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Mammoth Cave National Park Proposing to Rehabilitate Underground Trails

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Published Date

April 24, 2009

Mammoth Cave National Park officials want to rehabilitate many of the park's underground trails, including the Historic Tour route. NPS photo of historic entrance.

There are some underground trails in Mammoth Cave National Park that are supposed to be rough and rugged. The routes followed for the popular "wild cave" tours, for instance.

But most of the other trails should be relatively easy on visitors, and park officials say it's time to do some rehab work. But before they get to work smoothing here and there and widening over there, they want your thoughts on what needs to be done.

“The proposed project would rehabilitate and reconstruct deteriorating public cave tour trails,” says Mammoth Cave Superintendent Patrick Reed. “Many of the trails we use today were developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. We are gathering information now that will be used in planning and preparing an Environmental Assessment.”

The proposed project would include reconstruction of the trail surface, installation or replacement of steps, upgrade of safety rails, installation of lint guards along the edges of the trails, and where necessary, installation of lights to provide a safer walking area. The work is intended to meet the park’s continued commitment to public safety and address damage to the cave’s delicate natural and cultural resources.

For more information on the proposed rehabilitation work, see the attached document or surf over to this site. The "scoping" period for your thoughts runs through May 26.

Those who wish to view the newsletter and comment on the project may do so by visiting the Internet site listed above. Written comments may also be submitted to: Mammoth Cave National Park, Attn: Superintendent, P.O. Box 7, Mammoth Cave, KY 42259. Ideas and concerns expressed by those who comment will be used to prepare the environmental assessment.

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Image icon MACA-Trail Rehabilitation Scoping.pdf

Comments

Submitted by admin on April 24, 2009 - 2:39pm.

I like the idea rehabilitations process, solar- power lights, track light on paths for in the cave , risk areas , source of power for these lights ,would be a panel , question , possible problem is wiring ., Can solar power transmitt over radio waves,? , so not to disturb national park, if so as little as possible., thats been question of that i know is possible ... sounds awesome,


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