Hummelstown, Pennsylvania: Indian Echo Caverns

"Chief Kumsee" invites travelers to explore -- and possibly get married in -- the mysterious world beneath Pennsylvania.

A great place to visit when you are looking to explore and don't want to be in the hot summer weather or in the cold winter. This cavern stays 54 degrees year around. The only thing is it's not handicapped friendly. You have to walk down 71 steps to get into the entrance to the caverns.

I recently went back to Indian Echo Caverns, after probably 20 years, and it's still amazing.

A note from one of the "chiefs" in the Indian Echo Caverns brochure: Many years ago...1967 I believe...I posed for the picture in front of the caverns along with a fellow named Harry Fritz. Harry was one of the people who got the cave ready for tourists way back in 1929. You can tell us from the rest of the crowd because we are wearing the war bonnets.

Just wanted you to know that we never wore the bonnets on the tours. The feathers would just have gotten knocked off on the low areas towards Crystal Lake. The only time I wore it was for that picture.

Nowadays I am a Park Ranger for WA ST Parks. I learned a lot about dealing with the public and tourism while I had that job. I visited the cave this past Autumn when I was home. Chief Kumsee was brand new back then and I was surprised to see him still making the smoke signals he started over three decades before. I only wish I aged at the same rate he did.