Lost River Caverns is a natural

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

cavern A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...

located on the east side of

Hellertown, Pennsylvania Hellertown is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Its population was 6,132 at the 2020 census. Hellertown is part of the Lehigh Valley metropolitan area, which had a population of 861,899 and was the 68th most populous metropolitan area ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, and consisting of five chambers. The caverns were formed by the

karstification Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

or dissolving of the limestone by

water Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...

. In the past the caverns have been called Rentzheimer's Cave and Lost Cave. The "Lost River", so named because the source and mouth of the river have not yet been discovered, flows through it. The temperature in the cave is consistently in the area. There is a gift shop and a museum before the entrance. It was discovered in 1883 when a limestone quarry cut into it. It is currently open to the public.

References

External links

Lost River Caverns web site
Caves of Pennsylvania Landforms of Northampton County, Pennsylvania Tourist attractions in Northampton County, Pennsylvania {{US-geology-stub