Seven Tubs Natural Area, Luzerne County
By Lori Litchman

have a heavy heart as I head to the Seven Tubs Natural area. The state of the world has me fleeing to one of the only places where I can truly escape - the woods. The area, also known as Whirlpool Valley, is a place of solitude that has served me so many times as a place to recharge and focus. As the great writer Thoreau so aptly put so many years ago, we go to the woods "to live deliberately."

nown around the area simply as "the tubs," the Seven Tubs Natural area consists of a hiking trail centered around a stream and seven tub-shaped glacial potholes, etched out of gray sandstone. Geologists think the tubs were formed thousands of years ago during the last Ice Age when glacial meltwater eroded the bedrock to form the seven tubs. Basically, a meltwater steam broke through a glacier, which then caused a whirling motion of rock fragments, effectively carving the potholes out of the bedrock.

lthough it's common for the parking lot to have a number of cars, the natural area often provides great seclusion. During my visit, I encounter only one woman, feeling sniffly and seeking to clear her head, and several joggers pit-patting by on the nearby trail. In the summertime, however, although signs warn against it, it's a popular swimming area for daredevils who use the carved rock as a sliding board into the tubs.

he area boasts an array of trees, but is dominated primarily by the eastern hemlock. Although it's common to see squirrels, chipmunks or white-tailed deer, the animals all seem to be hiding on the day of my visit.

s I walk from the parking area to the sun-dappled hiking trail, the sound of chirping birds is slowly overcome by the gentle sound of tumbling stream waters. A sturdy wood bridge offers a beautiful view of the tubs below before venturing onto the hiking trail beside the tubs.

he temperature drops significantly when you near the tubs area. Each tub is beautifully carved and unique. The slow rushing water eventually empties out to form a shallow stream that leads into to a dark cave. The park also has great, huge rocks to sprawl out on, think about life and enjoy the power of nature.

uzerne County owns the sight, which is closed during the winter months. The Seven Tubs Natural Area is about four miles southeast of downtown Wilkes-Barre. From Interstate 81, take Route 115 South for about 1.5 miles. Make a sharp right into the entrance, marked by a sign. Follow the road down to find a regular parking lot on the left and a handicapped parking lot further down the road on the right. For more information, call the Luzerne County Parks Department at 570-477-5467.