as Mt. Tabor Cave Tours.

In 1925 a far more striking section was uncovered, and the original entrance closed. Allen and Ira Smith bought the property, spent three years clearing mud from the further reaches and lengthened the tour from a quarter mile to more than two miles, and opened it as Ohio Caverns. Today the Historic Tour follows the parts visitors saw between 1897 and 1925 and the Natural Wonder Tour goes through the colorful formations, including the Crystal King, a nearly five-foot-long white stalactite estimated at about 200,000 years old. About 90 percent of the stalactites and stalagmites are still growing.

Sources give Ohio Caverns' passage length as about 2, 3 or more than 3 miles. The map pin is approximate; use the address.

Stay on the marked trails and official tours. Caves are fragile and can be dangerous, and entering any cave or crevice that is closed, unmarked or not open to the public is unsafe and unauthorized.

Visiting

Status
Open year-round
Season and hours
Summer tours May 1 to September 30; Winter Tour October 1 to April 30. Check the official site for tour times and current conditions.
Cost
See the official site.
Phone
937-465-4017
Please note
No video, tripods, monopods or selfie sticks; no drones. Closed-toe shoes recommended. Lightning and heavy rain can delay the Natural Wonder tour.
Address
2210 E State Route 245, West Liberty, OH 43357
More information →DirectionsShow on the map

The pin on the map is approximate; use the address or the operator's directions.

Seasons, tours and access can change. Confirm with the operator or park before a long drive; where a closure alert applies, check current conditions.

Parks nearby

Indian Lake State Park
About 12 miles · A big lake park to the northwest.
Open
Buck Creek State Park
About 30 miles · A lake park at Springfield.
Open

Details last checked 2026-09-22. Confirm hours and prices before you go.