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

Olentangy Caverns

Delaware · Delaware 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
The 2026 season runs March 19 to November 1; see the official site for current hours. Last entry is 30 minutes before close.
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.

A self-guided audio tour through a limestone cavern on three levels, with Native American and settler history.

Type
A limestone cavern with a self-guided audio tour
Tour style
Self-guided, with seven audio stations, about 20 to 30 minutes if you listen to every station
Levels
Three levels, 55, 75 and 105 feet underground; a fourth level with an underground stream has been partly explored but is not open
Temperature
54°F all year
Season
The 2026 season runs March 19 through November 1, open daily including holidays
Steps and access
Reached only by one stairwell of 58 steps, which is the entrance and exit. Not wheelchair accessible and not recommended for those with mobility issues
Conditions
Stairs and cave floor are cemented, but rainwater seeps through and passages can be damp; sturdy closed-toe shoes with non-slip soles are required. Flash flooding above ground means flooding below, and the cave may close for one to three hours
Also on site
Above-ground activities, a rock and gem shop and picnic areas

The story

The caverns were formed over millions of years by water cutting through limestone. The Wyandot may have used them as a haven from the weather and from their enemies, the Delaware, and artifacts found in the Council Room suggest they may have made arrows and stone tools there until as late as 1810. The site's own account frames this as possible, not proved. The first settler believed to have entered was J. M. Adams, of a westbound wagon train that camped nearby in 1821 after an ox strayed and was found dead at the entrance; he carved his name and the date on the wall, and the carving is still there, partly covered by flowstone.

In the mid-to-late 1800s the caverns were considered a safety hazard and the entrance was filled with dirt, which damaged many of the formations — part of why the caverns are not known for exceptional formations today. In the 1930s two local families bought the land and excavated the cave, and it first opened for public tours on July 4, 1935. The concrete stairs lead down to Battleship Rock and the Crystal Room on the second level, and to Cathedral Hall and the Bell Tower room, 105 feet down.

Check the official site for closures after heavy rain. The map pin is approximate.

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 seasonally
Season and hours
The 2026 season runs March 19 to November 1; see the official site for current hours. Last entry is 30 minutes before close.
Cost
See the official site.
Phone
740-548-7917
Please note
The cave may close briefly for flash flooding. Children must be actively monitored.
Address
1779 Home Rd, Delaware, OH 43015
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

Delaware State Park
About 6 miles · A lake and fort-history park to the south.
Open
Alum Creek State Park
About 12 miles · A big lake park near Columbus.
Open

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