Alabaster Caverns Caving
In the caves at Alabaster State Park, massive boulders of alabaster, a fine-grained mass gypsum, can be seen in many colors of pink, white and even a rare black. But gypsum isn't all you'll see! There are five species of bats found in the cavern. Some are solitary while others are colonial. Roosting sites provide daytime shelter and a place for the bats not migrating to hibernate during the winter months. Only the Mexican Free-tailed bat migrates from Mexico in Spring to Alabaster Caverns to bear their young and then return to Mexico in the fall.
Guided tours of the main cave are offered on the hour year round. Visitors taking the tour should wear comfortable walking shoes and a light jacket (average temperature is 50 degrees). The walking tour is not recommended for those with mobility or respiratory problems, heart conditions, or claustrophobia.
Or, for the excitement-seeker, there's
Wild Caving! Explore one or more of the five undeveloped caves in the park from March through September. Be sure to have the required safety equipment and obtain a permit at the Visitor Center.
Daily 8:00am-5:00pm, guided tours begin promptly on the hour from 9am-4pm. Office closes at 4:30pm November 1-February 28. Reservations are recommended during major holidays, area-wide events and other scheduled happenings.
Photo credit to Woodward Convention and Visitors Bureau