Directly south of Louisville, just off Interstate 65 and not far from Cave City, Mammoth Cave National Park sits nestled in the rolling, wooded hills of west-central Kentucky. Cedar trees dominate the landscape around the park, broken only by grazing cattle, small tobacco fields, and immense limestone outcroppings.
Limestone is what makes this area special-a 600-foot thick slab of the stuff. Looking at the many road-cuts along the highway, one can see the layers, each possessing its own characteristics and each named after the location where these characteristics were identified: St. Genevieve, St. Louis, Paoli, Aux Vases, Karnak. Each layer is incredibly older than its sibling just above. And limestone is where Kentucky caves are formed.
Once inside the park, the scenery changes from touristy to natural beauty. Well-groomed roads with wide, grassy shoulders wind through deep forest. Whitetail deer browse the edges of ancient cemeteries and wild turkey are everywhere. Mammoth Cave is one of the most beautiful in our national park system. Sprawling over more than 52,000 acres (most of it dense hardwood forest) the park features a diverse community of plants and wildlife; from the smallest insects, to birds, to aquatic life, to cave life. It is home to dozens of endangered or threatened species.
In spite of hosting two million visitors a year, the roads through Mammoth Cave National Park are surprisingly free of traffic. But near the visitor center, there is a constant bustle of activity, where campers, picnickers, and cave tourists crowd through the visitor center and ticket office. Every few minutes, loudspeakers announce the beginning of the next tour and groups of strangers form lines to become fellow travelers through a section of the cave.
During the summer, the park offers tours into several different entrances and family groups huddle around descriptive signs planning this portion of their summer vacation. The most popular is the Historic Tour. Starting every 40 minutes, over a hundred people herd through the historic section of the cave. The Lantern Tour, Frozen Niagara, and Half-Day tours are sold out every day throughout the tourist season. Occasionally the park gives tours into Great Onyx Cave, but those arriving too late in the day, or those that choose not to go on a guided tour can opt for the Discovery tour - a self guided walk through the historic section near the entrance.
Of the hundreds of caves that pock the hills and valleys of the park, many are worthy of the tourist dollar. Crystal Cave, Colossal, Bedquilt, Lee, White, and others-now, all gated. The park no longer shows these caves. And when hiking the 73 miles of surface trails in the park, one must be mindful to stay on the established trails. Poking around in one of the little caves along the way is strictly forbidden. There are plenty of tours to keep even the most adventurous of tourists busy.
Of all the parks protected by our national park system, Mammoth Cave is certainly one of the most beautiful and one of the most popular. A great vacation destination.
Norm Rogers is the author of Underground Legacy, a Fellow of the National Speleological Society, and member of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels. You can visit his website at http://www.normrogers.8m.com/
Chicago limo Skokie ..Camping is a delightful and adventurous way to spend your... Read More
A river cruise in Bangkok gives an insight to the... Read More
An inflatable boat trailer is needed if the user has... Read More
White Water on the Comal river in Central Texas is... Read More
Holidays in India, awesome in her size and diversity. This... Read More
You would think that a cheap safari in Africa for... Read More
HOW ARE MINERALS FORMED?MINERALS are naturally occuring, inorganic solids, with... Read More
Hiking shoes versus hiking boots? Hiking shoes win. Okay, next... Read More
Recently we stayed at a state campground in Michigan near... Read More
There is something about a town tucked between the mountains... Read More
The dictionary defines a tent as 'a portable shelter usually... Read More
Mount Kenya is Africa's second highest mountain, after Kilimanjaro. It... Read More
Block Island is a seaside jewel lying 12 miles off... Read More
Dude Ranches first gained popularity in the 1920s, in large... Read More
Okay, it wasn't quite a sleeping bag. However, it was... Read More
I bet you're wondering where the heck this articles going.... Read More
Six different islands in Hawaii are open to tourism. Most... Read More
There were four of us on that first Tom Sawyer... Read More
If you are on a tight budget and can't afford... Read More
Are you sick and tired of not knowing what to... Read More
Hello Again,Today we will be talking about meal planning. Meals... Read More
Barnegat Light, NJ is the home to "Old Barney" a... Read More
A Hawaii volcano tour can be a most memorable experience,... Read More
Ultralight backpackers want to give up weight, not comfort. Sleeping... Read More
Generally speaking, Greek drivers are not the best in Europe,... Read More
limo O'Hare Bonfield ..Up to now the preponderant view held by many historians... Read More
Climbing the glaciers to the summit of Mount Chimborazo in... Read More
Do you like to take one day hiking trips? Do... Read More
The Wandle offered wonderful trout fishing up to the latter... Read More
Sun, Sand and Surf ? an apt description for Goa?... Read More
The islands of Samoa are emerging as an exciting new... Read More
We think that Cape Town has some of the best... Read More
My favorite outdoor related quote comes from John Muir, the... Read More
Thousands of golfers flock to the Carolinas each spring and... Read More
If you're looking to spot a whale, the first few... Read More
For the fortunate few, life isn't complete without a backpacking... Read More
Ultralight backpackers want to give up weight, not comfort. Sleeping... Read More
For the dedicated water sport enthusiast there can be no... Read More
Santa Cruz Church, the church of the holy cross, was... Read More
New experiences make me nervous, and I assume that holds... Read More
Visitors to Hawaii frequently see dolphins from shore or on... Read More
The dictionary defines a tent as 'a portable shelter usually... Read More
San Diego offers a bevy of interesting hikes. With the... Read More
The last thing you want on an African safari is... Read More
The first recorded mapping of what is now Koombana Bay... Read More
Inflatable boats are made from flexible material, usually rubber, canvas,... Read More
Recently we stayed at a state campground in Michigan near... Read More
Drive along one of South Africa's scenic strips and you... Read More
Spain offers the visitor over 4,000 kms of coastline where... Read More
A camping gear checklist is an important tool to help... Read More
Outdoors |