Vacation 2016: Alabaster Caverns State Park

Location: Alabaster Caverns State Park, near Freedom, OK

Date: 8/2/2016

Fun Facts - 330 stairs on the 3/4 mile long tour, only one of 3 caves with black alabaster, no stalagmites/tights so you can touch everything, my grandpa visited on his senior class trip and ran through it in the dark.  This last fact is insane after having walked through with lights and having had the lights turned off only briefly. 

Price: Tours are free for those under age 6,  $7 for kids 6-12, $10 for those 13-61, $8 for those over 62

This is our only photo as cameras/phones are not allowed in the cave to keep tours moving along and safe.  The tour guide did begin the tour with showing E a few sleeping bats, which was adorable. 

Photo via of Travel OK

The kids' two requests for vacation were lots of swimming and caves.  Done.  The caves were perfect for kids. The tour is 45 minutes and happens ever hour.  It moves a long with not that much talking and you can touch everything *(rare for caves).  There are cool lights, hand rails, and lots of slippery floors.  They loved it and so did we. 

Photo via Travel OK

 These are called George and Martha Washington's bath tubs.  Our Hamilton obsessed kids thought that was great.  The bath tubs were created by swirling water.  The caves really reinforce the power of water and time.

Photo via Travel OK

You can see some of the water coming through here.  There were lots of cool shapes and facts about Selenite/alabaster.  We bought a piece of selenite as our lone souvenir of vacation and the kids love handling it. I am so glad we made the trip. The caves were an awesome experience and the kids are now full of interesting mineral facts and excited about more cave exploring in the future.  This was B's favorite stop of the trip. 

Here is a video about the caves from Travel OK

Here is the historic Waynoka train depot where we stopped for lunch when we sadly discovered the German restaurant I'd been hoping to try is closed on Tuesdays....