2020-01-07 05:21:36
Travel deep beneath the surface of Pennsylvania where underground caverns and historic coal mines reveal stunning natural wonders, rich history, and adventures for the whole family. Explore Pennsylvania’s largest cave when you take a guided one-hour tour of Laurel Caverns in Farmington. A calcareous sandstone cave formed by wind currents millions of years ago, this massive cave features highly sculpted walls and miles of passageways. Stroll through the five rooms of Woodward Cave in Woodward, where you’ll discover a collection of distinct features including the 14-foot “Tower of Babel” (one the largest stalagmites in the region), delicate helictites that grow in curved paths, a spectacular cathedral ceiling rising 60 feet from the floor below, and formations resembling a lion and a camel sitting down. As the country’s only all-water cavern and farm-nature-wildlife park, Penn’s Cave & Wildlife Park in Centre Hall offers a unique experience. Hop on the flat-bottom motorboat for a guided tour of caverns studded with stalactites and stalagmites, and then go above-ground to explore acres of farmland, pastures, and woodlands, which are home to mountain lions, wolves, and bighorn sheep. Five spectacular chambers of eyecatching crystal formations await at Hellertown’s Lost River Caverns, where you can take a guided 45-minute walking tour. Afterward, explore the rare fossils, gemstones, and paleoanthropological relics of The Gilman Museum. Located near Hummelstown, Indian Echo Caverns boasts limestone that is more than 440 million years old. Room after room of geological marvels, intimate passageways, and a crystal-clear lake are part of the otherworldly experience. Go 125 feet underground in Kutztown to see Crystal Cave’s glittering crystals, delicate soda straws, and natural stone sculptures with nicknames including “Totem Pole” and “Bacon.” Home to the world’s only known fossilized coral reef cavern, Coral Caverns in Manns Choice is a truly one-of-a-kind experience with a towering wall filled with the fossil remains of coral and a variety of sea creatures that roamed the Great Inland Sea more than 400 million years ago. This underground wonderland also boasts an abundance of fossils, stalactites, and stalagmites. Witness massive flowstones and pure-white calcite at a pair of spectacular crystal caverns in Huntingdon: Lincoln Caverns and Whisper Rocks. On select nights, book a special blacklight tour to experience these natural wonders in all their phosphorescent glory. For a peek into Pennsylvania’s past, explore its historic mines on special subterranean tours. On the Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour in Scranton, descend 300 feet underground into an anthracite coal mine that dates back to 1860, all while learning about the history of this industry and the mules, men, and children who toiled in the mines to fuel the Industrial Revolution. Explore the longest continuously running anthracite coal mine in the world at No. 9 Coal Mine & Museum in Lansford, where you’ll ride by rail 1,600 feet underground before taking a walking tour of the historic mine, which operated from 1855 to 1972. At Ashland’s Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine & Steam Train, ride an open mine car into the heart of Mahanoy Mountain to explore underground passageways and to learn about how coal is mined. Afterward, hop aboard the 1920s narrow gauge steam locomotive for a scenic ride and to learn more about the strip mining industry as you visit Mammoth Stripping.
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