Date we visited: May 14th, 2021
Where we stayed: Horse Cave KOA

Mammoth Cave National Park was technically the third National Park we visited that is known for its cave system. Previous caves and caverns included Carlsbad Caverns and Wind Cave. Although, we were not able to enter the cave at Wind Cave due to covid restrictions at the time.

We had to clear up a quick misunderstanding with Owen upon our arrival at Mammoth cave, as it seemed he was expecting to see a Woolly Mammoth. As it turns out, the park’s name is a nod to the size of the cave, and not the behemoth animal. This cave system boasts 400 miles of explored rooms and passages, and the Park Service estimates there could be another 600 miles here that have not yet been mapped.

A bat named Nugget

The cave at Mammoth was open and explorable when we were there, but the tours and ranger led activities were limited due to Covid. The only option available was the Self Guided Extended Historic Tour…so that’s what we did! The tour is roughly a two mile hike, although there are options to shorten it. It is categorized as an easy hike. There are some stairs, but nothing like the forty flight descent down into Carlsbad Caverns.

Mammoth has Rangers covertly stationed throughout the cave system to provide information or assistance as needed. Owen of course questioned the first one we encountered: “Are there bats down here?” The Ranger responded “There sure are!” and to our surprise continued “Like this one right here!” as she shined her light toward the ceiling to show us the “chicken nugget” sized bat resting there. From that moment on, Owen couldn’t stop talking about “Nugget”.

Mushrooms and Tuberculosis

We were surprised to learn about the storied history of Mammoth Cave. Before becoming a National Park, it was used for all sorts of commercial ventures. Two stories were particularly interesting.

First, there was a section of the cave that was briefly used to cultivate edible mushrooms, but the first crop was mysteriously sabotaged. The mushrooms never made it to harvest and the company that was growing them quickly went out of business. The case was never solved.

Second, in search of a cure for tuberculosis, a wealthy doctor tried bringing folks deep into the cave for extended periods of time. The idea being that the cave had some kind of unexplainable healing properties. You can still see the structures where the patients were housed. As you might imagine, this didn’t turn out particularly well. The ranger that shared this history with us was a descendent of a slave laborer who was forced to assist the doctor in this endeavor. It sounded like a rather gruesome ordeal all around.

While Mammoth cave may not have been as visually stunning as the otherworldly rock formations at Carlsbad Caverns, it’s sheer size and history made it a fascinating stop on our adventure. The historic tour winds through very large passageways, so it should be no problem for most people, even if you have a bit of claustrophobia. Once the park resumes normal operations there are many additional, narrower routes for those who are more adventurous. Kristy would probably sit those out, but Owen and I might be up for that challenge if we return!