Join us as we put our spelunking gear and take a closer look at Indian Caverns! While Pennsylvania is well known for its forested mountains, rushing streams and spectacular scenery, there are a surprising amount of natural wonders that exist underground.
The cave is located in the Spruce Creek valley, with rocky, wooded ridges embracing fertile farmland, surrounding the cave grounds with unparalled natural beauty. The cavern entrance is nestled in a hillside covered in pine, spruce, maple, walnut, and locust trees, dripping with fern, ivy, and a wide variety of wildflowers and shrubs. Indian Caverns overlooks Spruce Creek, which is full of enormous wild brown and rainbow trout and provides a home for salamanders, crawfish, turtles, and ducks.
Actually, no gear is necessary for the cavern tour, which lasts approximately 60-90 minutes. Even older visitors can easily navigate the cave’s concrete and gravel paths and short stairways. However, you may want to bring a light jacket, as the temperature within is 56 degrees Fahrenheit all year long.
Settlers became aware of the cave in the early 1800’s, and it was even briefly used as an outlaw hideout during the time period. Over a hundred years later, a local couple discovered an expansive, new section of the cave, which then made it three times larger than had previously been known. The couple purchased the cave and surrounding land and developed it into a tourist attraction. During the process, several Native American artifacts and remains were found. Archaeologists determined they were over 400 years old, and were most likely left by the Mohawk or Lenape tribes.
Indian Caverns is the largest limestone cave in Pennsylvania, and most of its flowstone and dripstone formations are still “alive” and growing. As a “living” cave – the majority of the dripstone and flowstone formations are still active. This type of formation takes approximately 120 years to grow a cubic inch. There are countless speleothems in the cave, including stalactites, stalagmites, columns, soda straws, cave coral, drapery, popcorn, sawtooth, some small helectites, a rimstone pool, and the largest sheet of flowstone in the northeast. There are also numerous formations created by erosion, including a “musical rock.” In the White Grotto room, the cave’s calcite and zinc sulfide deposits glow a fluorescent blue-green color under ultraviolet light, creating a beautiful shimmering effect.
While taking a break from a road trip in your RV rental or motorhome rental in PA to explore the caverns, you can also enjoy some topside activities as well. After a picnic lunch, try some catch and release fishing on Spruce Creek (on-site permits available), or try your luck at gem and arrowhead panning. Before you leave, be sure to make a stop at the gift shop for rocks and minerals, T-shirts, jewelry, snacks and Native American souvenirs.
Located between the cities of Altoona and State College among the wooded ridges of the Spruce Creek Valley, Indian Caverns is a fun, educational destination you won’t want to miss! Let us know your thoughts on PA’s Indian Caverns. We welcome your suggestions on other Pennsylvania travel destinations and activities as well!
Whether you need a motorhome, travel trailer, or popup camper in PA, come to Freedom RV Rentals for a rental experience unlike any other. We provide the customer service you need for a family adventure of a lifetime. We serve some common areas in PA that include Harrisburg, Gettysburg, Pittsburgh, Altoona, Johnstown, Indiana, State College and many more. Contact us at 800-474-8110 to start your vacation planning today