Mammoth Cave National Park
Preserving the world's longest known cave system.
Mammoth Cave National Park is a national park of the United States located in south-central Kentucky.
- location
- Primarily Edmonson County, Kentucky, with small areas in Hart and Barren counties
Lore & Background
The park was established after oft-contentious eminent domain proceedings whose consequences still affect the region.
Reader's Guide
Mammoth Cave National Park is significant for preserving the longest known cave system in the world, a resource of international biological and geologic importance. The park's mission includes protecting the cave system, the forested karst landscape, the Green and Nolin rivers, and extensive evidence of human history, while providing public enjoyment and recreation. Human activity in the cave traces back at least five thousand years, with Native American remains and artifacts recovered from the cave. The park offers a variety of cave tours, including electric-lit routes and paraffin lamp tours, and has been recognized as a World Heritage Site, Biosphere Reserve, and International Dark Sky Park.
Did You Know?
- The Echo River Tour, a boat ride along an underground river, was discontinued in the early 1990s.
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