Cave City, Kentucky: The World Down Under
The 5000 years of history displayed in Cave City is phenomenal. The caves served many purposes through the years. Some say we owe the triumph of the revolutionary war to Mammoth Cave, carved under Cave City. Along with being every spelunker's dream, it is every camper's perfect retreat.
Cave City, Kentucky, is a small town located in the heart of Kentucky's Cave Country, which is known for its beautiful natural scenery, rich history, and abundance of outdoor activities. The town is home to several popular attractions, including:
- Mammoth Cave National Park - This national park is known for its underground limestone caves, some of the world's longest and most complex. Visitors can take guided tours of the caves and learn about the history and geology of the area.
- Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo - This zoo is home to a wide variety of exotic animals, including kangaroos, emus, and lorikeets. Visitors can take a guided zoo tour and learn about the animals and their habitats.
- Dinosaur World - This outdoor theme park features over 150 life-size dinosaur replicas, a fossil dig, a playground, and a gift shop. It's perfect for families with children who love dinosaurs.
- Diamond Caverns - This limestone cave features stunning formations, including stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstone. Visitors can take guided tours of the cave and learn about its history and geology.
- Guntown Mountain - This western-themed amusement park features live-action shows, a train ride, a petting zoo, and various other activities. It's perfect for families with children who love westerns and adventure.
- American Cave Museum - This museum is dedicated to the history and geology of the area's caves. Visitors can learn about the history of cave exploration and the geology of the caves through interactive exhibits.
- Wigwam Village - This unique hotel features teepee-shaped cabins that are perfect for a memorable and fun stay.
Cave City is the destination for outdoor enthusiasts, with many nearby hiking trails and fishing spots. It's also home to several wineries and distilleries, which offer tastings and tours. Visitors can also attend events and festivals throughout the year, including the Cave City Watermelon Festival and the Cave City Christmas Parade.
Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth Cave National Park is an iconic national park known for its underground limestone caves, some of the longest and most complex in the world. The park is home to the longest known cave system in the world, with over 400 miles explored and mapped. The park offers various activities for visitors, including cave tours, hiking, camping, and more.
One of the main attractions is cave tours, which allow visitors to explore the underground limestone caves. The park offers several different tours, ranging from easy, self-guided tours to more challenging, guided tours. Visitors can choose from a variety of tours, including the historical tour, the scenic tour, the wild tour, and more. The caves are always a coll 54 degrees, so take a jacket. Make sure to choose a tour your entire group will be comfortable accomplishing. Take a stroller.
In addition to cave tours, the park also offers a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, camping, and fishing. The park has over 70 miles of hiking trails, which offer visitors the opportunity to explore the beautiful natural scenery of the park. Camping is also available in the park, and visitors can choose from several different campgrounds, including the Mammoth Cave Campground, located near the cave entrance. Pack a fishing pole. Fishing is also available in the park, and visitors can catch various fish, including bass, catfish, and bluegill. You will be popular when you catch dinner.
Mammoth Cave National Park also has a rich history and cultural significance. Visitors can learn about the history of the cave and the people who have explored it through exhibits and ranger-led programs. The park is also home to several historic sites, including the Mammoth Cave Hotel, which was built in the 1810s and is one of the oldest hotels in the United States. Be sure to ask about the legends and ghost stories. Mammoth Cave National Park is a must-see destination for anyone visiting Kentucky's Cave Country.
Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo
Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo is a trip to Australia. You can explore the “Outback.”
Visitors stroll through an open field where kangaroos and emus galavant freely. Rangers will name and explain the animals’ habits and habitats.
In the Land of Lorries, you can enter a cage filled with Lorries. If you are a bird lover, this is an up-close encounter. Lorries are free to land on you at any time. There is an Animal Show where you will meet 3 to 4 exotic animals. You will learn about their backgrounds (where they come from, what they eat, etc..).
If you are feeling lucky, check out Gem Mining. Discover genuine gemstones as you sift a bag of sand in the water sluice. The zoo also includes a Woolshed Program. It is all about sheep! Meet the herding dogs while they show you how to herd sheep.
Guntown Mountain
Guntown Mountain is a unique and exciting theme park that offers visitors a chance to step back in time and experience life in the Wild West. The park features a variety of activities and attractions that are sure to entertain visitors of all ages, including live shows, a train ride, and a variety of shops and restaurants.
One of the main attractions of Guntown Mountain is the live shows, which take place throughout the day and feature a variety of acts, including gunfighters, can-can dancers, and more. Visitors can also take a train ride through the park, which offers a great way to see the many attractions and shows.
The park also features a variety of shops and restaurants, which offer visitors the chance to purchase souvenirs and gifts or to grab a bite to eat. Visitors can find everything from hand-crafted pottery and jewelry to cowboy hats and boots at the various shops throughout the park. The park is also home to several nostalgic sites, including the Guntown Mountain Jail and the Guntown Mountain Saloon.
Dinosaur World
Dinosaur World is an outdoor theme park with over 150 life-size dinosaur replicas, a fossil dig, a playground, and a gift shop. Think Jurassic Park. The park is perfect for families with children who love dinosaurs, and it's a great place to learn about prehistoric creatures in an interactive and fun way.
The park features a wide variety of dinosaur replicas, including the T-Rex, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, and many more. Visitors can walk through the park and see the dinosaurs up close, and there are informational signs throughout the park that provide information about each dinosaur and its habitat.
One of the main attractions of Dinosaur World is the fossil dig, a hands-on activity that allows visitors to dig for and keep their fossils. Kids love this! This activity is perfect for children and families, and it's a great way to learn about paleontology in a fun and interactive way.
In addition to the dinosaurs and the fossil dig, the park also features a playground and a gift shop. Great for those parents who need their children to burn off some energy, the gift shop is a great place to find dinosaur-themed souvenirs and gifts.
Diamond Caverns
Diamond Caverns is an attraction that allows visitors to explore one of the state's most spectacular limestone caves. The cave is known for its impressive formations, including stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstone, as well as the variety of minerals and crystals found within it. It is absolutely stunning.
The tour is guided by experienced and knowledgeable tour guides who will give visitors an in-depth understanding of the cave and its history. The cave also features a variety of colors, including shades of white, gray, yellow, and red, due to the type of minerals found in the cave. You will want your camera.
American Cave Museum
The American Cave Museum is an educational destination that offers visitors the opportunity to learn about the history and geology of the caves in the area. The museum is home to various exhibits, artifacts, and interactive displays that provide insight into the natural and cultural history of the caves and the people who have explored them.
The cave tour takes visitors through the underground river, which flows through the cave, and offers a unique and exciting way to explore the cave's natural beauty. Visitors will be able to see a variety of cave formations, such as stalactites and stalagmites, as well as learn about the geology and history of the cave.
Your children can gain brownie points with their teacher because the museum also features a variety of exhibits and artifacts that provide insight into the natural and cultural history of the caves. Visitors can learn about the different types of cave formations, the animals that live in the caves, and the people who have explored them. The museum also has a variety of interactive displays, such as touch tables and videos, that make learning about the caves fun and engaging for visitors of all ages.
Wigwam Village
The Wigwam Village was built in the 1930s and is one of only three remaining Wigwam Villages in the United States. The cabins are fully furnished and come with all the amenities you need for a comfortable stay, including air conditioning and heat.
Each cabin has its unique and original design and decorations that are made to look like a Teepee, with a door, windows, and a chimney to make it looks like an authentic teepee. The village is just a short drive from many of Kentucky's top attractions, including Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo, and Diamond Caverns.
Visitors can enjoy on-site activities and amenities, including a playground, game room, and swimming pool. The village also offers mini golf, horseshoes, and a basketball court. In addition, there are scheduled activities and events throughout the season, including arts and crafts, hayrides, and a campfire sing-along. Wigwam Village is an excellent destination for families looking for a unique and fun vacation.
What are you doing here?
When I was writing and remembering the trips I have taken to Mammoth Cave, I remembered a cave story in the Bible. I reread it to ensure that my memory was correct about the story, and then I read a new meaning. Have you ever done that? Reread something with a fresh perspective.
In 1 Kings 19, we find Elijah in a dire predicament. Queen Jezebel has declared that she insists the Gods strike her dead if she doesn't retrieve the head of Elijah. Yep, his head on a silver platter. That was her plan. When Elijah hears about this plan, he flees. I would too.
He leaves Isreal and makes a get-a-way to Beersheba, a small town in Judah. He was scared.
1 Kings 19
When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal. 2 So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow, I have not killed you just as you killed them.”
3 Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. 4 Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”
5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” 6 He looked around, and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again.
7 Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.”
8 So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai,[a] the mountain of God. 9 There he came to a cave, where he spent the night.
So while he hid out in the wilderness, God sent him an angel with food and water. God let him throw himself a pity party of one and supplied the refreshments. He also allowed him to get some rest.
40 days and 40 nights, he threw the same party. Finally, he reached Mount Sinai. He upgraded his sleeping quarters to a cave when he got there. But like all good pity parties, there has to be an ending.
9 But the Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”
11 “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
God was saying enough is enough. Elijah must have been hard of hearing because God had to say it again.
13. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 He replied again, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”
15 Then the Lord told him, “Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus.
I don't know about you, but here in the South, if your momma tells you something twice, you are in trouble. But if she has to tell you a third time, something drastic is getting ready to take place. I find it really interesting that Elijah heard God the second time. I think his momma might have had the third time rule too.
Pity parties happen. Elijah had a reason for his party. It was a validated occasion. God said when it was enough. God knows we are human, and we are carnal. He allows us to make mistakes, get mad, throw tantrums, and have a good pity party. But what He doesn't let us do is stay there. He only allows us to camp there for a short time. He wants to give us peace and purpose. Some of us better listen for His voice. Momma always said, Don't you make me come in there….
Psalm 61 1-4
O God, listen to my cry!
Hear my prayer!
2 From the ends of the earth,
I cry to you for help
when my heart is overwhelmed.
Lead me to the towering rock of safety,
3 for you are my safe refuge,
a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.
4 Let me live forever in your sanctuary,
safe beneath the shelter of your wings!
Lift up your eyes and perk up your ears. God is talking to you!
I have great memories of camping here with my family and my Dad who is no longer with us. Reading this brings all those memories back like it was yesterday. Wouldn't trade those outdoor experiences for anything. Get out and make memories while you can you'll never regret it.