Mammoth Cave National Park: 426 Miles of Memories
Fuzzy… Chicken… Nuggets…
This was how our park ranger chose to describe the bats that inhabit the cave systems in south-central Kentucky — a perfectly timed attempt to ease the fear of the unknown for anyone who hasn’t had the pleasure of being close enough to actually see these creatures.
I’ll be describing bats this way for the rest of my life. ~
Our first experience at a National Park as RV travelers landed us at Mammoth Cave National Park.
On day one, we tucked ourselves into the campsite and did our best to get our bearings — and taper the fear of the unknowns. We were working remotely, and the Wi-Fi was spotty at best. Between our cell phones (Verizon), a T-Mobile hotspot, and the Visitor Center (which had the best connection but limited hours), we managed to piece together enough signal to get by.
There was no electricity or water at our site inside the park — a new set of challenges we had planned for but never actually experienced. We filled the onboard water tank at the camp store, leveled the trailer, and hauled the generator out of the back of the truck to charge the single RV/marine battery during the approved hours — careful not to become those people during quiet time.
The 200 watts of solar on the roof (which came standard with the rig) provided just enough power to run all the DC lights and appliances in the trailer. Our arrival was loud and busy — the generator humming, the air conditioner cooling things off, the Blackstone grill sizzling as I tried to make dinner. Laptop open, responding to emails. The Wi-Fi signal held… but cell service? Nonexistent.
7:58… 7:59… 8:00 PM.
I made my way over to the generator and cut it off for the evening. Then I stopped in my tracks.
The hum of home life faded away, and suddenly I was hit with a wave of emotion and sensory overload. The wind rustling through the trees. The crackling of fires at neighboring campsites. The smell of charcoal and barbecue drifting through the air.
Looking around, I could see the faint glow of interior lights from our new neighbors — each one settling into their own home away from home.
We sat at the picnic table after dinner, and we could hear “P” breathing deeply, struggling to stay awake as she lay in the leaves. Even she had found a place here — a place to feel safe, content, and comfortable.
We were hundreds of miles from Pittsburgh, yet completely at home here in these woods.
Penelope at Mammoth Cave National Park~ This is P’s travel blanket. Karie made it by hand in High School.
More Than a Cave
Rolling hills, deep river valleys, and the world’s longest known cave system — Mammoth Cave National Park is home to thousands of years of human history and a rich diversity of plant and animal life, earning it the title of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Region.
🔗 nps.gov/maca
The next morning, we had a slow start with coffee and breakfast before making our way to the Visitor Center to schedule our Mammoth Cave Passage Tour. This is the largest and most accessible tour offered in the park — a great introduction to the stories and secrets hidden within the walls of this historic and geological marvel.
As hard as it was for me, we were instructed not to touch the walls. The guide assured us that the same limestone that forms these walls is the same as the rocks just outside the entrance. The oils on our hands can leave a lasting mark, creating what they lovingly refer to as “historic graffiti.” (More on that later during the Gothic Avenue Tour.)
With 426 miles of interconnected cave systems, Mammoth Cave holds the record as the longest cave system in the world. The Mammoth Passage was well-lit and easy to navigate, making it ideal for first-time visitors.
At one point during every tour, the guides take a moment to show what it would have been like to navigate these spaces hundreds of years ago — they turn off all the lights and illuminate the space with a single candle. It’s quiet and eerie, almost sacred. Each time the lights went out, everyone fell completely silent. I’m not sure if it was an involuntary reaction or a deep-seated sign of respect for the space — a place that has seen slave labor, worship services, healing rituals, and now, generations of family recreation and education.
The passage maintains a steady 54°F year-round.
To learn more about this tour or any of the others we were lucky enough to experience, click here: Mammoth Cave Tours
The Wandering Woods Tour: “Wondering Woods tour. Short bus ride, hike, and a little cave that is separate from Mammoth cave. Unlike the large dry rooms we saw in Mammoth cave yesterday, this cave is small and damp with rock formations. We saw cave crickets, a little bat, and a pack rats nest in this cave too.”-Karie
Gothic Avenue Tour: Gothic Avenue was named because of its unusual rock formations resembling Gothic architecture, and was the site of some of the earliest 19th century tourism. Early visitors left behind signatures, artifacts, and monuments in this area of the cave, which also features stalactites and stalagmites. This tour focuses on 1800s tourism and uses of Mammoth Cave, and is ideal for people with a high interest in history.
Portions of this tour are also seen on the Star Chamber, Historic and Violet City Lantern Tours.
Duration: 2 hours
Distance: 1.7 miles (2.7 km)
Total Stairs: 170
Difficulty: Moderate
Ages: Ages 6 and older. Individuals under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult age 18 years or older.
Restrooms: No
Tickets available for each tour time: 40
Reservations available at Recreation.gov.
These Cave Systems felt like a grand movie set. Historical graffiti in Mammoth Cave (As you’ll see in the photos above.) include a wide range of markings, from prehistoric Native American petroglyphs to centuries of visitor signatures, with notable examples including Civil War soldier names and unit designations, and "ceiling smoke writing" from early tourists. These markings provide valuable historical insights and are preserved by the cave's stable environment, although the park now prohibits all new graffiti.
We shared our experiences on our personal social media platforms as we made our way through all that this national park had to offer and the replies from friends and family began to roll in:
Family and friends slowly began to live vicariously through our adventures and we realized that, moving forward, we should document more of our time on the road. “Even if we never do anything like this again these experiences are our digital scrapbook.“
You will see the “Period Pastor” mentioned often in our travels and instead of trying to layout a decade worth of history, mission and non-profit work, catch up in your free time here.
The following day we moved our adventures above ground and spent some time in the sun and the trees. We walked around Sloan’s Pond and enjoyed the wildlife while learning what we could about the wetlands area of the park.
Joppa Baptist Church and Cemetery: A church in the woods with the door open and a cemetery to tell the story. Funny how we always gravitate toward hallowed ground. I would love to do some of the Ghost Tour options the next time we visit Mammoth Cave~Kurtis
Joppa Missionary Baptist Church established in 1862. People have been writing in the dust on the pews. This one says “praise God from whom all blessings flow”.~Karie
The Cedar Sink Trail is a 1-mile loop trail in Mammoth Cave National Park that features a large sinkhole where an underground river is sometimes visible. It is considered an easy to moderate hike with several stairs that lead down into the sinkhole, which can be slippery. The trail is well-maintained and scenic, offering a unique geological experience and opportunities to see wildflowers and wildlife.
We rounded out this trip by spending some time in the Visitor Center Museum — also the place where you can reserve tickets for any of the tours offered at the park.
BOOK THESE IN ADVANCE! They sell out daily.
The Visitor Center also happens to be the best place in the park for Wi-Fi. While we had some connectivity at the campground, this was the spot for making work calls when I needed to check in. Also — clean, flushing bathrooms. Take advantage when you can.
If you’re a collector of souvenirs from your travels, the gift shop is worth a visit. And if, like us, you enjoy collecting National Park Stamps for your National Park Passport or participating in the Junior Ranger Program, this is where you’ll find everything you need.
Our National Park book travels everywhere with us. It will likely get its own post someday, but to this day, it’s one of our most prized possessions. If the house were on fire, the order would be: pets and family first, the lockbox (important documents) second, and the National Park book third!
They sell the standard version in the gift shop, but we ordered one from Amazon (no longer available) that had more space and offered suggestions for activities — perfect for documenting our journey.
The Visitor Center is the best place to start or end any National Park adventure, so that’s where we’ll leave you today.
Education is the cornerstone of life experiences and the backbone of our society. We learn from our past, embrace the present, and look forward to the future and all the possibilities it may hold.
The future of our travel lifestyle was on the horizon — and we couldn’t have imagined a better place to start. Thanks Mammoth Cave…
-Kurtis
