PHOTO PROVIDED Department of Conservation and Natural Resources secretary Cindy Adams Dunn and Laurel Caverns State Park manager Corie Eckman spoke with WITF’s The Spark host Asia Tabb to encourage Pennsylvanians and visitors to take a tour of the Commonwealth’s newest and first underground state park—Laurel Caverns State Park.

HARRISBURG — Recently Department of Conservation and Natural Resources secretary Cindy Adams Dunn and Laurel Caverns State Park manager Corie Eckman spoke with WITF’s The Spark host Asia Tabb to encourage Pennsylvanians and visitors to take a tour of the Commonwealth’s newest and first underground state park–Laurel Caverns State Park.

Dunn and Eckman pointed to the outdoor opportunities in the Laurel Highlands, a region rich with nature-based recreation, historic communities, and family-friendly tourism attractions to visit. Laurel Caverns will help expand Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation economy, which contributed $20.4 billion to Pennsylvania’s economy in 2024 and supported approximately 177,000 jobs. Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has grown Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation economy by 21 percent, adding 12,000 jobs and raising wages in the outdoor workforce by nearly 25 percent.

“If you’re from this state … or you’re from out of state and maybe you’re passing through, you know that you’re welcome at a state park,” said Secretary Dunn. “We predict our visitorship will rise a lot (at Laurel Caverns) … We at DCNR use that opportunity to teach people about conservation, about the resources. To open people’s eyes to nature. The cave is one of those ‘oh wow’ experiences people have that maybe opens their mind to learning more because it is just so different. The cave and the property, with that view, is actually going to change lives.”

“It’s totally a choose your own adventure experience,” said Eckman. “On the Laurel Caverns Conservancy website, they do detail those (tours) or you can give them a buzz and see what works best for you and your group before showing up so you are prepared for what you want to do for the day … You can get a ticket the same day … or you can reserve a spot depending on how large your group is going to be.”

Interest in Pennsylvania’s new state park is clear, as a Facebook video featuring Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Dunn, Eckman and State Parks director John Hallas unveiling the new sign for Laurel Caverns has more than two million views.

Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation industry is made up of 6,500 local parks — including 125 state parks — more than 14,000 miles of trails, and over 84,000 miles of waterways. Under the Shapiro Administration’s leadership, the industry has added $3.5 billion and approximately 12,000 new jobs to the Commonwealth’s economy.

New data shows the industry grew by $1.5 billion in 2024 — reaching $20.4 billion, outpacing the national growth rate, adding 9,000 jobs to support approximately 177,000 jobs total, and generating $9.5 billion in wages across the Commonwealth.

The Shapiro Administration continues to support Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation economy through investments in parks and trails, Pennsylvania: The Great American Getaway tourism campaign, and Outdoor Business Alliance of Pennsylvania, which supports business development and innovation across the industry.