The Lost Sea: Underground Lake in Tennesee
Earlier this year, my husband came across an advertisement for the Lost Sea Underground lake and caverns while on his phone. He mentioned it to me as a possible destination and after realizing it was only 2 hours from home, I decided it would be fun to visit during a school break. It is located 140 inside a mountain in East Tennessee and includes large caverns and an underground body of water known as the Lost Sea. It is listed in the World Guinness book of records as the largest US underground lake. During our tour we also learned of another cavern of an unknown size that is completely submerged in water.
The cave system is part of a cave system called Craighead Caverns, but this particular site is privately owned. Compared to other caverns we have visited in Tennessee, this one didn’t boast as many stalagtites and stalagmites formations but it kept our attentions with its very large caverns and other interesting features. The cavern was used at one point by the Cherokee and at was also planned to be used as a bunker.
The visible portion of the lake is 800 feet long by 220 feet and a boat takes visitors on a short ride on the lake. Its depth was measured at 70 ft deep at its deepest. It is stocked with large rainbow trouts which were first brought in as an experiment (in the 1970’s if I remember correctly). They are fed daily and cannot reproduce, so the lake is stocked every 4 to 5 years. The trout have lost about 20% of their sight from being in this environment.
The tour takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes and there are even overnight tours offered. We are definitely tempted to come back and try one of those: it is $50 and you bring your own sleeping bag and pad and get to go through different tunnels and caverns that are not part of the regular tour. We think it would be fun!
One of the interesting cave structure we were able to see were anthodites which are rare crystalline structures. They are spiky and light colored until they die.
A bientôt!
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20 Comments
Penny
Wow, that’s an intersting place to visit. When I was younger we went frequently to France and visited various underground. I remember we went several times to the Gouffre de Padirac cave system – that was amazing. Couldn’t do it now but I remember we all enjoyed it especially the cool air after the high temperatures outside.
Great photos 🙂
mimifce
You know, I think I never visited caves in France even though I lived there 14 years. Something to remember for a future visit!
Nancy
That is so very pretty! We have been in one in the UK year’s ago. So impressive and such beautiful colours.
mimifce
Yes! The way they have the light on the water I really cool.
Joanne
That sounds so neat; tough I don’t think I’d want to stay overnight in a cave. I get weirdly clausterphobic inside them and am really only okay as we stay walking on the paths.
mimifce
I think I would enjoy it: I’ve never seen any bugs when in a cave, and that would be the thing that would bother me.
jodie
I can’t believe you would do one of the overnight ones…EEEK. But what a cool place.
XOOX
Jodie
mimifce
I think it would be really cool, but I guess I would want my sleeping bag to be pretty snug!
Erin @ Cracker Crumb Life
Wow that place looks amazing!! I would love to do the short tour. I wish I was adventurous enough to say I would do the overnight tour but the thought of that makes me panic! Lol. I am sure it would be an amazing adventure you would never forget though. And definitely bragging rights.
mimifce
It would be bragging rights, lol!
Marsha Banks
I think we may have gone to that cave when the kids were little. I remember the lake and the boat ride. You are braver than I am. I don’t know that I could spend the night there.
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
mimifce
We’ll see if we actually plan it: we were thinking for one of the boys’ birthday!
Kathrine Eldridge
This is so cool! It reminds of when we visited Mammoth Cave in Kentucky.
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
mimifce
We haven’t been to Mammoth Cave yet.
Olivia
What an intriguing place! It wouldn’t have occurred to me that trout would do well in that environment, but it sounds like they are well cared for. Caves always look so other-worldly – and I guess in a way, they are.
mimifce
I guess they don’t need that much light since they don’t lose that much of their vision.
Debra
I’ve been to the salt mines in Hutchinson, KS. It was rather spooky and scary. I’m generaly not claustrophobic, but this mine had to have oxygen pumped down. Sure glad the electricity didn’t go out.
This lake in the cave, did oxygen have to be pumped down? And would they allow swimming?! Did they say the temp of water was?
These images are great! Thank you for sharing.
All the best,
Debra
mimifce
No need for oxygen pumped in this one so maybe it is not as far down. I will have to ask those questions if we go back again and visit. You would think it would be fine to swim in that water.
Jennifer
This reminds me of a trip we took when we visited friends in Wisconsin. I had no idea that Tennesee had underground caverns like this. Definitely something I would love to see in the future!
mimifce
Yes, Tennesee has a lot of caverns and so does Kentucky.