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Mammoth Cave National Park
Discovery Tour
 
The Rotunda

Photo by J. Wheet

View of the Rotunda - one of Mammoth Cave's largest rooms.

Duration:  30 minute minimum
Walking Distance: ½ mile, round trip in cave
Restrooms Available? No
Emphasis on: Large trunk passages; cultural history and environmental issues; current research
Landmarks Seen: Natural Entrance, Narrows, Rotunda, Saltpeter artifacts, Audubon Avenue, American Indian artifacts, Rafinesque Hall
Elevation Change: 140 feet
Number of Stairs: 120
Steep Hill Climbs? One, to and from cave entrance
Restrictions: General restrictions apply

Visit the Rotunda, one of the largest rooms, explore a vast canyon passageway, and learn about 19th-century saltpeter mining operations and the geologic origins of Mammoth Cave on this self-guiding tour.

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Did You Know? Native Americans mined minerals in Mammoth Cave for 2,000 years.

Did You Know?
Native Americans of the Early Woodland period gathered minerals from Mammoth Cave between 2,000 and 4,000 years ago ... no one knows why. Objects they left behind – slippers, cane torches, gourds, and mussel shells – remain perfectly preserved in the cave.
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Last Updated: March 12, 2009 at 02:21 MST