For Spring Holidays we set out to visit all of Kentucky’s NPS sites. We felt confident that we could knock out all five NPS sites in a week for a big sense of accomplishment.
With a late start Sunday we planned to stop for our first ever boondocking experience. We called ahead and were approved to spend the night at a Cracker Barrell right off I-75 at exit 333 in Dalton. It was convenient and the price was right. The bonus was a hearty dinner and breakfast.
After our long drive the next day, we stopped in Bowling Green for treat at Chaney Farm, home of the best ice cream spot in Kentucky. I had banana pudding and Joe had Derby Pie.
Our next stop was Lost River Cave. In this western Kentucky land with a cave around every corner, this one’s claim to fame is a boat ride through the cave. Lost River Cave has morphed over the years from a Civil War hospital recovery site, to a Jesse James hiding place, to a speakeasy during prohibition, to a dumping ground, and finally to a tourist attraction. Ripley’s Believe It or Not declared it the “Shortest, deepest river in the world” because the blue hole is over 437 feet deep, while the river itself is only 400 feet long.
With over 420 miles of caves, and a dozen different tour options, Mammoth Cave NP lives up to its name. It is the longest cave system in the world by a long shot. The next longest caves are Sac Actun (234 miles) in Mexico and Jewel Cave (208 miles) in South Dakota. Mammoth Cave NP was designated a National Park in 1941, a World Heritage Site in 1981, an International Biosphere Reserve in 1990, and an International Dark Sky Park in 2021.
Ancient cultures and Native Americans have used used the cave over thousands of years. The first known European exploration was in 1797. By the mid 1800s the growing renown of Mammoth Cave made it a popular tourist attraction. A period of bitter competition between local cave owners for tourist money known as the “Kentucky Cave Wars” in the early 1900s along with continual exploration and expansion of the length of the cave system, led to a movement for the establishment of a national park.
We hiked through a short forest trail to the “historic entrance” to the cave system. it was interesting to compare this entrance to the small door we later used to enter our tour. We also saw our first river ferry in action.
We did the Frozen Niagara tour for its dramatic formations
Next time: We didn’t stay in the park campgrounds this time because they had limited sites with water and electricity. But the natural beauty of the forest will probably outweigh that inconvenience next time.