Mammoth Cave

Do you have a "Bucket List"? If so, put this on it:

Visit Mammoth Cave in Central Kentucky.

With 392 miles of interconnected passages, this cave is the largest in the world. And even more interesting than that? More passages are STILL being discovered. The history that has come out of this cave is remarkable, dating back more than 4,000 years. The stories of Mammoth Cave are many. There is evidence of American Indians spending time in the cave collecting Gypsum, the discoloration of the rock above a sign of their torches being carried with them. The discovery of calcium nitrate, used in making gunpowder, in the 1800's which caused a gold-rush effect, due to the war. The story of a doctor who spent a winter with his Tuberculosis patients inside the cave, in hopes of curing them. The documentation of church services being held in the caverns, as a way to escape the heat of summer. The many names, written in smoke, covering the rocks as a sign of early visitors from the 1900's.



Mammoth Cave became a National Park in 1941. 500,000 people visit this park annually, and we wanted to see what all the fuss was about. There's something for everyone at Mammoth Cave, from self-guided tours that take less than 30 minutes, to guided, carry-a-lantern, belly-crawl-through-the-mud six hour tours. We chose an intermediate tour, with an historic aspect, wanting to learn a little bit about this place as we toured for the next two hours and two miles beneath the earth's surface.

We were dressed in jeans, and carried sweatshirts, in anticipation of the cool 55 degree temperatures inside the cave. There was a little time before our tour started, and I couldn't resist taking a few photos.







Soon, our guide came out to greet us, and to lay down a few ground rules and cautions, and then we were on our way.





Even from the top of the cave, you could feel the coolness that was waiting below.



Once officially inside the cave, the coldness and darkness quickly consumed us. Our path was lit only by the occasional lamp, and Greyson was more than a little hesitant.



The passages started out quite wide, and we could all walk together, stopping when needed to listen to our guide point out an interesting fact or to snap a quick photograph.





Despite the railings and trails, there was still the need to pay attention to where we were stepping and what was coming ahead of us. As we got more and more comfortable with our surroundings, the kids really started enjoying themselves.







The deeper inside the cave we ventured, the more treacherous the terrain became. The kids loved it. We really felt like explorers, not just tourists passing through.





Even I had to cringe a little as I walked over this bridge that covered nothing but darkness below.





And then we came to a spot with a funny but appropriate name: Fat Man's Misery. With little more than a spot to put one foot in front of the other, it truly would have been very difficult to navigate if you were on the heavier side. Jason and I had to duck and bend and squeeze through various spots. It was, however, just right for our little ones.











In the deepest, darkest part of the cave, our group gathered on benches. Our tour guide gave us some warning, and then let us experience the cave in TOTAL darkness. It wasn't dark like nighttime, it was DARK. The kids, of course, thought it was really cool and Grey stated, "Me like this cave."





Our next challenge was to climb 155 stairs to the top of Mammoth Dome. This was a winding staircase, with steps you could see through, all the way down to the bottom of the cave. The kids were not deterred, and Emerson counted every step to the top!



Our tour was nearing the end, but the kids showed no signs of slowing. Well, almost no signs. Emerson commented that she needed a rest, and Alayna was getting QUITE comfy on Daddy's shoulder.





We took a few more glances around, and found a nice tourmate to take our group photo, and we said goodbye to Mammoth Cave.





The two hour, two mile tour had ended, but the time had flown by. ALL of us had a fabulous time.



How do I know the trip was a success? Before we even got back to the car we had three kids asking WHEN we could come back again. Also? Within THREE minutes? THIS: