Sat, Jul 24 2021 - Cathedral Caverns State Park, Alabama Cave & Hike (View Original Event Details)
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This turned out to be a quote from Bill and Ted an “Excellent Adventure”. The cavern was worth every cent. Our tour guide was a young woman whose knowledge of the cavern was excellent. A couple days ago I saw an article on how that thanks to humans, life is invading caverns around the world. Algae is learning to adapt to the low light from the tours. A few minutes later she showed me a place with algae growing on the wall. The tour is guided at the tour guide’s pace. Once you get to the turnaround point, you follow the same path out and you can go at your pace with her following in the distance. We had a quick lunch on the picnic tables and headed for the trails. You were asked to put your phones in airplane mode.
The trail head is about 0.6 miles from the Visitor Center. The trails are well and maintained. We started with the Gray Trail that we called the Creek Trail, based on the map. Except there was not creek. Jennifer asked a Park Ranger me met where the creek was. He said due to the low amount of rain they had had it had drained into the cavern. We than proceeded to the Green Trail or the Mountain Trail. The mountain had not sunk into the carven and it was compatible to hiking up and down Kennesaw. The green Trail was great for finding different types of fungi. I think I got 15 different fungi. All four trail here are either loops or modified lollipop loops. We headed to the Visitor for a pit stop and refreshments.
None of us chose to go Gem Mining. I did buy a bucket of gems and fossils to bring home for my granddaughters.
We did have an issue scheduling the tour. I was told on the phone and the website says you cannot make tour reservations until 48 hours in advance. On Thursday went they opened I called to make my reservation for the 10:00 tour. I was told the 10:00 tour was full ant that they still had opening for the 11:00 tour. Tour groups, a group of fifteen or more, can make reservations earlier. I emailed everyone and asked them to immediately make their reservation for 11:00. Due to covid tours are now limited to 60 people, non-covid is 80 people. We watched the 10:00 tour leave they had 60 people. Our 11:00 tour also had 60 people.
Cathedral Caves State Park is worth going to. It has a wonderful a carven and great trails. The downside is from the carpool it is 143 miles and a 3-hour drive.
Heidi, Mark, and Jennifer all took pictures. Jennifer has posted her pictures.
Jennifer thank you for joining us on your second AOC event.
Mike
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