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Carter Caves offers great underground places to beat the heat

July 24, 2008 @ 10:02 AM

Herald-Dispatch.com

OLIVE HILL, Ky. — 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.

Events

1940s Radio Hour
Thursday-Saturday, Dec. 4-6, and 11-13; matinee at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14. A "live" radio show with seven performances. Complimentary tickets offered to...

J. Chris Newberg
7:30 p.m. Thursday; 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4-7. A refreshing smart and edgy humor, delivered with a streetwise sense of philosophical...

First Friday and Second Look Saturday
5-9 p.m. every first Friday, 2-6 p.m. every first Saturday. Visit with Pendleton artists in their studios. Questions, call 606-920-9863.

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4-9 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday; noon-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5-7. Hosted by the Lesage and Southeast Huntington Lions Clubs. The juried show is filled with...

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school matinee begins at 9:30 a.m. and regular show at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5. Ashland Youth Ballet presents their annual presentation of The Nutcracker. Questions...

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2nd annual Holiday Candlelight Tour
2-7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. A tour (inside and out) of eight prominent Huntington homes beautifully decorated for the holidays. Questions, call 304-733-ARTS.

Marshall Artists Series: "Wizard of Oz"
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9. A spectacular celebration of the iconic 1939 MGM film, "The Wizard of Oz." Tickets, call 304-696-3326 or visit www.marshallartistsseries.org.

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"Cowboy" Bill Martin
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