This park was initially just a short diversion on my roadtrip to the south from the midwest. I had heard of this park, and knew it was famous for featuring one of the longest caverns in the world. But from the outside, it was an unassuming park. Verdant forests and miles of wilderness belie the grandiose caverns hidden underneath. And being a short trip from two major population centers, this park garners plenty of crowds. Visiting the caverns thus requires a bit of advance preparation identifying the right tours to get tickets for.
But due to my impulsive travel planning, I only had a short time there, and in that time I got to explore a mere trifling of the park. Despite taking my camera, it couldn't do justice to the sheer diversity of caves with distinctive speleothemic formations, let along the enormity of the caverns inside that can hold a Boeing 737 jet inside. Instead, I just focused on immersing myself in the cavern life. This was one of the parks that really made me warm up to the idea of visiting and exploring more caverns.
This photo showcases the historic entrance to Mammoth Caves, which, until the elevators were installed in 1957, served as the main way to explore the caverns.
Mammoth Caves National Park
KY USA
Into the Maw
The main entrance of Mammoth Caves National park is quite unassuming, and quite beautiful. I remember walking through verdant greenery, replete with melodious chirps of passerines and the soothing sound of gurgling waters. Time slowed down here, and despite the heat, the mellow atmosphere and the lush vegetation went a long way in cooling me down.
But beneath all this unassuming forest in central Kentucky lies hidden the largest cave system in this country, and I was making my way to the maw of Mother Earth, ready to descend down into her heart through sinuous caves, gargantuan caverns and some incredible geology. As I approached the entrance, all I observed was this hole in the earth, with a dark and damp staircase snaking its way down.
A sudden draft of cold air from the inside was a soothing relief to my overheating body, but it gave me a moment to pause and take in this surroundings, both with my eyes, and with my camera.
Mammoth Caves National Park
KY USA
PS: If you like this image, do support my work by purchasing a 2017 calendar (that features this image) at https://goo.gl/LGJYRk . All proceeds will go to NRDC and WildAid, two non-profits whose causes I am very passionate about.