Mammoth Cave's passages formed 10-15 million years ago when rivers carved through rock beds, revealing a geological history dating back 320-360 million years.
Mammoth Cave hosts Earth's longest cave system, almost double the second longest. Explored passages cover 412 miles, with experts foreseeing an additional 200 miles.
In 1981, UNESCO recognized National Park as a World Heritage Center due to its diverse cave formations and 100 million-year cave-forming history.
The park boasts 52,830 acres of wilderness and unique flora and fauna, including 60 miles of backcountry hiking trails and 30 miles of rivers.
The Kentucky cave shrimp, an endangered crustacean found only in Mammoth Cave National Park, grows to just over one inch and lacks eyes.
Native Americans explored Mammoth Cave 5,000-4,000 years ago, mining minerals and creating prehistoric art with mussel shells and charcoal pigment.
Mammoth Cave holds 300-325 million-year-old limestone, sandstones, and shales. Fossils include sea creatures, ancient plants, and animal bones.
In 1924, Kentucky locals formed Mammoth Cave National Park Association to establish the park. It opened in 1941 after acquiring land and infrastructure.
The park hosts the largest of 4,900+ US National Park Service caves, with karst formations storing 40% of US groundwater in just 20% of the country.
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