The inside of Indian Echo Caverns is looking a bit different after the shutdown. Perhaps even, a bit more beautiful.
"The cave is really clean right now. You can really see the formations way clearer than before," said Daniel Niehenke, the assistant General Manager.
Workers credit the change to the darkness that continued inside the cave due to the statewide shutdown that forced the caverns to close for months.
"For two months there was no lights on and the plant life is actually dying off," said Niehenke as he pointed to the lack of algae inside the cavern. "The cave is in a better state than it ever was before actually."
Adding to the appeal for visitors, he said right now there are far less people visiting as the caverns recently opened again for tours when Dauphin County moved into the yellow phase.
He said on a normal busy weekend the caverns would be seeing 900-1,000 people. But now, Niehenke said the site is "far far away from that."
"There are people who are just coming on tours, no fear to come," he said. "And, there are people who really are like, careful."
Workers at Indian Echo Caverns hope more people will come as the site is working to bounce back from financial difficulties it suffered during the shutdown. Workers said the red phase hit during the destination's most busy time period throughout the spring and into the start of summer. Workers were laid off but the staff has now been brought back as the caverns have reopened.
New recommendations are also in place at Indian Echo Caverns. Staff is encouraging guests to wear masks and social distance.
"We ask you really to be polite and to wear a mask in the gift shop," said Niehenke, who added "during tours same thing. We would like you to wear a mask but when you're going 71 steps up and through here (the caverns) you're a little out of breath so if you lower your mask, nobody's yelling."
Niehenke also pointed out that the property spreads over 80 acres, allowing guests the opportunity to social distance naturally.
"Right now it's very hot outside. It's very humid. If you come here, guys, we have 52 degrees here all year long. You can cool down in the cave," he said.
Indian Echo Caverns is also hiring as it said it is short on tour guides, gift shop workers, maintenance and groundkeepers.
Find out how to apply here.