Department of Parks
Carter Caves Launches Summer Tour Season

May 9, 2008                                                                 Contact: Coy Ainsley
IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                              606-286-4411
                                                                                        Coy.Ainsley@ky.gov

Carter Caves Launches Summer Tour Season

      Olive Hill, Kentucky. –Stay cool as the weather warms up by heading underground into one of Carter Cave State Resort Park’s cave tours.  Interact with trained guides at Cascade Cave, Saltpeter Cave, X-Cave and in the Bat Cave.  Walking distances and duration are varied as is degree of difficulty and schedules.
      Cascade Cave is one of the largest of over 200 caves in the county and is noted for its large chambers and numerous cave formations.  It also has a waterfall that is over 30 feet high. The trek is about three-fourths of a mile long and takes an hour and 15 minutes.
      Saltpeter Cave, about a half-mile walk, was used during the War of 1812 as a source of the major ingredient in gunpowder.  The tour takes about an hour and due to cool temperatures, a jacket is recommended.
      The X Cave is an example of two vertical joint passages that were carved out by ground water in a large layer of limestone bedding.  This tour allows views of beautiful cave formations including the largest at the park at 30 feet tall.  This tour takes about 45 minutes and includes some narrow twisting passages.
      The Bat Cave is billed as a wild cave tour and participants are required to have a dependable source of light.  The two hour trip takes about two hours and there is some prolonged stooping and bending and visitors should be prepared to get their feet wet.
      For Bat Cave and Saltpeter Cave there are crawling tours that involve hands and knee crawls through passages that wind through the caves.  These tours are somewhat strenuous and are two and a half hours in length.
      Schedules and fees for each cave tour vary, so call 606-286-4411 for more information.  All cave tickets are sold at the Welcome Center at the park.  Carter Caves State Resort Park is located near Olive Hill at 344 Caveland Drive.
 

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The Kentucky State Park System is composed of 53 state parks plus an interstate park shared with Virginia. The Department of Parks, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, operates 17 resort parks with lodges -- more than any other state. Each year, Kentucky parks draw 7 million visitors and contribute $317 million to the economy. For more information on Kentucky parks, visit our Web site at http://www.parks.ky.gov