We explored the world's longest cave, Mammoth Cave, which has 400 miles of explored passageways and an estimated 600 more.
The rocks formed 320-360 million years ago, and rivers and streams carved the cave a mere 10-12 million years ago.
The cave is dry, with few stalactites and stalagmites. We enjoyed the 2-mile Historic Tour, where we learned that most of the passageways were discovered by a slave named Stephen Bishop, who would take locals on tours for tips and who was eventually freed.
He would explore the cave with a lantern that could easily blow out, and he crossed the "Bottomless Pit" on what was likely a wobbly, wooden ladder. I cannot imagine being so brave.
We were able to visit Mammoth Cave with my parents. We made it through Fat Man's Misery and Tall Man's Misery, where 5 out of 6 of us did not even have to duck.
Pro Tip:
Go online several days before your trip to reserve a cave tour. Trips especially sell out in the summer and early fall. There are a variety of tours, based on how far you want to walk and what you'd like to do. When we go back, we'd love to do one of the lantern tours.
Here's the description of the Historic Tour: "Going through tunnels that humans have used for thousands of years, this tour not only explores huge rooms that gave Mammoth Cave its name, but also descends to much tighter places deep inside the cave. Please note that this tour ascends and descends hundreds of stairs and several steep inclines, which can be difficult for many visitors, as there are no alternative routes. This tour is ideal for people with an interest in history and a sense of adventure. "
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