Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
July 14, 2007
TROG - Troglodyte - a cave-dweller of the paleolithic period
"Put on your hard hat and headlamp as you travel off-trail, children will get a first hand experience of discovering a new world as they hike, crawl and belly slide through rarely visited sections of Mammoth Cave."
The age range requirement for the TROG tour at Mammoth Cave is 8-12, and we have been saying for years that we need to get all the grandkids to experience this adventure, as our kids did when they were that age. But the window of opportunity was closing fast, as our oldest granddaughter is turning 13 next week (ugh). So this weekend we were off for a whirlwind trip to Kentucky to initiate more family members into this underground world.
Our kids, Melissa and Carrie, went on this fun tour when they were kids, and grandson Kyle did it about 3 years ago, but this was a first for Sarah and Madison. They all had a great time, and are now pumped up to try the ultimate cave adventure offered here, the Wild Cave Tour - a 6 hour, 5-1/2 mile trip.
In addition to many cave tours offered, there are lots of things to do in this National Park of 52,800 acres. The campground is great, and we have camped there often over the last 34 years (the first time on our honeymoon). The lay of the land is mostly flat, great for bike-riding, and there are lots of hiking trails above ground.
Mammoth Cave is the world's longest cave system, with more than 365 miles explored. Early guide Stephen Bishop called the cave a "grand, gloomy and peculiar place," but its vast chambers and complex labyrinths have earned its name: Mammoth.
More pictures here of our 36 hour whirlwind trip to Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky.
