![]() ![]() "There are no reproductions down here."Įvidence indicates that the area's indigenous peoples ventured into the cave as far back as 2,000 to 4,000 years ago, apparently to scrape gypsum and other minerals off walls, said Carson, the park spokeswoman. "All the artifacts we're seeing are the originals," he said. There are some 400 caves underneath the park, but Mammoth Cave is by far the best known and longest - some 392 miles of passageways have been mapped and surveyed.īesides the underground sights, the visit reveals a fascinating look at the layers of human history in a place that Asher calls a "time capsule," thanks to the temperate conditions that help keep things preserved. The park is situated about 90 miles from both Louisville, Ky., and Nashville, Tenn. The park also offers boating, fishing, horseback riding, camping and walking trails amid the scenic rolling hills of south-central Kentucky. While the underground tours are the main attraction, there's plenty to do on the surface as well. "It was like a little boy's dream come true," the boy's father said of the adventure. The excursion was a big hit with his children - including the youngest, 6-year-old Cole. "That's exactly the kind of experience we wanted to get out of it," said Moreland, who took the tour with his wife and their three children from Green Bay, Wis. The experience was a highlight for Cameron Moreland, who fulfilled his boyhood dream with his visit to Mammoth Cave. "And the cave is one of the only places on Earth where you can experience total silence."Īfter a few moments, he flicked a small lighter that illuminated the walls and ceiling.Īsher said that faint light was enough to get them back to the surface. "This is total and complete darkness we're feeling down here," Asher said as visitors soaked in the feeling of being completely cut off from the world above. When the group opened their eyes, the only audible responses were "wow." "And if you're afraid of the dark, just skip count three," Asher advised. ![]() On count three, they should open their eyes. On count two, he would cut off his lantern. On count one, they should close their eyes, he coached them. He told them that on the count of three, they would be enveloped in darkness. "How are those hour-long aerobic workouts working for you now?" Hyatt asked her mother as visitors huffed their way upward.ĭim lighting woven along points in the cave revealed a fascinating look at the tapestry of rock formations during the two-hour excursion.Īt one point, tour guide Nick Asher let visitors experience the cave in its purest form. There's a steep climb up a stairway at a majestic part of the cave known as Mammoth Dome. Wide walkways leading into expansive "rooms" give way to belly-scraping paths that take a serpentine route through the rock.įor adults, there's stooping to maneuver past low rock ceilings and sideway squeezing to slip through a narrow passage in a part of the cave known as Fat Man's Misery. Participants have to chug up and down 440 stairs. On the popular Historic Tour, visitors take a winding 2-mile hike that leads them some 310 feet below the surface. Other tours cover 4 to 5 miles and put participants through vigorous workouts. One tour suited for small children, the elderly and others who can't walk long distances covers a quarter-mile and includes just a dozen stairs. ![]() Tours cater to a range of visitors, from hardy adventurers to those looking for less-strenuous outings. In winter, the cave's temperate climate gives it a balmy feel, said park spokeswoman Vickie Carson. "It's the first time I've been cool in I don't know how long," said Sarah Hyatt, who traveled from Maryland to marvel at the massive limestone formations with her parents and her 8-year-old daughter.Įach year, about 700,000 people take the short trip off Interstate 65 to visit Mammoth Cave, with the peak time coming in summer. The celebrated cave that has lured the curious for thousands of years remains a temperate 54 degrees year-round. Heading underground at Mammoth Cave National Park is a sure way to escape the dog days of August. Some visitors donned light jackets for the long hike past panoramic scenes of subterranean wonders. Blasts of cool air offered a welcome reprieve from the scorching summer as a tour group descended into the depths of the world's longest-known cave. ![]()
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