The 'Frozen Niagara' In Mammoth Cave National Park Is A Spectacular Underground Wonder

As home to the longest-known cave system in the world, Mammoth Cave National Park is an especially apt name for this UNESCO World Heritage Site in south-central Kentucky. The natural wonder lies about 30 miles east of the underrated, family-friendly Kentucky getaway of Bowling Green and 70 miles south of the bourbon capital of the world, Bardstown. The cave is the centerpiece of the nearly 53,000-acre park, taking visitors into 412 miles of tunnels to witness walls covered in sparkling gypsum, forests of stalactites and stalagmites, underground rivers, and slot canyons. However, the highlight for most is the "Frozen Niagara," a huge mass of dripstone reaching 75 feet high and 45 feet wide that instantly reminds you of the real Niagara Falls on the U.S.-Canadian border.

The effect was created by millennia of water that dripped down and dissolved the limestone, then redeposited the calcium carbonate to create stalactites, stalagmites, and drapery rock formations like Frozen Niagara. The wonder was discovered in 1923, when the cave's early owners, who were already operating underground tours for tourists, pushed deeper into the system. Within a year, the Frozen Niagara Entrance was opened, and the route was later illuminated by electric lights. Today, the Frozen Niagara serves as the grand finale for several of the tours that explore the cave system and its other highlights, including the Great Onyx Cave, Gothic Avenue, the Ruins of Karnak, and Giant's Coffin. 

While there's a world of underground marvels at Mammoth Cave National Park, there's plenty to see aboveground, too. Indeed, the caves represent just one of many attractions of this International Biosphere Reserve. Other natural wonders — including ridgetops, river views, sinkholes, overlooks, springs, and wildflowers — are on display on the miles of hiking trails across the parkland. Horses and bicycles can also take over the leg work in several areas, including along a 9-mile portion of a converted railroad line. The rivers also aid exploration, with 36 miles of waterways for canoeing, kayaking, and boating on the Green and Nolin Rivers Blueway. There are 13 campsites that offer visitors an even more intimate and immersive communion with nature.

An overnight stay at Mammoth Cave National Park reveals another highlight: stargazing. Certified as an International Dark Sky Park, Mammoth displays outstanding night skies, thanks to its protection of the nocturnal environment, including dark-sky friendly light fixtures. Telescopes are not needed here, as the constellations, planets, and other celestial bodies shine forward in the skies above, especially when viewed from the grass fields and parking lots around the visitor center. Ranger-led walks, talks, and programs add education to the experience, especially during International Dark Sky Week each April. Mammoth Cave could even be one more location to include on your list of the best national parks in America for stargazing.