A large, historic cave in O'Bannon Woods State Park, famed for huge chambers like Rothrock's Cathedral and Monument Mountain — one of the largest underground 'mountains' in the U.S. Mined for saltpeter and epsom salts in the 1800s. State-run guided tours run seasonally.
- Type
- Show cave
- Orientation
- Horizontal
- Passage
- Spacious
- County
- Crawford County
Location
Entrance
Reached through O'Bannon Woods State Park / Harrison-Crawford State Forest; tours from the park.
Hazards
- Long, rugged guided routes with climbs
- Cool — bring a layer
Gear
None needed — it's a guided tour. Wear closed-toe shoes and bring a light layer; caves stay around 52°F year-round.
Geology
Vast dry limestone rooms; historic saltpeter and epsomite workings.
Access
State-run guided tours run seasonally and have closed in the past to protect bats from white-nose syndrome — check current Indiana DNR status before visiting.
- OwnershipPublic-land
- Permit requiredNo
- Permission requiredNo
Conservation
Indiana caves are bat habitat; show caves follow white-nose-syndrome (WNS) decontamination protocols. Don't touch formations and stay on the tour path.
More caves in Crawford County
Caving responsibly
Most wild caves are reached through the local caving community, not by showing up — joining a grotto gets you training, gear advice, a conservation ethic, and, in time, cave locations.
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