Martin Ridge Cave System

Martin Ridge Cave System is an extensive underground network of limestone caves in Kentucky with multiple interconnected passages, rock chambers, and underground streams running through it. The passages stretch for tens of kilometers and wind beneath the landscape below the surface.

The first cave in this system was discovered in the 1970s and marked the beginning of extensive exploration efforts. Scientists have been mapping the underground connections and studying what lies beneath ever since.

Researchers and explorers from Western Kentucky University and the James Cave Project contributed to mapping expeditions, establishing new connections within the network.

The system has multiple known entrances at different locations, and visitors should follow carefully planned routes. Thick clothing and sturdy shoes are needed since conditions inside are cold, wet, and the ground is uneven.

Inside lies a massive underground chamber that ranks among the largest natural cave spaces in the state. This room impresses visitors with its sheer size and the sense of open space beneath the earth.