A Striking Underground Cavern Is One Of Eastern America's Most-Visited Attractions For A Reason

When you think of underground caves, images of dark chambers and scary creatures may come to mind, perhaps a bear or even a dragon. But alongside other sparkling underground sanctuaries to be found in the U.S., there's nothing frightening about Indian Echo Caverns in Hershey, Pennsylvania. It has a rating of 4½ stars by nearly 1,000 reviewers on Tripadvisor, and daily tours of the cavern lead you into a well-lit, essentially creatureless world of halls and rooms. Limestone stalactites drip from the ceilings like ornate chandeliers and are met with stalagmites from below. Together, their golden and pastel hues glow in the lamplight, making the cavern, with its irresistibly otherworldly underground landscapes, easily stand next to Pennsylvania's other colorful landmarks.

A tour of the caverns helps visitors uncover the fascinating history surrounding them, beginning with the fact that they're formed from rock that's 440 million years old. These incredibly ancient caverns were named in part for the indigenous Susquehannock tribe who may have been the first to descend into the cavern for shelter and storage. The cavern is also wrapped in a rich tapestry of local Pennsylvania lore and legends, the most intriguing of which was a literal mystery box. This genuine treasure chest was found in 1919 by a group of teens, and was filled with stones, gems, and coins, the oldest of which was a coin from Morocco dating back to 1228.

An adventure into the cavern begins with a 71-step descent that leads to a stunning subterranean world that continues to evolve. Although the formations are already millions of years old, flowing water is still eroding the limestone, leading to new formations that grow at the rate of one inch every 35 to 150 years. The largest of the caverns stands at 49 feet high and 120 feet wide, making it a spectacular entrance for visitors to begin their tour. Since it was opened as an attraction in 1929, by John Beiber, more passageways have been created and have been made safer to walk through and explore.

Today the rooms and passageways in the cavern are varied, including the "Wedding Chapel", where white quartz glistens and seems to drip from the walls like giant melting pearls. Magnesium-rich water has pooled in another room, forming a shimmering 175-foot deep blue pool of water known as Crystal Lake. At a frigid 49 degrees Fahrenheit, the lake isn't suitable for swimming, but the temperature in the cavern remains stable at 52 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, making it a comfortable environment with a light jacket or sweater, and close-toed shoes.

Unfortunately, the 45-minute tours to the caverns can't accommodate wheelchairs or strollers, but a written guide is available for those who are hearing impaired. You can also bring a pet if you hold it the entire time and it's off-leash (leashes pose a hazard because they might catch on the rocks). Feel free to snap as many pictures as you like, but to successfully capture the cavern's beauty, you'll need a flash.

Although the only wildlife you can encounter below-ground at the cavern may be a rare sighting of a bat, the grounds above the cavern feature a petting zoo with friendly farm animals that you can also feed. The zoo includes winged animals from turkeys to peacocks to pheasants, as well as terrestrial creatures like goats and alpacas. Tasty snacks can be bought from a nearby coin-operated machine.

In keeping with the spirit of cave exploration, kids can buy a bag of sand filled with various treasures at the Gem Mill Junction. It will be a real delight to pan for finds which include coins, fossils, and gemstones that are free to take home. As the water washes the cache clear from the sand, you can pretend to be a treasure hunter from a bygone era.

Parking is free at the cavern, but entrance to the cavern is $24.50 for adults, $14.50 for children, and $22 for seniors. The cave is located in Hershey, Pennsylvania on Middletown Road, about an hour northeast of famed Gettysburg, and a bit over 2 hours east of New Hope, a Pennsylvania gem known for its arts and creativity.