Mammoth Cave National Park, Show cave in Edmonson County, United States.
Mammoth Cave National Park is a limestone cave system in Kentucky with over 400 miles of mapped underground passages extending across multiple levels beneath forested hills. The chambers range from low crawlways to tall vaulted rooms with stalactites, stalagmites, and flowing rock formations created by thousands of years of water erosion.
Indigenous peoples used the cave for mineral extraction around 4000 years ago, leaving behind torches and tools in the front passages. European settlers rediscovered the system in 1797 and mined it for saltpeter during the War of 1812 to produce gunpowder.
The name Mammoth refers to the enormous size of the cave system and not to prehistoric animals, which never lived here. Visitors can see names and inscriptions left by early explorers on the walls during guided tours, some dating back to the 19th century.
Most tours last between one and three hours and require different levels of physical effort, from flat paths to steep stairs. Warm clothing is advisable year-round, as the temperature underground stays constant at around 54 degrees Fahrenheit.
Blind cave fish and colorless crayfish live in the underground rivers, having adapted to complete darkness over time. The stable temperature allows rare bat species to hibernate here, with some colonies numbering in the thousands.
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