Somewhere beneath the streets of Hellertown, a river flows through solid rock. Nobody knows where it comes from. Nobody knows where it goes. It appears in the cavern, runs through the limestone chambers, and disappears back into the earth. It has been doing this for roughly two hundred fifty thousand years.
Lost River Caverns has been open to the public since 1930, making it one of the oldest tourist attractions in the Lehigh Valley. And while the region has changed dramatically in the century since, the caverns have not changed at all. They are exactly as old, exactly as strange, and exactly as beautiful as they have always been.
The Tour
Guided tours run every half hour from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM and last thirty to forty five minutes. You walk twelve hundred feet of paved pathways through five chambers, each with its own character. Stalactites hang from the ceiling. Stalagmites rise from the floor. Crystal formations glitter in the artificial light. Fluorescent minerals glow in colors that seem impossible for rock.
The temperature inside is a constant fifty two degrees, which feels refreshing in summer and surprisingly warm in winter. The air is still and humid. The sound of the underground river provides a constant backdrop, echoing off the limestone walls in a way that makes you intensely aware of how deep underground you are.
The Mystery River
The river is the main attraction, and it is genuinely mysterious. Hydrologists have studied it. Dye tests have been conducted. The source remains unknown. The river appears from one wall of the cavern, flows through the chambers, and vanishes into another wall. Where it goes after that is anyone's guess.
There is something humbling about standing next to a body of water that has been flowing continuously for a quarter million years and has no intention of revealing its secrets to anyone.
Above Ground
The surface area around the caverns includes a seasonal gem mining operation at a reconstructed nineteenth century gem mill. Kids love it. You sift through rough material and find gemstones, minerals, and fossils. It's the kind of activity that keeps children occupied for an hour while the adults sit on a bench and enjoy not being underground.
Gilman's At The Cave is an adjacent jewelry and mineral supply shop that has been selling gemstones, crystals, and lapidary supplies for decades. It is a serious operation for collectors and a fascinating browse for everyone else.
Practical Notes
The caverns are not wheelchair or stroller accessible due to the underground terrain. Wear closed toe shoes with good grip. The pathways are paved but the rock can be slippery. Bring a light jacket even in summer because fifty two degrees feels cool after a while.
Lost River Caverns is located in Hellertown, about ten minutes south of Bethlehem. It is easily combined with a trip to the Crossroads Hotel for pizza or a ride on the Saucon Rail Trail. The whole area makes for a solid half day outing.
A Hidden World
In a region known for its industrial history and cultural attractions, Lost River Caverns is a reminder that the most remarkable things about the Lehigh Valley were here long before any of us. The formations in those chambers have been growing for millennia, adding fractions of inches per century, completely indifferent to whatever is happening on the surface.
There is something reassuring about that. The caverns will be here long after we are gone, and the river will still be flowing to wherever it is that it goes.
