14 Mar Lost World Caverns Tours in West Virginia

The first stop on the second day of my road trip from Pennsylvania to California with friends was the Lost World Caverns Tour. During the previous day, we stopped at the Monongahela Incline in Pittsburgh, Falls of Hills Creek Trail in Hillsboro, and the New River Gorge Bridge Overlooks.

We spent about an hour walking through the caverns, looking in awe at all of the stalagmites and stalactites. Many of them are larger than me! We chose the general cave tour due to time restrictions. However, those looking for an adventure with more time to spare can crawl and climb through the caverns on the wild cave tour. 

Contents:

1) Location of Lost World Caverns

2) Opening Hours

3) The Best Time to Visit

4) Quick Facts

5) Background of the Caverns

6) Tour Options

7) Recommended Items to Bring

1) Location of Lost World Caverns

Lost World Caverns is located in Lewisburg, West Virginia. For reference, it is on the southeastern edge of the state, pretty close to the Virginia border.

Why not plan a day trip to the town of Harpers Ferry in northeastern West Virginia? You can hike the Maryland Heights Trail for panoramic views of the town or book a whitewater tubing tour down the river.

Parking

There is a parking lot right by the main building for the Lost World Caverns. It is fairly large, so you do not have to worry about it filling up. 

Nearby Lodging

You can look for lodging options in the nearby towns of Lewisburg or Renick in West Virginia.

Nearby Airport

The closest regional airport is the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport. It is located one hour and 40 minutes southeast of the caverns. On the other hand, the closest international airport is the West Virginia International Yeager Airport. It is located one hour and 50 minutes northwest of the caverns.

Furthermore, there is no public transportation available from either of these two airports to the caverns. You will thus have to rent a car or utilize a ride share service such as Uber. 

Looks as though this particular formation is “melting” at the top

2) Opening Hours – Lost World Caverns

The opening hours of Lost World Caverns depends on the season in which you are visiting. The hours are 9:00am to 5:00pm daily from Memorial Day Weekend to Thanksgiving. They then change the hours slightly to 10:00am to 4:00pm daily from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. From New Year’s Day to March 1st, the hours stay from 10:00am to 4:00pm, but they are only open on Saturdays and Sundays. Lastly, they are open from 10:00am to 5:00pm from March 1st to Memorial Day Weekend. 

Additionally, the caverns are closed on Thanksgiving day and Christmas day. 

A large bundle of the formations within the cave

3) The Best Time to Visit

First, there is no bad season to visit the Lost World Caverns. They are open all year round, though they do have restricted visiting hours and days during the winter season. 

Estimated Visit Time

Second, plan to visit anywhere from 30 minutes to six hours. I know, 30 minutes to six hours is a fairly large range of time you need to plan. However, you will only need 30 minutes to one hour to visit if you plan to do the general cave tour. You can explore the caverns at your own pace on this tour. Additionally, the walkway through the caves is only 0.5 miles (~0.8 kilometers) long. You can complete the walk within 10 minutes, though you will want to spend time reading the information panels, taking pictures, and checking out the gift shop. 

On the other hand, you will need to plan for around six hours if you plan to do the wild cave tour. The tour lasts for four hours, though there is also a safety briefing and lunch break. More information can be found in the tour information section below.

A view of both stalagmites and stalactites in the cave

4) Quick Facts 

1. The Lost World Caverns are located in Lewisburg, West Virginia. 

2. Opening hours for the caverns change based on the time of year, but they are generally from 10:00am to 4:00pm. 

3. There are two tours offered for the caverns: a general cave tour and a wild cave tour. 

4. The caverns were first discovered in 1942.

5. The temperature within the cavern remains 52 degrees Fahrenheit (11 degrees Celsius) all year long. 

5) Background of Lost World Caverns

The caverns were first discovered in 1942 with a main cave area of 1000 x 300 feet (~305 x 91 meters). Additionally, the caverns reach a depth of 235 feet (~72 meters) and extend for 1.25 miles (~2 kilometers) long. Be sure to bring a jacket while visiting, for the temperature remains a crisp 52 degrees Fahrenheit (~11 degrees Celsius) all year round. 

If you are unable to visit in person, check out their online store. 

Stalagmites, Stalactites, and Fossils

The real stars of the show in the caverns are the stalagmites and stalactites. First, stalagmites are rock formations rising from the floor within a cave. Visitors can see the “War Club” in the caverns, which is a 28 foot (~8.5 meter) tall stalagmite. Second, stalactites are rock formations hanging from the ceiling within a cave. Visitors can see “The Snowy Chandelier”, which is a 30-ton stalactite. It is believed to be one of the largest in the entire country

Furthermore, you can check out the fossils of a prehistoric cave bear. These fossils were actually discovered within the Lost World Caverns. 

If you are interested in checking out some petroglyphs, then head to Judaculla Rock in North Carolina or La Cieneguilla Petroglyphs in New Mexico.

One of the tallest formations in the cave

6) Tour Options 

The Lost World Caverns offer two types of tours: (1) general cave tour (2) wild cave tour. The names describe them well, but keep reading below for more information.

For another unique cavern experience in a nearby state, check out the Lost Sea Adventure in Tennessee. Hint – you can ride on a boat across an underground lake there! On the other hand, you can explore an ice cave on your next trip to Iceland.

Cave Tour – Lost World Caverns

• Duration: 30 minutes to 1 hour  
• Price: $12 per adult 
• Ages: all

For those looking for a nice leisurely stroll in the caverns, choose the general cave tour. There is no tour guide, but instead you can tour the caverns at your own pace. Signs are posted all along the trail to provide information on the caverns in general as well as individual stalagmites and stalactites. 

For reference, people generally take anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour to walk through the entirety of the caverns. The walkway is 0.5 miles (~0.8 kilometers) long and includes 350 steps. Moreover, bring a jacket since the temperature inside the cave always remains 52 degrees Fahrenheit (~11 degrees Celsius). 

My friend and I bought tickets for this cave tour when we visited, mainly due to the fact we were on a road trip and did not have time to spend six hours here for the wild cave tour. In my honest opinion, I greatly enjoyed walking around the caverns and examining all of the stalagmites and stalactites present. Each was unique with their own sizes, shapes, and formations. 

An example where stalagmites and stalactites combined

Wild Cave Tour – Lost World Caverns

• Duration: 6 hours 
• Price: $79 
• Ages: 10 years or older

Maybe you want a bit more adventure? Choose the Lost World Caverns wild cave tour. This is not a leisurely stroll; instead it includes climbing and crawling at various points. The tour guide leads you through cavern chambers and narrow passageways, offering a more intimate experience. The tour itself lasts four hours. However, plan for six hours in your itinerary as there is also a safety briefing and lunch break.  

There are a couple of recommended items to wear as well as to bring. I will list them all out in the next section below, but I will also include them here for reference. First, wear two layers of shirts, for example a long sleeve shirt and a jacket. Second, wear long pants. Third, wear hiking boots or tennis shoes. Open-toed shoes are prohibited. Fourth, bring along an extra set of clothes and a towel. Visitors will get their clothes muddy during the tour. All are welcome to utilize the showers available after the tour and then change into their clean clothes. Fifth, bring along a bag in which to store dirty clothes.

*If you need medication at any point throughout the tour, be sure to bring it with you.

Looking down to try and spot the bear fossils

7) Recommended Items to Bring

If you are planning a road trip to visit the Lost World Caverns or to another location, check out my summer road trip packing list as well as my winter road trip packing list. They have everything you need so that you do not have to stress about packing.

1. Water bottle: Be sure to bring water with you while visiting the caverns. For example, I always carry around my Yeti water bottle.

2. Hiking shoes: A pair of hiking shoes will be helpful as you walk along the trail within the caverns, whether you are on the general or the wild cave tour. However, please note open-toed shoes are prohibited on the wild cave tour. 

3. Light jacket: The caverns stay at a crisp 52 degrees Fahrenheit (~11 Celsius), so you will want a light jacket to help keep you warm. 

For the Wild Cave Tour Specifically

4. Long pants: You will be crawling and maneuvering around the caverns on the wild cave tour, so you want to protect your knees and legs from getting all scraped up. 

5. Extra set of clothes: You are likely to get fairly dirty and muddy during the wild cave tour. Therefore, bring an extra set of clothes so that you can change into something clean once the tour is complete. 

6. Towel: There are showers available for you to use after the tour ends, so be sure to bring a towel if you would like to use them. 

7. Bag for dirty clothes: If you decide to shower and change into a new set of clothes, bring along a bag in which you can put all of your muddy clothes from the tour. 

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Check out our next stop on the road trip: Cameron Barnstormer Murals.

We then had some more fun in North Carolina: Sliding Rock – Natural Waterslide.