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Cave Tours

at Onondaga Cave State Park

Take a tour of both Onondaga and Cathedral caves.

Onondaga Cave Tours

The Lily Pad Room inside Onondoga CaveTrained guides will lead you over electrically lighted paved walkways and provide information about geologic wonders such as the King's Canopy, the Twins, and other unusual speleothems. With an interesting history and a river flowing through the cave, Onondaga Cave is a spectacular registered National Natural Landmark.

Onondaga Cave tours leave from the visitor center. They are walking tours, just less than 1 mile long, and last about one hour and 15 minutes. The cave's temperature is 57 F (13 C) year-round, so bring a jacket and comfortable shoes.

Pets are not allowed on cave tours. A limited number of pet crates are available to rent for $5. Please check availability when purchasing your cave tour tickets.

Click here for operating dates and tour times.
Fees
Regular Admission
 
Adult (ages 18-64) $18
Teenager (ages 13-17) $18
Child (ages 6-12) $10
Child (under age 6) Free
Military $16
Senior (ages 65 and up) $16
Onondaga and Cathedral Caves Combo Pricing

(Both tours must be taken the same day. Please note when planning your visit that Cathedral Cave tours are offered only at certain times. Sorry, there are no refunds on combo tickets.)

 
Adult (ages 13-64) $25
Child (ages 6-12) $14
Child (under age 6) Free
Military $23
Senior (ages 65 and up) $23

Onondaga weekday morning tours are often full with school and civic groups from April 15 through May and in September. During these months, you may want to plan for a weekend tour or call the park office prior to your visit to check the schedule.

Onondaga Cave Tour Reservations:

Onondaga Cave tours and combo cave tours can be reserved online on our reservation website or by visiting the park. For more information, contact the park at 573-245-6576. 

Cathedral Cave Tours

soda straw cave formations hanging from the cave ceilingThis is a lantern tour that lasts approximately two hours. The tour begins at the campground showerhouse and includes a short one-third mile walk up Deer Run Trail to the cave's entrance. The cave tour itself lasts about an hour and 30 minutes. The remaining time is spent traveling on the trail to and from the cave entrance. The cave temperature is 57 F (13 C). The tour is limited to the first 20 people. Because this activity includes hiking up Deer Run Trail, it is more strenuous than the Onondaga Cave tour. Guests may encounter extremes in weather conditions during this tour. Prepare for heat, humidity and thunderstorms. The hike and tour collectively cover about 2 miles round trip.

Click here for dates and times of tours.
Fees
Regular Admission
 
Adult (ages 18-64) $12
Teenager (ages 13-17) $10
Child (ages 6-12) $8
Child (under age 6) Free
Military $10
Senior (ages 65 and up) $10
Onondaga and Cathedral Caves Combo Pricing

(Both tours must be taken the same day. Please note when planning your visit that Cathedral Cave tours are offered only at certain times. Sorry, there are no refunds on combo tickets.)

 
Adult (ages 13-64) $25
Child (ages 6-12) $14
Child (under age 6) Free
Military $23
Senior (ages 65 and up) $23
Cathedral Cave Tour Reservations:

Cathedral Cave tours and combo cave tours can be reserved online on our reservation website or by visiting the park. For more information, contact the park at 573-245-6576. 

Group Tour Information for Both Onondaga and Cathedral caves

Group Tour Rates
  Onondaga Cave Cathedral Cave
Adult $13 $8
Teenager (ages 13-17) $10 $8
Child (ages 6-12) $7 $6
Child (under age 6) Free Free
  • Group Cave Tour Application
  • Fees do not include tax. Qualified tax-exempt organizations MUST provide a copy of a tax exempt certificate at the time of payment.
  • Group tours are available for educational groups, civic organizations, families, etc. To qualify, a group must consist of 10 or more people and reservations must be made two weeks to seven months in advance. However, to ensure that you get your preferred tour date and time, it is best to make your reservation three to six months in advance. Group rates are not available to reservations made inside the two-week window. At certain times of the year, staff may not be able to accommodate a large group on short notice.
  • Please note: If a group includes more guests than the reservation indicates, staff may not be able to accommodate the additional guests. Please call at least 48 hours in advance of your reservation to request an adjustment to your tour reservation.
  • For general tour information questions, call the information desk (April through October) at 573-245-6576; select Option 6 after the greeting; then Option 2.

  • For tour reservations of 10 or more guests, contact the park naturalist at 573-522-3760. If your party is less than 10, tours are walk-in. Click here for dates and times of tours.