2/23/22 I stopped by Diamond Caverns, a small privately owned cave, on my way out of Mammoth NP. It was well worth the stop!
1 Looking down as we get ready to descend into the cave. Unlike Mammoth, Diamond Caverns is all about the formations. And it has some gorgeous ones.
2 A look up at the original entrance used long ago before the more tourist friendly staircase was installed.
3 An impressive column where a stalactite and stalagmite have joined.
4 The black coloring on the rock is actually soot that filtered down into the cave from when the visitor center was burned to the ground by a rival cave owner during the "Kentucky Cave Wars".
5 Some amazing drapery and cave "bacon".
6 Some impressive flowstone.
7 One section of the cave is composed of dolomite. The small holes are formed by a chemical reaction.
8 A section of stalactite that has been cut and polished to show the cross section.
9 An underground reflecting pool. Unlike the Mammoth NP tours, this tour was almost private. Only the guide, myself, and one other person.
10 One of the most impressive pieces of cave bacon that I have seen!
11 Another look at some ceiling formations. You can see some of the stalactites that were broken off with baseball bats by rival cave owners during the "Kentucky Cave Wars".
12 The altar that was used for weddings all the way up until the last decade. Evidently cave wedding are a big thing in Kentucky.
13 A look at some of the many giant cave crickets found down here.
14 Heading back out now, you can see the giant cannonball looking formation that broke off naturally from the thick stalactite to the right. End to another great tour.