Warm Up in a Cool Cavern

By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey

When the winds are howling, the temperature plummeting and the snow getting deeper by the minute, a 52°F cave can be a cozy place to sit out the storm. It is believed that the Susquehannock Indians, who lived in the area many thousands of years ago, did just that in the natural limestone nature-made sanctuary now known as Indian Echo Caverns.

Even today, the more than 400-million-year-old caverns in Hummelstown, about three miles west of Hershey, still offer visitors a warm welcome on cold days along with spectacular sights that are otherwise hidden from human eyes. During your 45-minute guided tour, you’ll see scads of stalactites and stalagmites along with fascinating formations called “curtains” or “draperies” that look like they’re frozen-in-time (some in mid-flow) waterfalls, but are actually made of a mineral called calcite. Adding to the eerie effect are the reflections of the formations in the caverns’ underground Crystal Lake.

You’ll have to climb some steps and squeeze through some pretty tight spaces, but this otherworldly adventure is well worth it. Indian Echo Caverns are open every day. Winter hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets cost $13 for adults (ages 12 and over), $11 for seniors (62 and over), $7 for children (ages 3 to 12) and free for children ages 2 and under. (Thrifty Tip: There are usually discount coupons on the caverns’ Web site.)

Written tour guides are available for hearing-impaired visitors. And pets are permitted as long as they are held during the entire tour.