Exploring Tytoona Cave in Blair County

Collage of four photos featuring the mossy entrance to Tytoona Cave, the Tytoona Natural Area Cave Preserve entrance sign, a person exploring the rocky cave interior, and a shallow stream flowing through a passage inside the cave in Blair County, Pennsylvania.

If you’re looking for information about visiting Tytoona Cave in Blair County, you’re in the right place!

Exploring Tytoona Cave in Blair County Pennsylvania.

Tytoona Cave is a privately-owned cave open for self-guided tours, located between the cities of Tyrone and Altoona (thus the cave’s name).

View inside Tytoona Cave in Blair County, Pennsylvania, showing rugged rock formations and a shallow stream illuminated by flashlight beams.

The cave and the surrounding 6.8 acres of property is owned by the National Speleological Society (NSS), based in Huntsville, Alabama.

Tytoona Cave Nature Preserve is owned by the National Speleological Society in Huntsville, Alabama.
Tytoona Cave Nature Preserve is owned by the National Speleological Society in Huntsville, Alabama.

Visitors must secure a permit to explore the cave prior to visiting (more about that below.)

Sign posted near Tytoona Cave in Blair County, Pennsylvania, stating that a permit is required to visit the nature preserve, with information on how to request one online.

According to the NSS, “The first 1,000 feet of the cave are easily accessible by novices and is an excellent location to educate visitors about the cave’s geology and hydrology.”

A person wearing a red jacket and rubber boots explores the rocky, moss-covered interior of Tytoona Cave in Blair County, Pennsylvania.
Peering into Tytoona Cave from the entrance.

Sinking Run flows through the cave, rising back to the surface over a mile away at Arch Spring (on private property, but readily visible from Kettle Road).

Arch Spring in Blair County, Pennsylvania, with a clear spring-fed stream flowing from the rocky cave opening surrounded by lush green forest.
Arch Spring rock formation as viewed from Kettle Road – where Sinking Run reemerges from the underground cave system.

Historical records of the cave date back to 1788, and it was noted on county maps from the early 1800s.

Person in a red jacket and rubber boots standing near the moss-covered, rocky entrance of Tytoona Cave in Blair County, Pennsylvania, surrounded by forested hillsides.

Efforts to commercialize the cave in 1947 and 1972 were short-lived, and today there is little to no evidence of those early business ventures.

Low, rocky passageway inside Tytoona Cave in Blair County, Pennsylvania, featuring layered stone walls, a cracked ceiling, and a shallow stream.

Securing a Permit to Visit Tytoona Cave

Those who wish to visit Tytoona Cave must VISIT THIS WEBSITE to create a profile and sign a waiver indemnifying the National Speleological Society against lawsuits if you injure yourself while visiting.

Screenshot of the online liability waiver form required to obtain a permit for visiting Tytoona Cave in Blair County, Pennsylvania, through Save Your Caves.
This is the waiver you’ll need to sign prior to being issued a permit to explore Tytoona Cave.

You can and should read all the rules about visiting Tytoona Cave on the website, but I’ve summarized some of the most important ones in the graphic below.

Informational graphic listing rules for visiting Tytoona Cave in Blair County, Pennsylvania, overlaid on a background image of the cave’s rocky interior.

The process of getting the permit normally takes about 48 hours, but it is free and it’s certainly better than the alternative of having the cave closed to visitors.

View inside Tytoona Cave in Blair County, Pennsylvania, showing rugged rock formations and a shallow stream illuminated by flashlight beams.

Directions to Tytoona Cave

Tytoona Cave is easy to find, as it’s marked on Google Maps and shows up on most vehicle GPS navigation systems.


Parking is at a pull-off along the berm of Morrow Road, at GPS coordinates 40.602166, -78.217494.

Red pickup truck parked along Morrow Road near the entrance to Tytoona Cave Natural Area in Blair County, Pennsylvania, surrounded by springtime forest.
Parking for Tytoona Cave along Morrow Road.

The entrance to the Nature Preserve is well marked and visible from the road.

Wooden entrance sign for the Tytoona Natural Area Cave Preserve in Blair County, Pennsylvania, surrounded by a forested trail and spring foliage.
Tytoona Natural Area sign near Morrow Road.

Just beyond the kiosk, a set of wooden stairs leads the cave entrance.

A set of wooden stairs leads to the bottom of the sinkhole and the Tytoona Cave entrance.
A set of wooden stairs leads to the bottom of the sinkhole and the Tytoona Cave entrance.

Exploring Tytoona Cave

Tytoona Cave is open to responsible caving all year, according to the NSS website.

Explorers entering Tytoona Cave near Tyrone Pennsylvania.
Explorers entering Tytoona Cave.

On a typical summer afternoon you can expect to find young and old alike enjoying the scenery at the cave and nature preserve.

Tytoona Cave is an "explore at your own risk" destination.
Young and old alike enjoy the scenery at the Tytoona Cave.

The cave entrance, located in a massive bed of Trenton limestone, measures about 40 feet across and 12 feet high.

Entrance to Tytoona Cave along Morrow Road in Blair County.
Entrance to Tytoona Cave along Morrow Road.

The first 1,000 feet of Tytoona Cave is essentially a horizontal walking passage, but going any further requires diving equipmentdo not attempt this without permission of the NSS!

Historical records of the cave date back to 1788, and it was noted on county maps from the early 1800s.
The first 1,000 feet of Tytoona Cave is essentially a horizontal walking passage.

Not wanting to disturb any bats that may hibernate in the cave, I venture no further than just inside the entrance when visiting in the winter.

Ice formations at Tytoona Cave near Tyrone Pennsylvania.
Ice formations on the cave floor.

But even that makes the trip to the cave worthwhile, as there are indeed some unique ice formations to be found.

Ice formations inside Tytoona Cave near Tyrone Pennsylvania.
Ice formations inside the cave entrance.

Tytoona Cave is certainly one of the more interesting natural attractions in Blair County, and well worth a visit if you’re travels have you passing through central PA!

Tytoona Cave is a unique natural attraction in Blair County Pennsylvania.
Tytoona Cave is one of the many natural attractions in Blair County.

The 10 Best Cave Tours in Pennsylvania is your guide to some of PA’s most exciting underground attractions.

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Nearby Attractions

21 Must-See Attractions in Blair County is your guide to the best things to see and do near Tytoona Cave.

A collage of four images highlighting the must-see attractions in Blair County, Pennsylvania. The top left photo features a historic steam train with plumes of white smoke, and an engineer standing by. The top right shows a serene lake with clear reflections of autumn-tinted trees and fluffy clouds. In the bottom left, a group of reenactors in colonial military uniforms stands in formation at a fort. The bottom right picture displays the colorful and inviting entrance to DelGrosso's Amusement Park, complete with the American and park flags fluttering in the breeze.

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Rusty Glessner
Rusty Glessner is a professional photographer, lifelong Pennsylvanian, and a frequently-cited authority on PA's best travel destinations.