I've never experienced such complete blackness and quiet. When the lights came back on, I admired the early torch-bearers whose only source of light could disappear in an errant draft. Or better yet, stay above ground and hike, bike or ride a horse over some of the 73 miles of back country trails across 53,000 hardwood forested acres. Canoe or fish on 31 miles of the Green River and its tributary, the Nolin. Of three million annual visitors to the park, only 500,000 actually go through the cave, so if you don't, you'll be in good company.
Lots goes on above ground.
Recipient of the 1998 Governor's Government Award in the Arts for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the series begins in late April with Springfest, featuring Wildflower Weekend, birding hikes, the Karstlands Juried Art Exhibition, a folk music concert and hands-on art workshop. The third Saturday of each month, April through October, traditional regional melodies reign in the Karstland Music Series. People came as kids and want to come back and show their children and grandchildren. Katherine Tandy Brown is a staff writer for The Lane Report. All rights reserved.