Lost River Gorge & Boulder Caves — Attraction in Woodstock

I've been to the White Mountains region countless times primarily on hiking trips. Somehow in my decade plus of visits I've never stopped here which has been a mistake.

The walk starts with a long descent down a series of wooden stairs as you walk through the forest. As you approach the caves though, you start to see the waterfalls and feel the cool air wafting up towards you and the anticipation builds.

Once you get to the caves -- prepare to climb, crawl, slither, slide and squeeze your way through a dozen or so short caves. The interior of many is quite dark, so you'll feel your way along, but there is plenty of safety railings, etc.

All of the caves can be bypassed; I did them all except the "lemon squeezer" which I wasn't able to contort my 6'2", 185 pound frame through. The rest I was able to fit through with some crawling or sliding on my back or stomach.

As usual, caveats apply: If you have issues with dark or tight spaces -- stay away. You can avoid all the caves, but avoiding the caves is avoiding the fun. There are signs posted that some of the caves are weather-dependent -- i.e., heavy rain can flood the caves and thus you won't get the "full experience". Recommend going during a "drier" time if possible. Carry a water bottle in a small pack (not a full-size backpack). You'll want refreshment (especially if it's hot), you'll want your hands free on the various ladders, but anything big will be a hindrance while trying to squeeze through. Wear sturdy shoes (sneakers are fine; sandals... maybe not) and clothes that can get dirty.

I've seen various reviews and comments comparing this to Flume Gorge which is just up the road. I feel that Flume Gorge has some more inspiring scenery (although Lost River is amazing as well, just in a different way). Lost River is much more "interactive", for lack of a better...

What an experience! I booked this with a friend and we did absolutely no research so we didn't know what to expect. We thought it was odd you had to pay, but once going through we entirely understood. The work to maintain this is probably great, but the price is worth it.

I'm 38 and this created a child-like glee I didn't know I still had in me. The entire thing is only about a mile, but you get to squeeze, climb, and crawl through various caves. We were able to do all but one, the "Lemon Squeeze" cave as we were too wide in the chest and hips. This one likely only fits a smaller woman/man and children/teens. I think most able-bodied adults could do these trails unless you're larger or on the taller end (like over 6'5").

When you go, I'd recommend wearing leggings or jeans since you are crawling on all fours and/or doing an army crawl to get through some. You never have to do this for very long, maybe 6 feet at most, but shorts could have you accidentally tearing up your legs or knees. And speaking of, there are first aid kits all along the trail in case you do.

The caves are amazing and this is worth it if you're in the area! One has a waterfall inside, most (not all) are light by a low lantern but you can mostly see through them. What an experience.

You can still walk this entire trail and bypass all the caves and still experience the beauty of the area, however, due to the price I don't think this would be worth it if you don't think you'll go in the caves. Outside each cave there was information on them to explain what you'll experience before you go in them so you can decide if you want to or just stay on the main trail.

The Visitors Center has the usual: picnic tables, gift shop, bathrooms, and history about the caves and info on how mines work, so if you're planning to sit out the caves you have...

I brought my son here when he was very little and we both had a good time! Though he wanted it to end 🔚 the visit much more quickly than myself because he wanted pizza 🍕 for lunch! I returned recently because I could not remember if I had actually visited this place or a place similar to it. Once I observed the entrance building, the memories started to return. The walk was easier this time because I knew what to expect. The views were still great! I was the first one to arrive and for about a half hour, I felt I had the park to myself! I met people from Maine who said they pulled in next to my car and wondered where everyone was. I explored the Glacial Erratics, Rotunda, Shadow Cave, Judgement Hall of Pluto, the Guillotine, Bear 🐻 Crawl, Dungeon, Center of the Earth 🌎, the Cave of Silence, not of the 🐑 lambs because that cave was very quiet 🤫, Parallel Rocks, Giant Pothole, which Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't try to fill, Devil's Kitchen, Cave of Odin and Sun Alter. I was a little dirty after exploring all that. Squam Lakes Natural Science Center had an exhibition at the Gazebo with several species native to NH. It was unexpected and interesting! The gift shop was nice and the staff were friendly and informative. The men's bathroom was in great condition! The Lost River Ecology Trail was moderate with some terrain being easy. There is a makeshift mining ⛏️ set up for the kids. I really recommend a visit! It may be cheaper to purchase your...