Alabaster Caverns State Park

Alabaster Caverns State Park in northwest Oklahoma protects and interprets one of the most distinctive cave systems in the southern plains — natural gypsum caves, including what is considered the largest natural gypsum cave open to the public in the United States. The cave features rare and beautiful alabaster formations in pink, black, white and mixed varieties, as well as selenite crystals and other evaporite minerals, carved by groundwater through ancient gypsum and salt deposits.

The main cavern is toured on a guided walk of about a quarter mile through its cool, colorful chambers, lit to display the distinctive alabaster walls and formations. Above ground, the cedar-covered red cedar hills and Cimarron River country of northwest Oklahoma offer hiking, camping and a glimpse of the shortgrass-prairie and gypsum-hills landscape. As Oklahoma’s premier gypsum cave, Alabaster Caverns is a treasured geological icon of the state.

Alabaster Caverns State Park is enjoyed via guided cave tours (the main attraction — a lit, paved walk through the large natural gypsum cavern, operated by the park), with above-ground hiking on nature trails through the cedar hills and gypsum-hills terrain, picnicking, wildlife watching and camping. The guided cave tour showing the colorful alabaster formations is the signature draw. The combination of a large, colorful natural gypsum cavern, the scenic cedar and gypsum-hill terrain, and the remote northwest Oklahoma setting makes Alabaster Caverns a unique destination.

The cave is a constant cool temperature (around 60°F) year-round — a relief on hot Oklahoma summers and a warm retreat in winter — and tours run throughout the year (though schedules may be reduced in winter). Spring and fall offer pleasant temperatures for the above-ground hiking as well. The cave is enjoyable in any season. Summer for the cool cave escape from the Oklahoma heat and spring/fall for above-ground hiking are the highlights — call ahead to confirm tour schedules (especially in winter and on weekdays), and dress in a light layer for the cool cave.

The gypsum and alabaster cave lands of northwest Oklahoma are part of the historic homeland of the Kiowa, Comanche and Apache peoples, and the gypsum outcrops along the Cimarron were known landmarks on the early plains routes. The caves were developed as a state park in the mid-20th century. The cave is one of few large natural gypsum caves accessible to the public in the United States. Alabaster Caverns preserves this rare gypsum cave and its distinctive geological heritage, a treasured icon of northwest Oklahoma.

Alabaster Caverns formed in gypsum and anhydrite deposits (evaporite rock laid down when ancient seas evaporated) of the Permian-age Blaine Formation, dissolved and carved over thousands of years by acidic groundwater to create the cave passages and chambers. The cave walls display three varieties of alabaster — pink, black and white — along with selenite crystals and other gypsum minerals, products of the slow dissolution and recrystallization of the sulfate rock. The Permian evaporite beds, the dissolving groundwater and the crystallization of alabaster and selenite created this colorful cave.

The cave supports colonies of bats (including several species that roost in the cave) and cave-adapted invertebrates, while the cedar-hill and shortgrass-prairie terrain above ground hosts white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, coyotes, and a variety of prairie and woodland birds. The bat colonies are an important part of the cave ecosystem. Alabaster Caverns offers cave-bat watching (from a safe distance) and above-ground prairie and woodland wildlife watching, with the bat flights at dusk among the sights in the season when the bats are active.

Alabaster Caverns protects a rare natural gypsum cave ecosystem, with its bat colonies, cave invertebrates and the cave environment dependent on the integrity of the cave system and the groundwater. The gypsum-hill landscape above ground — a distinctive, sparsely vegetated terrain of gypsum and red-bed exposures, cedar draws and shortgrass prairie — supports unique plant communities and wildlife adapted to the sulfate soils. Protecting the cave environment, the bat colonies and the gypsum-hill landscape sustains both the ecology and the geological beauty of Alabaster Caverns.

Alabaster Caverns State Park holds a treasured place among the geological icons of Oklahoma — the largest natural gypsum cave open to the public in the United States, displaying rare pink, black and white alabaster formations deep beneath the cedar hills and shortgrass-prairie landscape of northwest Oklahoma. Its beautiful, colorful cave walls and the unique evaporite geology of the southern plains are a rare and remarkable experience. Alabaster Caverns is a cherished geological icon of Oklahoma.

Alabaster Caverns State Park is in northwest Oklahoma near the town of Woodward, off State Highway 50A in Woodward County, about 6 miles southeast of Freedom. Cave tours are guided and scheduled (call ahead or check Oklahoma State Parks for tour times, as schedules vary by season and day); an admission fee applies. Above-ground facilities include trails, picnic areas and camping. The park is in a remote area; come prepared and with a full tank of gas. Check Oklahoma State Parks for tour schedules, fees and conditions before visiting.

Oklahoma State Parks manages Alabaster Caverns and the cave. Visitors help by taking only guided tours (the cave is accessed only on official guided tours, protecting both the cave and visitors), not touching the cave walls or formations (skin oils damage the alabaster and selenite), not bringing outside mud or material into the cave (disease protection for the bats), packing out everything, and following all park rules. The cave formations, the bat colonies and the gypsum-hill landscape are sensitive and protected. Protecting the cave environment and the bats sustains both the ecology and the geological beauty of this unique cave.

The cave tour is guided and lit, making it accessible; wear non-slip shoes (cave floors can be damp and slippery) and bring a light layer (the cave is a constant cool ~60°F, refreshing but chilly). Do not touch the cave walls or formations. Children are welcome on tours but must stay with the guide. The above-ground hiking terrain is rocky and can be hot in summer. Outside the cave, watch for rattlesnakes in the rocky, arid terrain. Respect the guide’s instructions, the cool cave temperatures, the slippery surfaces and the above-ground heat and rattlesnakes.

Cave access is by guided tour only (no self-guided cave access). An admission fee applies. Do not touch cave walls or formations. Bringing outside materials (mud, gear from other caves) into the cave is prohibited to protect the bats from white-nose syndrome. Photography is typically permitted (flash/tripod rules vary — check with the guide). Pets are not allowed in the cave; they may be permitted above ground on a leash. Pack out all trash. Check Oklahoma State Parks for tour schedules, admission fees and current rules before visiting.

The town of Woodward (with a regional hospital, services and the Plains Indians and Pioneers Museum), the red-bed and gypsum-hill terrain of northwest Oklahoma, the Cimarron River, the Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge to the east, and the shortgrass prairie of the Oklahoma Panhandle lie near the caverns. The gypsum hills and red beds of northwest Oklahoma define the region. Alabaster Caverns anchors the geological experience of northwest Oklahoma, easily combined with the Salt Plains NWR, the Gloss Mountains and Woodward.

Call ahead to confirm the guided cave tour schedule — tours at Alabaster Caverns are the main event, and times vary by season and day. Dress in a light layer (the cave is a constant cool 60°F — a relief from Oklahoma summer heat but chilly year-round). Bring non-slip shoes, don’t touch the colorful alabaster walls (oils damage the formations), and ask the guide about the different varieties of alabaster and the bat colonies. Combine your visit with the Salt Plains NWR (to dig for hourglass selenite crystals, one of Oklahoma’s most unusual experiences) and the Gloss Mountains.