Crystal Grottoes Caverns- a true hidden gem in Washington County, MD

These caverns are absolutely breathtaking! Every turn we took led us to a section of the cave more beautiful than the last. These caverns feature more formations per square foot than any other cave known to man!

This isn’t your typical commercialized cavern; the tour groups are small (make sure to call ahead of time if you have a group of 20 or more), and since the walkways aren’t huge, you truly get the feeling of moving through a cave, along with amazing, close up views of the majestic formations.

These are the only commercialized solution caves on the East Coast; ‘solution cave’ meaning that instead of being formed by moving water, Crystal Grottoes Caverns were formed by groundwater that dissolved through limestone.

We learned so much from our tour guide, who was extremely knowledgable about the caverns. She was wonderful with our kids, who had millions of questions and were just as enthralled by the caves as we were!

The property itself is worth the drive, so make sure to pack a lunch and enjoy the picturesque scenery on one of the picnic tables or pavilions that sit alongside the creek.

This is an adventure you can’t miss if you live in the DC area! My pictures can’t do the caverns justice, so I highly recommend exploring them for yourself! Entrance to the caverns is $10 for kids 11 and under, $20 per adult, CASH ONLY. Nearby is the South Mountain Creamery, Antietam National Battlefield, Harpers Ferry National Historic Park, Washington Monument State Park, Devils Backbone County Park, and River and Trail Outfitters, so there is plenty to do in the area if you want to make a day of it.