How to Take a Tour of the Bat Caves at Carter Caves State Resort Park
Carter Cave State Resort Park has been one of my best experiences of 2020. Even just driving in, the park is so wonderful with a little creek running next to road with places to park and have a picnic or take a hike.
But your first stop needs to be at the Welcome Center.
The Welcome Center has maps for the park and trails, you can also schedule daily tours for the caves, get permits for caves or back county camping, and it has a bit of a store for those last minute items that you forgot at home.
Make sure to get here early to buy tickets as the tours are limited each day and you need to schedule each tour around another.
Natural Bridge Hike
Plus to the right of the Welcome Center, you have a short trail that you can take to go to the Nature Bridge.
The hike is less then a half mile and an easy little hike which follows a little creek.
The opening is covered in trees and you can’t even tell it is a natural bridge until you walk through or drive over it.
But as you walk through it and look up at the ceiling, you can see how the rock has been melted away with water over the years, i.e. tens of thousands of years!
The Natural Bridge is just one of several “Scenic Arch’s” littered through out the park.
Saltpeter Cave
The Saltpeter Cave is right across the way from the visitor center. It is about a half mile tour but it was not open then I was at the park. It is also the start of a 3 bridge trail which is a 3.5 mile loop which includes Fern Bridge, Raven Bridge, and Smokey Bridge.
Brief History
During the War of 1812, Kentuckians created a volunteer military of over 25,000 members which was a total of five out of six military age men in the state. The Kentuckian would fight against the British and their Native Americans forces. But one of their most important accomplishment was supplying forces.
One of the supplies that Kentucky brought to the war was Saltpeter which mixed with sulfur and charcoal create gunpower. The Saltpeter Cave was mined for the Saltpeter. During the tour, some of the remains of the mining efforts can be seen.
The caves were also used for counterfeiters and other criminal operations through the years. In resent years, artifacts and Native American graves have been found in the cavern as well.
X Cave
The X Cave is right next to the visitor center and the tour takes about 45 minutes with a 1/4 mile walk with 75 steps. The tour is great and I would do it again if I am in the area. The path is a bit narrow but overall it is not bad. But bring a sweater because the cave can be a bit cold.
As all caves are colder inside then outside which great in the summer to cold off and great in the winter to warm up. The big issue is that they can also be a bit wet some times.
Cascade Cave
To get to the Cascade Cave Tour, you have to leave the Welcome Center and go to the left and leave the main park but get tickets first at the Welcome Center. They will give you a directions to the parking area.
The tour begins behind a door with the Grand Ball Room that was once rented out to wealth people by the family that owned Cascade Cave before they donated to the state of Kentucky.
As an opening for the tour, I got to see bats hanging around and a few flying around the area. Plus cave diamonds, a large stream that runs through, and just so much more.
But the best part of the tour is just through this door. The door goes to an underground waterfall. The waterfall is over 30 feet tall and the last of the stairs on the tour but worth it. The tour itself is about 75 minutes long with a total of 225 stairs. It is a workout. Your legs will feel it the next day.
Box Canyon Trail Loop
The Box Canyon Trail is under a mile and takes you to the Cascade Natural Bridge, Box Canyon, and the Wind Tunnel. It is just behind the Cascade Cave.
The Cascade Natural Bridge is a site to be seen. A great place to have a bit of a snack.
I love the colors in the layered rocks. You can see layer by layer as they where put down through time. Each layer being a different story. I wish I had gone into geology. (Any geology professionals out there that might want to give me a few lessons. I would love to learn more!)
Smoky Valley Lake
To get to the lake, you have to go down all these steps. Or they do have a boat launch area but the road down is one lane and not that wide. But I believe that it is a drop your boat, then park and walk down the stairs.
But the Smoky Valley Lake is worth a good view and a nice trail around it. The park also offers a guided canoe tour seasonally.
Smoky Bridge
Next to the lake is Smoky Bridge which is the largest natural bridge in the park at 50 feet tall and 42 feet wide.
I was around when the little stream was dry but this little waterfall was coming out from the rocks. I love it!
The Smoky bridge is wonderful to walk under and if you get to the top you can see the lake below through the trees.
As you look up, you can see the layers and those that have slowly come down.
Looking out from the Smoky Bridge is a small cave and trail.
The cave looks like it does not go back to much and it is not more then three feet high. It is open for those that would like to see it.
Other Items at the Park
The park has so much to do! I only had a day but this is one of the places that I want to go back to with someone. I want to play mini golf and Horn Hollow Cave which is self-guided but you have to have a partner, closed toe shoes, a working flashlight, and a permit from the Welcome Center.
Laurel Cave is another cave that can be toured but not during hibernate season of the endangered Indiana Bats. It opens around May each year. Both the Laurel Cave and the Horn Hollow Cave are weather dependent, i.e. they are closed during bad weather.
Canoe trips, a swimming pool, guided horseback riding, and all kinds of nature programs. The park also host special events including Pioneer Life Week and the Fraley Mountain Music Festival.
The park has lots of options for staying at it including back country camping at Johnson Homeplace and Eagles Nest, RV sites, camping sites, bunkhouses, equestrian campsites, a stone lodge, and cottages. For those that don’t want to cook, they have Tierney’s Cavern restaurant.
If you plan to go, think about this being a longer then a weekend vacation destination. I only stayed a day due to scheduling issues but I want to go back and really enjoy all this park has to offer. But bring a sweater and/or a water proof jacket for the caving even in the summer months!