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GAOA Funds To Pay For Rehabilitation Of Mammoth Cave Trail

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By Compiled From N... - August 30th, 2022
The Cave Trail Rehabilitation Project will repair one mile of cave trail used for popular tours like Domes and Dripstones which highlights the geological formation of Mammoth Cave.

The Cave Trail Rehabilitation Project will repair one mile of cave trail used for popular tours like Domes and Dripstones, which highlights the geological formation of Mammoth Cave/NPS file

A mile-long section of underground trail at Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky will be rehabilitated thanks to a $6.5 million infusion of Great America Outdoors Act funds. The work is expected to begin in November and run into next summer.

The project will address deferred maintenance associated with these facilities, visitor safety, tour experience, and natural and cultural resource protection from the cave's New Entrance to the Frozen Niagara entrance. 

“The funding we’ve received through GAOA will allow us to fix deteriorated cave trails and greatly improve the visitor experience in this busy section of Mammoth Cave,” said Superintendent Barclay Trimble. “The current trail has not seen any major improvements since the 1930s, when the Civilian Conservation Corps constructed the path used today. Once this project is complete, we will have a safer and more comfortable tour route and provide even better protection to the cave’s sensitive resources for the next generation of cave visitors.” 

The Cave Trail Rehabilitation Project will harden the existing cave trail using concrete and paving stones and replace narrow stairways to improve both the visitor experience and emergency personnel access. New benches will be installed in the Fairy Ceiling gathering area and the Frozen Niagara section will see an improvement to the overlooks in the main Drapery Room and Crystal Lake. These improvements will greatly enhance the visibility of these features to the public once the project is complete. 

During construction the Grand Avenue, Domes and Dripstones, Frozen Niagara, Introduction to Caving, and Wild Cave Tours will be unavailable, but the park offers several other tours through Mammoth Cave that are unaffected by the project. Visit the park's Cave Tours webpage for more information on cave tour schedules and descriptions. 

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