PHOTOS OF
MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK
As in all national parks, the trails are well maintained
and easy to follow, with signs posted at all intersections guiding hikers
and equestrians to their destinations. The spur trails to the 12 backcountry
campsites are marked with signs from the main trails and are well separated.
Water can be a problem at some sites, so check with rangers or carry plenty
with you. Although this shot is very green for early spring, the vast majority
of the park has deciduous trees and no evergreens. Some 600+ families were
moved to make this national park, and many of the trails appear to be old
roadbeds as shown above.
The Bluffs Campsite is a magnificent location
and offers several possible camp sites , one of which is atop the bluff
and has outstanding views. Three other sites are available by following
the ridge line around the lower bluff line trail. A waterfall fell from
the upper bluff down to the lower bluff trail and we used it as our water
source after treating it with iodine. We bushwacked down the drainage (a
dry creek bed when we were there) to the valley floor where the Buffalo
Creek runs. We then followed the Buffalo down creek to the Green River,
encountering another intersecting stream not on the Trails Illustrated topo
map nor on the National Park map. We followed it 100 yards or so where it
emanated from a cave, and then we climbed the hillside above the cave and
continued on to the Green River. We were there the last week of March and
an Arctic cold front had drastically dropped temperatures all the way south
to Georgia. Our overnight temp reached 20 degrees, freezing our water bottles
and making for a rough cold night for us.
The Green River is a beautiful river
and subject to huge flow fluctuations during the spring season, occasionally
overflowing its already steep, deep banks. River beavers work the area,
burrowing into the banks to make their homes, and we saw tree trunk evidence
of their industriousness as we hiked along the creek and river banks. At-large
camping is allowed in the flood plain, although that could be dangerous
during flood season.