Mammoth Caves National Park

We’ve decided that for July 4th every year we’re going to do a National Park. What’s more in the spirit of America than seeing what the country has to offer?

I’d strongly suggest booking the tours in advance of arriving as they frequently sell out – we booked them about 3 weeks early. If I’m being completely honest, I figured there was no way this park was so popular that this was actually needed, but I was so relieved that the Manfriend planned ahead because there were a lot of disappointed people waiting in line when we arrived who clearly had the same expectations as I.

We decided to stay in their Historic Cottages – it was the cheapest option that also included air conditioning… a must in the south over July 4th weekend! They were just under $100/night and had everything we needed.

Things to know before you go

Where to eat

The Dive – a 12 minute drive from the exit of the park, The Dive is a bar with good beer (don’t expect Massachusetts’ quality craft beer down here) and a lot to look at. On Fridays they have live music as well, which would’ve been fun!

Bucky Bee’s BBQ – a 9 minute drive from the exit of the park, Bucky Bee’s had good pulled pork!

Spelunkers Cafe – where we got mediocre coffee every morning, and ice cream every afternoon. They had the typical cafeteria style food for lunch – chicken fingers, burgers, etc.

What to wear & best practices

  • The caves are a constant 54 degrees regardless of time of year or the weather outside. Wear warm clothing (we wore long pants, hiking boots for traction, and 2-3 layers and were comfortable the entire time.
  • Wear hiking boots – you’re not allowed to wear flip flops
  • You can bring a backpack, water, and cameras, but aren’t allowed to use flash photography or flashlights
  • If you’re at the head of the group tour, you’ll walk slowly, and at the end you’ll walk faster. There’s a Ranger at each end, but the Ranger at the front of the tour is responsible for telling the history and fun facts about what you’re seeing. If you’re like me and have a hard time hearing, I’d suggest walking at the front.
  • The Rangers will be very serious before you enter (they give a spiel saying they are legally not required to save you if you wander off and get lost) and when you’re in the caves. They’re friendly, somewhat sarcastic and witty, but want to make sure that people stay safe in areas that are sometimes slick and to protect the integrity of the caves.
  • After you exit the caves, the Rangers require you to walk through a soapy solution to help prevent the spread of White Nose Syndrome that willed 90% of their bat population over the past few decades.
  • Once a day, you can enter part of the caves for free for two hours.

A little history & fun facts

  • The caves were discovered in 1790, but the first people entered the caves 5,000 years ago
  • Once in the caves, you’re too deep into the earth to feel an earthquake – they travel a max of 80 feet deep
  • Areas of the cave with limestone used to be the ocean floor
  • Every 1-2 days new air cycles into the caves
  • The American Civilian Corps built the trails in the caves during the Recession
  • In the 1960s the caves served as a bomb shelter… even though you wouldn’t have survived an atomic bomb blast there
  • Writing your name on the walls used to be THE thing to do, but now it’s illegal. The oldest signature they’ve found is from 1798.
  • It’s legend that every stair on the Stairs of Time that you walk down backwards adds a year to your life
  • Decades ago, it was thought that the cave air would cure tuberculosis, so they started the first TB hospital by Dr. Joseph McDowd (huts still stand in the caves). It was only later that they discovered that sunlight helps to cure TB
  • During the War of 1812, people took dirt from the caves to make gun powder due to it’s high level os nitrates
  • 1.2 million people visit Mammoth Caves annually

A lot of people think cave humor is beneath them

– Ranger Dan

Exploring other parts of the park

The Green River was used for shipping and romantic honeymoons alike!

The Cave Tours

Grand Avenue Tour

Our first cave tour ($30/ticket) was Grand Avenue, a 4 mile walk that’s called difficult on the website (for those who exercise or have hiked before it’s not challenging; it’s mostly challenging for people who are older and have a hard time with stairs and steep inclines).

The “rooms” were so vast – to be honest, I had no idea how to truly capture it with my phone.

This tour is the only one with stalagmites and stalactites, which were incredible to see. You had to go down and then back up quite a few stairs to get close to them.

Violet City Lantern Tour

This 3 mile tour ($20/ticket) was particularly interesting as you carry lanterns which provide the only light on your walk, which was how the earliest explorers experienced the caves.

I was nervous at first that there would be animals lurking where we couldn’t see them, but the Rangers said that animals besides some minor bugs can’t survive in the caves due to the lack of light – their eyes won’t adjust to the pure darkness.

Extended historic

This tour was a shorter 2 mile hike for $18/ticket. It was really fascinating, and you got to see a larger variety of what the caves have to offer.

The entrance is 240 feet under ground (the entrance as we know it today was blown out using dynamite in 1931) and, if you were to drive the length of this cave, you could drive to Chicago with room to spare. It’s the longest in the world! This tour had a lot of stairs!

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