Pennsylvania’s Newest State Park Is Underground
The recent donation of Laurel Caverns to the Commonwealth makes it the state’s 125th national park. It opens on Earth Day, April 22.
LAUREL CAVERNS STATE PARK | PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES
Pennsylvania just got a new state park, and there’s something a little different about it: It’s underground.
State officials announced on Tuesday the opening of Laurel Caverns State Park in Fayette County. As the first designation since 2022, Laurel Caverns is the state’s 125th state park — and the first subterranean park in Commonwealth history.
Located approximately 50 miles from Pittsburgh, Laurel Caverns is a 435-acre park centered around the largest and deepest limestone cave in Pennsylvania.It houses four miles of wide cave passages that go as deep as 476 feet and is the largest bat shelter in the Northeast. Attracting 50,000 annual visitors, the caverns will officially reopen to the public on Earth Day, April 22, and will remain open until October.
“Parks like Laurel Caverns give our kids a new place to learn, our families a place to make memories, and all of us a chance to get away, take a breath, and just enjoy nature,” Gov. Josh Shapiro says in a statement. “Pennsylvania’s state parks are an incredible asset to our Commonwealth and our economy — and when we invest in outdoor recreation, we not only create good-paying jobs, but by bringing people together, we also invest in the wellbeing of our neighbors and the future of our Commonwealth.”
The caverns’ state park designation was made possible through the park’s donation to the Commonwealth by David and Lilian Cale, who created the Laurel Caverns Conservancy to manage the park’s operations in 1986; David Cale’s family opened the park in 1964.
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources says its initial plans are to make upgrades to enhance visitors’ experiences at the park. Several improvements are already underway, including electrical upgrades; improved accessibility in parking spaces, entryways, and bathrooms; and routine updates to the foundation and structural system of the visitor center.
Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation network is made up of 6,400 local parks, more than 14,000 miles of trails and over 84,000 miles of waterways. The addition of Laurel Caverns will be a boon for local businesses, restaurants and workforce communities, county officials say.
“Right here in our backyard, we have one of the most unique natural attractions in the country,” Fayette County Commissioner Vince Vicites says in a statement.
He also calls the designation “a major win for Fayette County.”
Muriel Nuttall, executive director of the Fayette Chamber of Commerce, adds that Laurel Caverns’ designation is adding “something that is truly one of a kind to Fayette County.”
“Every day, we welcome so many people to the county and today builds on momentum to give people another reason to visit, to explore, and to really impact our local economy,” she says.
Like all Pennsylvania state parks, entrance and participation in recreational activities such as hiking, birding and picnicking will remain free at the caverns. However, fees to enter the cave for one of five guided or self-guided tours will remain in place throughout the 2026 season as management transitions to DCNR.
