There are some natural wonders that are so astounding, it is hard to believe they’re even real. They look so magical, yet mesmerizing, that you might think you’ve been transplanted into a fairy tale, or maybe even onto a different planet. Sure, you can marvel at incredible photographs, but they really don’t do the place justice. If there’s only one place in Kentucky that is so spectacular that it must be seen to believed, then that would be Mammoth Cave.
Mammoth Cave National Park is located in Edmonson, Hart, and Barren Counties in central Kentucky.
Flickr/Anna Harris
There are tons of outdoor activities to do here, such as hiking, biking, and kayaking down the Green River, but the most popular attraction by far is the park’s namesake, Mammoth Cave, which is the longest cave system known in the world.
Flickr/Garden State Hiker
This massive cave is thought to contain more than 405 miles of subterranean passageways. This mind-blowing geological formation is made up of thick limestone and a layer of sandstone. Geologists believe the oldest parts of Mammoth Cave began to form about 10 million years ago.
Flickr/Garden State Hiker
It is believed that humans have interacted with the cave for more than 6,000 years. Thousands of people flock to the park every year to tour the cave, which an early tour guide named Stephen Bishop once called a “grand, gloomy, and peculiar place.”
Flickr/Stanislav Vitebskiy
There are several different kinds of tours offered, so to find one that is best for you, click here.
Flickr/Jim Deane
You will be blown away by the sheer vastness of this cave. The geological features within the cave are mind boggling. The cave’s Mammoth Dome is 192 feet high, and the Bottomless Pit is 105 feet deep.
Flickr/Garden State Hiker
There is also a ton of history within the cave. At least seven mummies have been found in these passageways. However, signs of more recent human activity can also be seen, such as these saltpeter mines. Saltpeter was a key ingredient in making gunpowder. Much of the saltpeter needed during the War of 1812 was mined in Mammoth Cave, mostly by a workforce of slaves.
Flickr/Stanislav Vitebskiy
As you explore the cave, be sure to check out all of the stalagmites and stalactites.
Flickr/Derek Bruff
One of the most popular tours to take is the Frozen Niagra Tour, which gets its name because the formations you will see resemble a frozen waterfall. The tour is a short hour and 15 minutes, and isn’t too strenuous, which makes it a great option for people touring with children.
Flickr/Stanislav Vitebskiy
The River Styx is a semi-subterranean stream that surfaces in the park. There is a tour called the River Styx Tour, but it is not offered during the winter season, which will end March 10, 2017. This tour lasts two hours and 30 minutes, and follows along this waterway.
Wikimedia Commons/Daniel Schewn
Has anyone explored this amazing natural wonder before?
Flickr/Anna Harris
Flickr/Garden State Hiker
Flickr/Stanislav Vitebskiy
Flickr/Jim Deane
Flickr/Derek Bruff
Wikimedia Commons/Daniel Schewn
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