A Trip Inside Pennsylvania's Frozen Cave, Tytoona Cave Is Positively Surreal
By Beth Price-Williams|Published December 14, 2022
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Beth Price-Williams
Author
A professional writer for more than two decades, Beth has lived in nearly a dozen states – from Missouri and Virginia to Connecticut and Vermont – and Toronto, Canada. In addition to traveling extensively in the U.S. and the U.K., she has a BA in Journalism from Point Park University (PA), a MA in Holocaust & Genocide Studies from Stockton University (NJ), and a Master of Professional Writing from Chatham University (PA). A writer and editor for Only In Your State since 2016, Beth grew up in and currently lives outside of Pittsburgh and when she’s not writing or hanging out with her bunnies, budgies, and chinchilla, she and her daughter are out chasing waterfalls.
Adventure doesn’t stop just because the temperatures drop in the winter. In fact, sometimes the best adventures occur during the winter when most people prefer to stay in the warmth of indoors. If you’ve got a half an hour or so – you don’t need too much time, especially if you don’t have it – make your way to this frozen cave in Pennsylvania. While it’s beautiful all year round, the cave is particularly breathtaking when frozen.
At less than seven acres, Tytoona Cave Nature Preserve in Tyrone doesn't cover a lot of space. However, it's perfect for a quick hike and adventure.
The cave is believed to date back to the mid-1700s, when European settlers first arrived in the area. Local legend tells the tale of Native Americans, accused of killing two of those settlers, being chased into the cave.
No one, so the story goes, saw them leave the cave, which had, and still has, just one way in and out. That lead to the assumption that the Native Americans simply died inside.
What happened to the two Natives remains a mystery. No one knows if they left the cave, found an alternate way out, or perished inside.
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Until the 1980s, the cave was popular with both hikers and divers, the latter of whom explored the sump. The sump sits about 400 feet from the cave's entrance.
The death of a diver in the sump in the mid-1980s lead to diving no longer being permitted in the cave. However, it's still a popular destination for hikers to explore.
If you're exploring during the winter when it's frozen, make sure you dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes. Bring a flashlight if you plan on going into the cave.
Have you been to this frozen cave in Pennsylvania? Do you know of another Pennsylvania frozen cave? Tell us about it in the comments! If you prefer staying indoors during the coldest days of the year, watch the snow from this beautiful resort in Pennsylvania.
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