Lost River Cave is a seven-mile cave located in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Lost River originates outside the cave before flowing into the cave. The cave is one of the biggest natural entrances to the Eastern U.S. Boat tours are available all year round, but they are not open on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. The river was previously described in Ripley’s Believe it or Not as the “Shortest, deepest river in the world” because this blue cave is 437 feet deep. However, the river itself is only 400 feet in length. This blue hole is 16 feet deep and connected to an underground river. The cave is owned jointly by Western Kentucky University and the non-profit Friends of Lost River Cave.
First Inhabitants
Archaeologists from Western Kentucky University have uncovered significant evidence of human presence that dates back to the Paleo-Indians towards the end of the last glacial period 10000 years ago. The cave and the valley provided the people of the area with shelter and plenty of water and food. A thousand years ago, it was a time when the Kentucky weather was sluggish and more humid. The landscape was a lush forest. It was the Paleo-Indian Cultural Tradition, also called “big game hunters,” who wandered through the woods in search of food supply and shelter. The people of the time used Clovis spears for hunting down animals like the giant ground sloth, woolly mammoth, and mastodon. The people were nomadic and moved between various campsites during the season. An Anthropologist, Jack Schock of Western Kentucky University, believes that the prehistoric Kentucky tribes would camp in the Lost River Cave in the winter and enjoyed shelter in the cave and pure waters in the Blue Hole. From around 8000 B.C., during the Archaic period of North America, the inhabitants began to exploit their environment efficiently. In 8,000 B.C., Dr. Schock discovered one of the few Dalton points in the southeastern part of Kentucky near the Lost River. This spear point, believed to be around 8,000 years old, is an uncommon discovery, making Lost River an important archaeological location for studying the Archaic period. The indigenous groups lived in the Cave area until about 1000 B.C. A1 Pest Control Bowling Green
Activities
The tour, which is two parts, is 45 minutes in length. The first portion is a walking tour guided by the river, the blue hole, and the cave’s entrance. It is a chance to learn about the region’s human and natural history. The second portion of the tour takes place on a boat, which allows guests to explore the cave’s interior. Lost River Cave contains two event venues. Its Historic Lost River Cave Ballroom is situated in the cave on an area once home to the Cavern Nite Club. The River Birch Meeting Room is next to the visitor center and includes bathrooms, a kitchen, and a big-screen television. Both spaces can be rented for events. The park comprises around two miles of natural trails open to the public for free. They are part of the Bowling Green and Warren County Greenways program. Other events include seasonal butterfly habitat Geocaching, gem mining, and bird watching. There is also bird bingo. Binoculars are available in the visitor’s center. In addition, the park has an Early Interpreters program, an outdoor classroom, and activities for children.
Address: 2818 Nashville Rd, Bowling Green, KY
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