Carter Caves State Resort Park

Infobox park
park=Carter Caves State Resort Park


image size=
caption=
type=Kentucky state park
location=Carter County, Kentucky
coordinates=
size=1,600 acres
opened=1946
operator=Kentucky Department of Parks
annual visitors=
status=Open year-round

Carter Caves State Resort Park is located in Carter County, Kentucky, United States, along Tygarts Creek. It is formed by Carter Caves, and nearby Cascade Caves, which were added to the park in 1959. cite book |editor=Kleber, John E. |others=Associate editors: Thomas D. Clark, Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter |title="The Kentucky Encyclopedia" |year=1992 |publisher=The University Press of Kentucky |location=Lexington, Kentucky |isbn=0813117720 |chapter=Carter and Cascade Caves] On December 16, 1981, convert|146|acre|km2 of the park were designated as nature preserves. Bat Cave and Cascade Caverns State Nature Preserves were dedicated for the protection of the Indiana bat, mountain maple, and Canada yew, all endangered species.cite web |url=http://www.naturepreserves.ky.gov/stewardship/batcave.htm |title=Bat Cave SNP |publisher=Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission |date=2006-12-14 |accessdate=2007-02-07 ]

History

The park was in various private hands for almost 200 years until the last private family owners, the J.F. Lewis family and various other private investors, including local Rotary Clubs, donated the large tract of property to the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1946. cite book |last=Lewis |first=Jonathon F. |year=2004 |title=Carter Caves State Resort Park, A living History] The purchase of the caves and surrounding land was driven by Governor William Jason Fields, a native of Carter County.

Attractions

Carter Caves is a state resort park that features a lodge, cottages, 18 hole putt-putt course, 9 hole golf course, full-service campground, and immense natural beauty. It is well known for its splendor above and below ground.

Caves

There are several different Cave Tours offered.

Cascade Cave is the name for 3 different caves in the same area and is together the largest cave in the park. It features an underground lake room and an convert|30|ft|m|sing=on underground waterfall. X Cave, named for the crossing pattern of its passages, features some of the largest rock formations in the park. Saltpetre Cave was mined during the War of 1812 because saltpetre, or potassium nitrate, is a major component in gun powder. Historic activities are a major part of the Saltpetre Cave tour. Bat Cave is also toured in the summer months, between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and is considered a "wild" cave tour since the cave has not been improved for walking tours. The cave is unique in that it is a hibernaculum for the Indiana Bat in the winter months. cite book |last=Bailey |first=Bill |title=Kentucky State Parks |publisher=Glovebox Guidebooks of America |location=Saginaw, Michigan |year=1995 |isbn=1881139131 |chapter=Carter Caves State Resort Park] Laurel Cave is the most visited of the non-commercial caves in the park, but contains some of the most interesting passages. Laurel Cave is open to the public during regular business hours in the summer months only (Memorial Day - Labor Day). All that is required is a permit available at the Welcome Center/Gift Shop. The permit gives you legal access to Laurel Cave (Summer Months Only), Horn Hollow Caves and the connected Rimstone Cave.cite book |title="Encyclopedia of Kentucky" |publisher=Somerset Publishers |location=New York, New York |year=1987 |isbn=0403099811 |chapter=Dictionary of Places - Carter Caves and Natural Bridges]

Trails

Over thirty miles of hiking trails encounter seven natural bridges throughout the park. The Cascade Trail is a three-quarter mile trail passing through Box Canyon. The Three Bridges Trail winds three and a quarter miles and includes the park's largest natural bridge, the Smokey Bridge, which stands an impressive convert|90|ft|m high and convert|120|ft|m wide. This trail also passes by Fern Bridge and Raven Bridge as it meanders through the park. The half-mile Natural Bridge Trail passes beneath a third natural bridge, the only one in Kentucky that is paved and supports traffic. Longer trails include the convert|7.2|mi|km|sing=on Carter Caves Cross Country Trail (The 4Cs Trail) and the ten mile (16 km) Kiser Hollow multi-access trail, which parallels the 4Cs trail for a couple of miles before encircling the outer boundaries of the park's property.

mokey Valley Lake and Tygarts Creek

Smokey Valley Lake is a 45 acre lake within the park. Anglers will find populations of largemouth bass, bluegill, catfish, and crappie in the lake. The boat is accessible by ramp, but no gasoline motors are permitted.

References

ee also

*Bat Cave and Cascade Caverns State Nature Preserves

External links

* [http://www.crawlathon.org Carter Caves Crawl-a-thon]
* [http://www.americanbyways.com/index.php?catid=32 Carter Caves State Resort Park at American Byways]
* [http://www.parks.ky.gov/findparks/resortparks/cc/ Carter Caves State Resort Park at Kentucky Parks]