April 2009: The weather forecast called for rain. Lots of it. And we drove through five hours of a steady downpour to get to our drenched destination! Not the ideal start for a spring break get-away, maybe, but when you’re headed underground anyway, weather becomes an irrelevant and incidental detail.
Each time we ventured underground at Mammoth Cave National Park, we knew exactly what to expect: Slightly damp and 54 degrees Fahrenheit. Above ground, we never knew. Our first afternoon we started hiking the River Bluff trail in a drizzle. By the time we gained view of the Green River though, the rain had slowed to occasional drips that added a pleasing glisten to the striking colors of the woods.
“Green” varied from almost white lichen to springy yellow-green moss to edgy shades tinged with black.
Stone and tree accentuated one another with contrasting grays and browns, and a spread of fall leaves framed insistent spring flowers.
We found ourselves adding one more trail, and then another, until we’d covered most of the terrain surrounding the Visitor Center area. Highlights included misted views of the meandering Green River and of a one time steamboat landing that had delivered visitors to Mammoth Cave in the early 1900′s.
We also found hints of the grandeur below: The icy blue green waters of the subterranean River Styx that spilled free of the cave into a nestled pool before flowing on to the Green River. And the Mammoth Dome Sink, one of many unremarkable looking bowl-shaped depressions that funnel surface water into the caves below.
We wondered who might be walking far below us on a cave trail; it was a strange sensation to know a labyrinth lay just below our feet.
Updated from April 17, 2009.
More on Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky here and under National Parks in right sidebar.
Mammoth Cave National Park Map and Visitor Information
Miles of trails both above and below ground.
Hiking, biking, kayak/canoe, horseback riding, hunting/fishing, camping…
“Yes” for pets (not in Cave; kennel available within park)
Park Fees: None for park entry. Cave tours range from $5 – $48.00 with discounts for youth and senior citizens.
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 7; Mammoth Cave, KY 42259
Phone: 270-758-2180
Directions: Travel south on I-65 from Louisville, KY. Take Mammoth Cave/Cave City exit 53 and follow the signs to Mammoth Cave NP.
View Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky in a larger map
Beautiful rivers, making everything so green.
Everything dynamic and very positively!
Have a nice day
Lovely shots, springtime but it still looks quite cold there. I love the lichen rocks.
Barren and bleak but very beautiful with the muted colors. Imagining people walking below must have been strange.
Breathtaking scenes with an aura of mystery !
The trees though barren yet have a beauty of their own.
Jean-Luc: It gave us such a lift to find “signs of spring” just 300 miles to the south!
Cate: Our winter temperatures sprawled into springtime months here. It was heartening to see green things growing again and made it feel even warmer than the mid-60 degree(Fahrenheit) temperatures we experienced in Kentucky.
Suzanne: There’s an added intensity to color in a stripped down woods. When the foliage fills in, it can bury the subtle hues and underlying textures. I think I prefer the Kentucky woods the way we saw them that day, rain and all!
Sadia: There really was a mystical quality to that afternoon hike. The trails were virtually deserted, and the water edged into a glacial green color that I hadn’t seen in a while.
What a beautiful journey! I love how you use the gorgeous pictures along with your text and audio. It makes me want to visit Mammoth Caves!
Your blog is terrific. This is a great article, and the photos are gorgeous. You know I’m a fan of our National Parks, and this one makes me drool. Kentucky has to go on the “soon” list.
Thanks Trisha! I’m glad we’ve connected through the Foster Dog Chronicles project. ~And “yes”, you should visit Mammoth!
Wendy: The National Parks are as good as a vacation guarantee for me. They truly showcase what is best in our country.
I would say that in this case the bad weather even helped you – the nature on the photos is extremely beautiful
Limassol Cyprus: Agreed! The subdued lighting and damp woods added something special to those photos.
Mammoth caves sounds a beautiful place to go.
It is, Graham! Thinking it’s about time for a repeat trip down there…