In Kentucky the following day we visited Mammoth Cave National Park. Our ticket we purchased was for 12, so before that time we ate some lunch. Approaching the mouth of the cave we started to feel the cold chilly air inside of the cave.
We had to put on light jackets when we entered the cave, which was surprising, because above the cave the temperature was so high it was almost impossible to do anything but sit in the shade and eat ice cream. The self guided tour option, which was the one we had, had two “trails” that you could take. We took the longer one first.
If you were to describe the over 400 mile (explored) cave system, you could say it was a limestone labyrinth. The walls of the cave switched from smooth to rough and on the floor around the path lay big and small heaps of fallen rocks. Some information about Mammoth Cave…..
- Around four hundred thousand pounds of saltpeter were removed from the cave and made into gunpowder for the War effort.
- These caves used to be thought to heal consumption/tuberculosis.
- The Mammoth Cave cave system was formed by water seeping underground, which then dissolved and eroded.
After THE Mammoth Cave National Park We wanted to drive to Charleston and spend the rest of the day there, but we had a problem with our tire, and we had to stop in Lexington to fix it. Because of those change of plans, we only arrived In Charleston at midnight.
