6 Facts About Mammoth Cave National Park That Will Amaze You!
Mammoth Cave National Park, located in south central Kentucky is one of only 3 cave-based National Parks in America! While most know it as the largest cave system in the world, this amazing park has much more to it aside from its subterranean wonderland! Read on to learn 6 amazing facts about this incredible place!
The historic entrance to Mammoth Cave at Mammoth Cave National Park
There are over 600 miles still to be explored!
Mammoth Cave at Mammoth Cave National Park is big…like really, really, big. Currently, just over 400 miles of cave have been mapped, but it is estimated that over 600 miles of cave are still to be discovered! That would mean Mammoth Cave could stretch from New York City to Minneapolis, Minnesota! No cave on earth is even close to its size!
Broadway in Mammoth Cave at Mammoth Cave National Park
2. Cave mining operations played a crucial role in the War of 1812
During the War of 1812, the Jefferson Embargo Act of 1807 prohibited all foreign trade, resulting in a hurdle for the acquisition of gunpowder. It was at this time that the price of saltpeter, a major ingredient in gunpowder, rose, and mining efforts within the cave began to ramp up. By the middle of 1812, saltpeter mining was being performed at an industrial scale within the cave until approximately the 1830’s, when the saltpeter market fizzled out!
Saltpeter mining equipment still exists within Mammoth Cave at Mammoth Cave National Park
3. Mammoth Cave housed a Tuberculosis hospital
Between 1842-1843, John Croghan, then owner of the cave, started a Tuberculosis hospital within Mammoth Cave. The idea was that the vapors found within Mammoth Cave had medicinal properties capable of curing the Tuberculosis epidemic at that time. Unfortunately, the cave did not show any curative properties, and Dr. Croghan eventually died of Tuberculosis shortly after his ill-fated hospital experiment.
The scale of Mammoth Cave is hard to grasp, especially at Mammoth Dome
4. Mammoth Cave is full of wildlife
While many cave systems are home to bats, Mammoth Cave has many other residents that call it home thanks to a flowing waterway running through the cave. Aside from its 6 species of bats, Mammoth Cave is home to 2 species of Cave Crickets, the spotted-tail salamander, cave shrimp, cave crayfish, and two species of eyeless cave fish! In addition to these permanent residents, some larger mammals will occasionally “rent” space in the cave during the colder months due to its consistent 54 degree temperature.
The Methodist Church at Mammoth Cave National Park
5. The cave is only part of the Park
While most visitors come to explore the magnificent cave system, Mammoth Cave National Park has almost 70 miles of above-ground trails that provide excellent hiking opportunities to explore this incredible region. From forest hikes to trails leading to other caves within the area, there is much more to Mammoth Cave National Park aside from Mammoth Cave.
The River Spring Trail at Mammoth Cave National Park
6. Graffiti was once encouraged in Mammoth Cave
While all of our National Parks are unique in their own ways, they all share the same guiding principle: Leave No Trace. Well, during the height of tourism through Mammoth Cave in the 19th Century, cave guides would often allow tourists to “sign” their name using candle smoke! To accomplish this, visitors would hold a candle close to the cave ceiling creating a series of dots to form the letters of their name. Gothic Avenue within Mammoth Cave contains an incredible amount of signatures, but be sure not to leave your own candle smoke mark on the walls as your entry ticket is more than enough to prove you explored this incredible subterranean world!
The rock towers and candle smoke signatures along Gothic Avenue at Mammoth Cave National Park
