You will have been in many caves, but none as deep as the one in Mammoth Cave, the longest known cave system in the world , located in west-central Kentucky, USA. For more than 200 years this mystery of nature has been studied, which takes us into the depths of the Earth through winding passageways, caves, water channels and which houses more than 12,000 years of life, and between 4,000 and 5,000 years of explorations from the Native Americans.
The thing is, it never has an end, or so the researchers at the non-profit organization say, Cave Research Foundation , whose latest discovery exceeds his own expectations. According to their new data, Mammoth Cave would now be 420 miles (680 kilometers) deep, much deeper than expected.
Every year the Cave Research Foundation team visits the Natural Park, declared World Heritage Site in 1981 and International Biosphere Reserve in 1990, to remap all your passages and locate potential new research locations. This process is not easy at all because they must go through the passageways in the dark, using compasses and specialized equipment to find new passageways in the cave.
See photos: The most spectacular caves in Spain
WHAT YOU CAN VISIT
Every year new routes are discovered and, although not all of them can be visited, they can be accessed at various levels, from a walk of about two hours along trails and rivers, to an hour's walk inside the caves. Currently, They have eight historical itineraries and many others that you can choose according to your needs . They also offer lodging for those who want to spend more time in the park.
Some of the best known are the grand avenue four hours long (it has a total of 1,313 stairs) that crosses the most striking geological curiosities of Mammoth Cave, such as tunnels, passageways, water cannons... This is ideal for those who want to enter the cave and spend half a day.
Frozen Niagara Tour It is another of the most famous routes. For an hour you can visit the cave, going up and down just 12 steps. It is ideal, therefore, for people with reduced mobility. There are also self-guided or flashlight expeditions at Great Onyx Cave, a grotto with geological formations. The possibilities are as endless as the cave!
Hills, valleys and the longest cave system in the world await the arrival of visitors, now that it is open throughout the year and that it has specific sanitary measures. All information here.
The historic entrance to Mammoth Cave National Park.
You may also like:
- These are the maps of the 8 road trips you should do in the United States
- America's Best National Parks
- Redwood Sky Walk: California's newest (and longest) walkway through redwoods