Mammoth Cave National Park ConnectionsI re-visited this National Park yesterday and I thought I would update the rather limited list of connections thus far. I also
rewrote my original review from a 2009 visit.
Flickr AlbumDark-sky Preserve -
Mammoth Cave National ParkNotable examples of multiple speciation in one site - "The geological setting has contributed to the species richness of the area with the cave system being old enough to have stable communities of fauna from three karst regions within an area large enough for speciation to have occurred. Nowhere else do the blind fish Amblyopsis spelaea and 'l'yphlichthus subterraneus and their spring-cave dwelling relative Chologaster agassizi co-exist." - AB Evaluation
Fatal Accidents or 'disasters' -
"Tragedy at Sand Cave" Historical Graffiti -
"Hidden Names, Hidden Stories" Winter 2021Mines which can be visited underground - "Thousands of years of occupation by bats who deposited guano in the soil of Mammoth Cave and other area caves made the cave dirt rich with a compound called calcium nitrate. Calcium nitrate is a mineral that can be mixed with other high potassium materials to create potassium nitrate, or saltpetre, as it is more commonly known. Saltpetre is an principal ingredient in black gunpowder."
NPS - Saltpetre Mining in Mammoth CaveRecently discovered - "The integrity of Mammoth Cave has been strengthened as a result of five significant measures that have been taken since Mammoth Cave National Park was inscribed in 1981: (including) the discovery and mapping of 140 additional miles (225 km) of cave passageways over the past 31 years." - UNESCO Description
Cemeteries - "There are over 80 known cemeteries within the boundaries of Mammoth Cave National Park. Some are snugged tightly against historic churches, some are along the roadways, while others are scattered within the forest. No matter their location or current state of upkeep, they all have one unifying trait. Each is the final resting place of those who once lived within the park and their presence still matters to not only family descendants but to researchers as well." -
NPS CemeteriesSandstone Formations - "One of the sandstones at Mammoth Cave, named the Big Clifty Sandstone, formed about 320 million years ago, when sand was deposited over top of Mammoth Cave's shale and limestone beds by a large river delta. This sandstone is usually the top layer of the park's many ridges, like Flint Ridge, Mammoth Cave Ridge, and Joppa Ridge because it is resistant to erosion." -
NPS "Rocks of Mammoth Cave"Underground River -
River Styx TourDebatable Connection?Free entrance - Entry to Mammoth Cave National Park and its surface features is free of charge. There is, however, a charge to tour the cave, stay in campgrounds, or reserve picnic shelters. - NPS
*Note: Part of the criteria is based on surface-level features outside the cave itself "Outside the cave, the karst topography is superb, with fascinating landscapes and all of the classic features of a karst drainage system: vast recharge area, complex network of underground conduits, sinkholes, cracks, fissures, and underground rivers and springs." Part of Criterion (viii) for inscription on the world heritage list.