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Department of Tourism
Cub Run Cave Adds to South Central Kentucky Attractions
A new show cave has recently opened in Hart County in south central Kentucky, providing another attraction to a region that is rich in majestic underground caverns that draw thousands of visitors every year.
Cub Run Cave was discovered by two Hart County farm boys in 1950 and opened to the public in 1951. But the cave closed after only a year due to legal wrangling by landowners that kept the potential attraction sealed for the next 55 years.
Located on Ky. 88 about 15 miles west of the Munfordville exit from I-65, Cub Run Cave is now open for tours due to the efforts of Terry and Judy Schneble of Lebanon Junction, Ky. The Schnebles, who own a camp on nearby Nolin Lake, bought the 210-acre property at auction in 2004 and employed local Amish carpenters to construct an elevated wooden walkway that traverses the half-mile length of the pristine cave.
A stream flows through the cave, and a clear pool reveal eyeless crawfish, salamanders and minnows. A few bats also call the cave home.
More caverns and passageways are still being explored and mapped, and the Schnebles hope to expand the tour. They plan to open an exit passage at the tour’s current end, where visitors now double-back to the entrance.
Near the cave, the Schnebles have also opened a restaurant serving Amish dishes and a souvenir shop featuring local crafts. They employ Western Kentucky University students studying geology and related subjects as guides for the cave tours.
Cub Run Cave is open seven days a week. Admission is $14 for adults and $9 for children over 4. Special rates for seniors and groups are available. For more information visit www.cubruncave.com or call 270-524-1443.
Meanwhile, a spokesman at nearby Mammoth Cave National Park says Kentucky’s most famous underground attraction is experiencing strong attendance this summer, with about 4,000 admissions daily. Several tours of different lengths are offered.
Among the other cave attractions in the region are Lost River Cave, Historic Diamond Caverns, Kentucky Caverns at Kentucky Down Under animal park, American Cave Museum and Hidden River Cave, Crystal Onyx Cave and Campground, Outlaw Cave at Kentucky Action Park, and Onyx Cave at Guntown Mountain. Information about touring all these caves can be obtained at www.mammothcave.com/cavetour.
All the caves provide a naturally cool escape from the hot summer weather, as below-ground temperatures hover about 50 degrees year-round.
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