Mammoth Cave National Park

We evidently did not get our fill of caves in Tennessee so, we headed on to Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky. Mammoth Cave has the distinction of being the most extensive cave system on Earth. It has over 365 documented miles of passageways and may have as much as 600 more undocumented miles. It predates all of the National Parks being an attraction as early as 1816 but became authorized as a National Park in 1926.

 

 

 

 

 

Feeling a little more energetic, we signed up for the 4 hour, strenous Grand Avenue Tour. The constant underground temperature of 54 may also have had something to do with the decision to take the longest tour available since the surface temperature was in the 90’s and I start to melt if it gets above 80.

 

 

The first part of the tour meandered through wide almost man-made like tunnels with a level, paved walking surface. These tunnels would periodically open into large rooms and then revert back to the tunnel passageways.

 

Half way through the tour and seeming a bit strange, one of the large rooms was converted to a cafeteria where we stopped for lunch. Food, drinks and restrooms were available. We had brought our own picnic lunch but, I found the Lil’ Dude stalling. When I asked him why he wasn’t finishing his sanwich, he responded with “the food side of my stomach is full but, the water side is only half full.” I should have known that.

 

A cave picnic at 270 ft below the surface was a unique experience and the atmoshpere was enhanced with the historic graffiti on the walls and ceilings. Prior to electric lights, the tours were lit with candles mounted on top of sticks. The smoke from these would be used to write the names of those touring the caves and they are still visible today.

right: Hoofland’s tonic(1869) anyone?

The last half of the tour became more interesting as the wide tunnels would periodically become very narrow, tall and curvy and the rock had a smooth, water sculpted texture. The rock formations were beautiful and had a more natural look as opposed to the wide tunnels. It also became more of a climbing expedition with steep inclines. Sometimes steps were provided to make the steep ascent or descent, 670 of them! My knees and calves would remind me of this the next day.

Left: Cave Cricket on a gypsum deposit

Gypsum deposits were the only formations seen during the tour until the end where we entered a large room full of limestone deposits of every type; stalagmites, stalagmites, columns and curtains. Every wall and ceiling was covered with thousands of years worth of deposits. It was magnificent!

 

 

The cave is home to 130 forms of life including eyeless fish but we only got glimpses of bats, crickets and spiders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One hazard of not having a specific travel plan is that the campgrounds are often full, especially the National Park Campgrounds after Memorial Day. We were unable to get reservations at Mammoth Cave and had to go to a private campground nearby which worked out fine but, the Park encompasses 53, 000 acres with lots of hiking and biking trails that we would not be able to fully utilize camping elsewhere.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We did, however, find some time one day to do a beautiful hike along the Green River which has been an intergral part of the development of the cave system. Wildlife outside of the cave is plentiful with the Dudes spotting 4 deer, 10 turkeys, 2 turtles and a leopard frog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think we have fulfilled our need to see caves for a while so, we’ll just head up the road a piece and see what else we can find.

“If there hadn’t been women we’d still be squatting in a cave eating raw meat, because we made civilization in order to impress our girlfriends.” Orson Welles”