Indiana Ag Connection - Wyandotte Caves Reopen for Tours this Weekend

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Wyandotte Caves Reopen for Tours this Weekend
Indiana Ag Connection - 05/23/2019

Wyandotte Caves is offering people a chance to beat the heat this summer by going underground, where the temperature is a cool 52 degrees all year.

Public tours of the caves begin on May 25, and are then offered on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and holidays, from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekends.

Wyandotte Caves is managed by the staff at O'Bannon Woods State Park and is located between Corydon and Leavenworth on State Road 62 in Crawford County. Camping is available at O'Bannon Woods. Reservations can be made at camp.IN.gov.

Jackets are recommended for all cave tours due to the cool temperature. Remember to wear comfortable and sturdy shoes. Pets, alcohol, and tobacco use are strictly prohibited in the caves.

Big Wyandotte Cave is closed from Labor Day to Memorial Day weekend to protect hibernating Indiana bats. The cave is one of the most important hibernacula in the state for the endangered Indiana bat species. It is available for tours, but the tours are classified as rugged due to the steep terrain and stairs people must navigate. Tours take two hours and cover roughly 1.5 miles.

Little Wyandotte Cave is available for pre-scheduled group tours throughout the year. The tours of this cave are open to all ages. They are shorter and easier than the Big Wyandotte tour, at 35-40 minutes, because of a lack of long staircases. This tour offers a view of many flowstone and dripstone formations. Occasionally, a cave-dwelling species can be seen.

Both caves reopened in the summer of 2016 after a multi-year closure prompted by the impacts of white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that has affected bats across the Eastern U.S. and beyond. O'Bannon Woods State Park (on.IN.gov/obannonwoodssp) is at 7234 Old Forest Road, Corydon.

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