Mammoth Cave National Park

Two days after Sebree I was at Mammoth Cave National Park, home of the world's longest cave system. I arrived in the evening and found the campground. I paid $17.00 for a site (no hiker/biker rates at this campground) and set up my tent. The ground was hard and I borrowed a hammer from my camp neighbors, Eric and Kay, who were from Pennsylvania. While returning the hammer, Eric asked me if I wanted some Chili. I said yes. And that began my two night friendship with Eric and Kay. That night we talked about cave tours. Eric and Kay had already been on a couple tours and I was planning on going on a tour in the morning. You see, the only way for the public to see the cave is to go on a tour.

The historic entrance to Mammoth Cave. This entrance is only a couple hundred yards behind the visitor center.

Standing here you can feel the cool air blowing out of the cave. The air in the cave is a steady 54 degrees, which feels really good on a hot summer day.


These wooden pipes are a couple hundred years old. They go back to the 1800's, when saltpeter (potassium nitrate) was being extracted from the cave in order to make gunpowder for the War Of 1812. These pipes were made out of hollowed out Tuliptrees (Liriodendron tulipifera), which have long, straight trunks.


The bottomless pit. That's what the old tour guides called it. Touring the cave by torchlight, this pit might have looked like it had no bottom. One clever--and famous--tour guide, Stephen Bishop, knew how to throw a rock so it would land in the pit without making a sound.


Huge, wide passageways. Some like this go on for miles.











After going on two tours, and spending 7 hours underground, I headed back to camp. Eric and Kay were still there. They let me pitch my tent on their site. And we spent the evening talking and enjoying out last night in the park. In the morning, Eric and Kay were headed back to Pennsylvania, and I was headed east.

Thanks Eric and Kay, the food and company was most appreciated!