The terrain of south-central Kentucky is riddled with caves and sinkholes, and is home to the longest cave system in the world--Mammoth Cave, which has more than 150 miles of accessible passages.
A cave is a natural opening or cavity within the earth, generally extending from the earth's surface to beyond the zone of light. Numerous caves are located in south-central Kentucky, which is characterized by karst topography. Karst is a very distinctive type of topography caused by groundwater dissolution of limestone bedrock. Solution of carbonate minerals in the limestone forms cavities in the bedrock. These may eventually collapse, yielding a surface topography with numerous depressions. Smaller depressions, a few tens to a few hundred feet in diameter are called sinkholes or sometimes simply sinks. Much larger depressions can be formed when a long segment of a cavern collapses.
Cave enthusiasts can find a variety of cave experiences in Kentucky's caves including wild cave tours, cave ecotours, and guided tours.
In Praise of Limestone (A Poem by W. H. Auden)
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