Mammoth Caves

candid America tips

 

Why the
Mammoth Caves
are special

Mammoth Caves in the state of Kentucky is the world's longest mapped cave system and is blessed with fantastic limestone formations.

Mammoth Caves
tips & insights

Tours

You have a choice of tours, ranging from easy to expert.

Very easy
The easiest tour is well lit, has strategically placed handrails, and lasts a little over an hour.
Reasonably easy
The next tour is a little harder and longer, but you see Mammoth Dome, a massive cavernous room measuring 58 meters (192 feet) from floor to ceiling.
Difficult
The National Park Service offers experienced cavers a six-hour Wild Cave Tour. You don helmets, knee pads and other spelunking gear to explore unlit pathless areas. Sometimes you need to squeeze through tight passages and muddy crawlspaces.

Length

No one knows Mammoth Caves' true length. About 575 kilometers (360 miles) have been explored and mapped. Some professionals believe that there is an equal distance yet to be discovered.

In 1972 it increased significantly in length when it was discovered that it connected with another long cave system.

It is not homogenous

Different sections have different configurations, formations and coloring.

First inhabitants

Early Native-American artifacts dating back 4,000 years were found in the caves.

Clothing

Bring a light sweater even if its sweltering outside. Caves are chilly the year around.

When to come

The best time to visit is spring (after the snow melts) and fall. In summer, temperatures soar. So do crowds, to the point where tours can quickly sell out.

National Park

Mammoth Caves is part of Mammoth Cave National Park, which includes the scenic forested river valleys aboveground.

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