Laurel Caverns
8.2.2008
Hopwood, PA - I’ve been to Laurel Caverns loads of times in my former life a a Girl Scout, but it’s been a good 20 odd years since I’ve been there and it had yet to be viewed through my cynical eyes. So I jumped in the car for a quick drive up to the Laurel Highlands in order to revisit the only cave I’ve ever been in.
The first thing I noticed was that as a Girl Scout you don’t really get to enjoy the slightly out of the way scenery (Import Export Tire’s Muffler Man), or the cool sights you may see as you drive along Route 40 (Searights Toll House). Instead you stay on course until you get to your camping spot and then spend the evening building fires and singing songs about bears chasing you up Redwoods. This trip was much more informative. I also haven’t built a fire in 20 odd years…well unless you count the one’s I built in trash cans in college, thus proving that the camp fire badge was less than worth the effort.
The first thing that struck me about my adventure through the Laurel Highlands was how beautiful it was. The Laurel Highlands are part of the Allegheny Mountains and are the tallest mountains in Pennsylvania. They’re no Rockies, more like giant hills. If you’ve been through the rolling hills of Virginia you’ll know exactly what I mean. They’re not tiny hills either. My car can tell you all about steep climb it made under extreme protest to get to the caverns. And the weather is cool and refreshing even in the humid Pennsylvania swap territory (which is basically anywhere that isn’t the mountains..seriously, it’s astounding that a state with no swamp would be so humid all the time). I’m not much of a camper, but you really don’t have to be to enjoy the area. There are more than enough inns and it is Frank Lloyed Write territory so there are some fancier places to tour than just the caverns, but for me that would be another trip.
When I finally got to the caverns memories started flooding back and all of a sudden I was 10 years old again. The park is a bit more fancy than it used to be, and they cater a bit more to the Girl and Boy Scouts than they did when I was there, but SO much was the same. Even the little cafeteria just off of the gift shop brought back memories of being a little more outdoorsy.
The caverns offer all sorts of fun for the whole family. There’s camping, of course, and repelling, and climbing, and deep caving (which I not so fondly remember doing as a Girl Scout and subsequently discovered I was extremely claustrophobic within tight spaces), the “family” tour, and finally gem sifting and mini golf. The gem sifting and mini golf happen in the fake cave filled with stalagmites and stalactites covered with concrete so it looked like an actually cave. The mini golf is a big hit with the kiddies. Tons of them where filing into the fake cave with parents and den fathers. Since I was alone, and don’t do well with large crowds in tight spaces, I passed on the mini golf… this time.
Instead I went off on the “Family Tour,” which is basically a tour with a big ‘ol bunch of people. Most camped in the area, which I gleaned from the conversations they were happening around me. I seem to remember this tour being a lot less steep and overall taxing the last time I took it (20 years ago). I’d love to think that the cave has changed tremendously since I was here last (20 years ago), but I know it’s because instead of getting regular exercise I spend an aweful lot of time sitting on the computer surfing the internet or working on (AWESOME) projects that yield no benefit except to keep me entertained. So, in reality, the cavern tour isn’t all that taxing, especially if you’re in moderate to good shape or 10 years old.
The one thing that is still very much the same is the overall cheesy quality of the cave that I remember so well. The interior of the main cave is filled with multicolored lights illuminating the walls, chandeliers lighting the way, a bit of a tunnel where noise sensitive lights go off only if you make a ruckus, and then there is the coup de grâs. The sound and light room. That’s right, sound AND light. If you’re thinkin’ Laser Floyd, then I’m with you.
Unfortunately for all you Laser Floyd fans the Laurel Caverns sound and light room does NOT show Laser Floyd. Instead it takes the room down to its natural state of pitch blackness and tells you a bit about how your eyes see color. I was an art student, and a photography student on top of that. Oh, and I love, love, loooooove the work of James Turell. I get the idea of how light works. Of course, in true not quite Laser Floyd fashion, the sound and light room finishes off with light choreographed to the sounds of the Hallelujah Chorus. And then it’s over.
I’ll go back again one of these days. Mostly to play golf ’cause I don’t need to see the cave again. Of course I’ve already made plans for a Frank Lloyed Wright weekend, so I’ll be back in the Laurel Highlands soon.
