Let’s be real, summers in Ohio are humid and you never know what sort of weather you’re actually going to get. Especially in August. Usually we have temperatures in the 90s with humidity, maybe a pop-up thunderstorm; somehow this year we started off with temps in the 70s. (Yeah, it was weird.)

So how do you plan day trips and vacations when you don’t know what the weather will be?

Well, you can plan a day trip to a place that has a constant year-round temperature! How does 54 degrees sound? That’s what you’ll get at Ohio Caverns!

History of the Caverns

Farmhand Robert Noffsinger discovered the caverns in August 1897. There was a sinkhole on the farm that would fill up in heavy rains, then drain again by the next day. Either curious as to where the water was going or as instructed by landowner Abraham William Reams, Robert inspected the sinkhole and found an entrance to the cavern.

The caverns had been formed by an underground river from the glacial period in Ohio. The river eroded the limestone over time, forming the cavern and leaving mud in its wake.

Within just a couple weeks, Reams opened the caverns to the public as a way to make a profit. Given all the river mud, it was a dirty trek and crawl through the caverns. Those bold enough to make the trip were given oil lamps made of glass to light their way. This meant they had to not only keep an eye on how much oil they had, but also take caution to not break the lamp on the rocks. (Don’t worry, no tourists died in the caverns.)

It became a competition of bragging rights to see who could get the furthest into the cavern before having to turn around. For proof, visitors wrote their names on the walls and ceiling to indicate how far they had gone.

Unfortunately, tourists also removed many of the crystal formations in the cave. They had no concept of how many years it took for a crystal to grow. (Hint: a really friggin’ long time. The largest crystal there, The Crystal King, is estimated to have taken about 200,000 years to grow five feet.)

In 1922, Reams sold the land to two brothers from Dayton, Ira and Allen Smith. These two then hired help and spent three years excavating more of the caverns.

A portion of the Historic Tour. It’s lit by lights that are strung from the ceiling as they would have been in the early tour days once the cavern was excavated.

Ohio Caverns Tours

There are three tour options available: Historic, Natural Wonder, and Winter. As the name would suggest, the Winter tour is only open during the winter months (October through April). It contains a portion of both the Historic and Natural Wonder tours. The Historic and Natural Wonder tours each take about an hour and have a one-mile path.

I signed up for the Combination tour, which includes both Historic and Natural Wonder. Fortunately, it’s also executed in that order so you get the story of the cavern, then the glory of all the crystals on the second tour.

If you have the time, energy, and funds ($29), I highly recommend doing the Combination! Some of the historical facts are repeated in the tours so that those who only do one tour can still appreciate the history of the place. But the scenery between the two is completely different. Plus, there are enough facts thrown at you during the first tour that it’s nice to hear some of them again during the second tour.

Additionally, there is a Limestone Tour that is entirely paved and wheelchair accessible. Reservations have to be made in advance for this tour.

Not Sure About the Whole “Cavern” Thing?

In all transparency, I’ve only done one other cavern tour before, and that was in Arkansas. (Random, I know.) Obviously caverns in Ohio and Arkansas are going to be a bit different because…geology. But one thing that really struck me about the difference between the two states is the size of the cavern.

If you’re not claustrophobic, you won’t have a problem with the cavern tours. But I admit the Ohio Caverns were a lot smaller a space than I had anticipated, mainly because those in Arkansas were huge! The trail in Ohio Caverns was only wide enough for one person, two if you’re close together. And there were a couple parts narrow enough you had to watch your footing even going through single file.

Personally, I didn’t have a problem, nor did anyone else in my group. But if you’re on a family trip and leery about the whole underground cavern thing, have no fear! Also on the grounds is a playground and picnic area, in case some of the family wants to explore the caverns while the others stay topside.

There’s also a tree tour where you can explore the grounds looking for each of the 20 tree species in the area.

The Crystal Sea is an artificial water-retention system to help keep the cavern’s drips contained and off the pathways. Seen on the Natural Wonder Tour.

How Was the Social Distancing?

Masks are required in the visitor’s center and in the caverns, so that’s helpful. On the first tour, I happily followed right behind the tour guide into the cavern. But the couple people behind me were staying a bit close for comfort… Like, right behind me. There was a place where the trail opened up, however, so I stepped aside and let everyone else ahead of me so I could lag at the back and allow as much space as I wanted.

This is also preferable if you want to take lots of pictures – it’s easier to follow behind and then you have ample time to get the shot you want.

Otherwise, I didn’t have concerns with social distancing. With masks required in the caverns and indoors, and with very minimal (if any) physical contact, I felt comfortable visiting. There are a few acres of land as well, so you can easily spread out in the outdoors while you’re eating or waiting on your tours.

After The Tour…

Brewfontaine has been voted the #1 Beer Bar in Ohio, and it’s less than a 20-minute drive from the caverns, so of course I had to pay it a visit. They also have an outdoor seating area, which is a plus in these days of social distancing.

Admittedly, for some reason, I was under the impression that Brewfontaine brewed its own beers. Sadly, this is not the case, though they do have a really good selection of craft beer on tap and canned!

I’m drooling as I recall the menu selection as well, which was pretty varied! From soft pretzels to hummus, a few salads, several sandwiches, and even a fried bologna sandwich with a thick slab of bologna, they have something for just about everyone. I got the Impossible Burger, which was mighty tasty!

If you’d rather visit a brewery, check out nearby Roundhouse Depot Brewing. Be sure to check their hours – as of now they’re only open Thursday through Sunday, which is why I hadn’t visited them since I did my trip on a Tuesday. But obviously I need to visit them sometime because they have a Moonville Tunnel Mist brew. If you read last fall’s article on my visit to Moonville Tunnel, you know I’m a fan!

A tasty variety of draft and canned craft beers, as well as draft wine. Good way to end a day at the caverns.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed this trip! It’s a beautiful ride through Ohio’s countryside to then see some underground natural wonders of the state. It was a great activity for a warm summer day, and it’s convenient that you can plan on this no matter what the weather outside.

And let’s be real, following up nature with good food and a craft beer is literally the definition of a great day in my book.

Have you been to Ohio Caverns, or do you have other cavern recommendations I need to check out? Let me know in the comments!

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