Carter Caves State Resort Park, Show cave and state park in Carter County, Kentucky, United States
The state park contains numerous limestone caves with underground passages, rock formations, and natural bridges spread across 2,000 acres of woodland terrain.
Kentucky established Carter Caves as a state resort park in 1946, transforming former private land into a public recreational destination for nature exploration.
Winter months bring the Crawlathon festival to Carter Caves, where participants explore multiple cave systems while learning about regional geology and nature.
Visitors access four different caves through guided tours, with Cascade Cave featuring an underground waterfall and X Cave displaying large chambers.
The park maintains specific temperature-controlled cave sections to protect colonies of Indiana bats during their winter hibernation period.
Location: Carter County
Inception: 1946
Website: https://parks.ky.gov/olive-hill/parks/resort/carter-caves-state-resort-park
GPS coordinates: 38.37400,-83.12210
Latest update: May 21, 2025 17:51
Kentucky combines natural areas and historical places. The state includes cave systems, Civil War battlefields, colonial structures, and rock formations. Mammoth Cave, the Civil War sites in Perryville and Mill Springs display the state's natural and cultural heritage.
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