Alabaster Caverns State Park: Your Complete Guide

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Alabaster Caverns State Park near Freedom, Oklahoma offers a guided gypsum-cave tour, trails and camping. We visited in March and stayed at campsite 8. Here’s what we learned, plus the details to check before planning your own trip.

Coordinates: 36.6980° N, 99.1484° W

If your route takes you through Mooreland, you can make a food stop before reaching the park. We recommend stopping at the Jiffy Trip where you can order a whole pizza to go and taking it with you. You’re going to be busy setting up camp and this way you won’t have to worry about dinner that night. They also offer other gas station food such as taquitos, chicken, burritos, Jalapeno poppers and more.

Before you go: park details

Address: 217036 SH 50A, Freedom, OK 73842.
Park office: 580-254-6085.
Official planning information: TravelOK’s Alabaster Caverns page. Call about current fees, access needs, tour availability and campsite reservations before setting out.

How Much Does It Cost to Get Into Alabaster Caverns

A fee is charged for the guided cave tour. Check current admission prices and any discounts with the park office before you go.

How Long is the Alabaster Caverns Tour

As checked October 22, 2026, guided tours leave hourly from 9am–4pm, with a maximum of 30 visitors. Reservations are recommended for holidays and local events. Ask the office about current tour duration and arrival time. School and youth group reservations require at least two weeks’ notice.

Pro Tip: We heard the 9am tour is what the park employees prefer. This is what we did and we only had one other family with us. We noticed as the day got later large groups started to come in. We could see them from our campsite.

What Should I Wear to Alabaster Caverns

The caves hover between 55 to 60 degrees during the hottest months and it’s pretty cool temperatures inside so I recommend dressing in layers with comfortable walking shoes. There are some slick spots in the cave so make sure you wear shoes with a little bit of grip. You will need to walk down stairs to get into the cave. If stairs or uneven surfaces are a concern, ask the office about access before booking.

Best Time to Visit Alabaster Caverns State Park

We visited in March and saw bats in clusters, along with a few flying around. Wildlife sightings vary, so ask the park what you may see during your visit rather than planning around a guaranteed number of bats.

Selman Bat Cave is a separate wildlife-viewing destination. Check its current event schedule and booking requirements before adding it to your trip; a tour there is not included in an Alabaster Caverns visit.

Pack for the season, including layers and insect protection as appropriate. Weather and insect activity vary.

What is there to do at Alabaster Caverns

Beyond the guided tour, the park has hiking, picnic areas and camping. Wild caving requires a permit and equipment guidance from the office. It is allowed from 8am–3pm during the open season; permits are not issued October 1–April 30 to protect hibernating bats. Confirm conditions before making plans.

Pro Tip: Check with the park office about camping overnight in owl cave.

The Alabaster Caverns State Park Trail System is a great way to get some fresh air and enjoy the outdoors. There are four easy-to moderate trails. Visitors can choose between two 1/2-mile trails, a 2/3-mile trail and a 3/4-mile trail.

The easy to moderate trail, Raptor’s Roost Trail, is 2/3 mile long and will take you around the southern rim of Cedar Canyon. This means that it’s perfect for those who aren’t very familiar with hiking or camping in general, but want an experience where they can enjoy nature without any challenging elements involved! It begins near the cave entrance. It’s apart of the Park RX America program that encourages heart health through regular exercise.

The Little Black Bear Trail is a 1/2-mile loop through the Park that takes visitors on an easy to moderate hike down into Cedar Canyon. Along this trail are several stops including Owl Cave, one of the parks natural caves! Also a 1/2-mile in length is the Freedom Trail. This a moderate trail that requires some uphill walking and runs from the Little Black Bear Trail along Cedar Creek to the bottom of Cedar Canyon. This is also known as the purple trail. We hiked the purple trail which supposedly led to a waterfall but we never saw it. The trail kind of dead end to a stream that you couldn’t cross. I would also note that this hike is a little strenuous , so if you have any trouble going up and down some steep areas you need to be aware of this.

Old Two-Toes Trail is a 3/4-mile long trail that is a more strenuous uphill walking trail that runs near the Cavern entrance, through Cedar Canyon and over to an area where the Natural Bridge once stood.

Camping at Alabaster Caverns State Park

Mesa Campground is a great place to spend the night when you are visiting Alabaster Caverns. There are restrooms and showers available with limited hot water. I say this because my husband took a shower early in the morning and there was hot water but by 10 am when I went to take a shower, I got a chilly surprise lol. They do not offer paper towels for drying so bring a hand towel with you to dry your hands. I bought a pair of these pillow slides to wear in the shower and I love them. the restrooms and overall park are really clean!

The park office is close by. Campsites 1 thru 9 are on a tree-lined loop with level, concrete pads and asphalt approaches. Site 10 is on the outside of the loop, completely surrounded by trees, with an asphalt pad and approach. There is a playground near sites 1-9 with a rock climbing wall, a slide and swings for the kids to play on.

We stayed in campsite 8. All campsites are pretty close together but 8 and 9 are a little further from the playground if you want to avoid some of the playground noise. There is a Walmart in Woodward about 30 minutes away as well as several restaurants and fast food places. We frequented the Dairy queen several times for a treat. There is also a movie theater in Woodward.

If you need fire wood , try calling Potters Firewood Service: 580-732-0199 (Mandy). However check with the park first as there was a burn ban while we were there.

Booking tip: Ask the park which camping discounts you qualify for and what documentation is required before booking.

If camping isn’t your thing you can check out Cedar Canyon Lodge. For reservations call (580) 621-3258.  There is also Stable Lodge nearby.

Are Dogs Allowed at Alabaster Caverns

Pets are allowed in the park but not inside the caverns. Confirm current leash rules and a pet-care plan with the office before booking a tour. The kennel shown in our photos was available during our visit; call to confirm whether it is still available and any current conditions or charges.

We bought this tangle free dog tie out for our trip and it’s a lifesaver if you have multiple dogs.

What to do Near Alabaster Caverns

For a longer stay, consider Boiling Springs State Park, Gloss Mountain, Little Sahara or Great Salt Plains. Check driving routes and each park’s current access before adding a stop. It can be windy in this area, so pack accordingly.

It’s also a really short drive to Freedom, Oklahoma. Some people like to describe it as an old western town with good photo opps. The small mercantile there does have a place to eat and there is also a grocery/hardware store. While you’re there make sure you also check out the museum.

Woodward has a small water park, crystal beach (park/playground/train rides) and the Pioneer & plains Indian Museum. Also, Shattuck has an outdoor windmill museum and Ft. Supply lake are close to Woodward.

Alva, Oklahoma is only 30-35 miles from Alabaster Caverns as well. The city is known for its many murals in the downtown square, has many stores and an awesome pharmacy with an old time ice cream/soda fountain in the back of the store. Alva also has a movie theater, bowling alley, walmart and a few nice restaurants along with Subway, Sonic &McDonald’s for your quick fix. The Cherokee Strip museum and The Menagerie (a fun family oriented petting zoo that also offers laser tag and other family friendly games and toys along with a hay maze in the fall) are a few more things to do in Alva, Ok!

Alabaster Caverns State Park is a beautiful place to camp, and we hope we have inspired you to explore more of the sooner state. If you’re looking for other great places to camp in Oklahoma, be sure to check out our list of the best camping in Oklahoma State Parks or other Travel Oklahoma posts. And if you have any questions about camping at Alabaster Caverns or anywhere else in Oklahoma, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re happy to help!

More Places to Visit in Oklahoma

• Beautiful Backpacking Trails in Oklahoma
• Things to Do in Hochatown OK
• Visit the Arbuckle Mountains and Turner Falls Oklahoma
• Your Complete Guide to Camping Robbers Cave
• Camping at Sequoyah National Park Oklahoma
• Great Salt Plains State Park: Your Complete Guide
• 9 Best RV Camping Sites in Oklahoma

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