Camping-Hiking-Caving

Camping - Hiking - Caving Weekend
At The Great Saltpetre Cave Preserve, Kentucky
April 27-29, 2007

Ready for some car camping, hiking and possibly wild caving in Kentucky during the spring wild flower season? Andy Niekamp is planning a trip to the Great Saltpetre Cave Preserve in Rockcastle County which is near Mount Vernon, Kentucky.

The Great Saltpetre Cave Preserve is located in the rugged foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The Preserve is 305 acres and has a primitive campground with plenty of level areas for camping. The Preserve is home to the Great Saltpetre Cave. It is located nine miles east of I-75 exit #59 on SR-1004. It is a three hour drive from Dayton. The Preserve is owned an operated by the Rockcastle Karst Conservancy.

Driving Directions

Camping Info. The Preserve has city water, a picnic shelter, shower house and a pay phone. Sorry no flush toilets but there are port-a-johns and outhouses. Camping is $4/person/night. Campsites are not designated so you can have as much space as you wish. Campsites with electric are available so bring your RV, trailer or pop up camper. The Preserve is closed to the public. Special arrangements have been made to allow MVOC members to camp at the Preserve and tour the cave.

The Great Saltpetre Cave. The cave, within walking distance of the camping area, was used extensively during the War Of 1812 for the production of gunpowder. This cave produced more gunpowder than Mammoth Cave. Later on the cave was used for barn dances and commercial tours.

Performance in the Cave - 1968

The largest chamber in the cave is Echo Auditorium. It 300 feet long, 80 feet wide and over 50 feet high. It gets its name from its unusual natural acoustics. Scenes from the movie “Fire Down Below”, starring Steven Segal, were filmed in the cave in 1996. The cave can be visited by people of all ages. No special equipment is required. It has flat floors and electric lights. Many artifacts from the saltpetre mining days can still be seen. The cave is approximately one mile long and Andy will be leading several tours through it.

Echo Auditorium In Great Saltpetre Cave

There are several hiking trails in the Preserve. The trails take you past many interesting features including several large and small cave openings, the Crooked Creek and an old cemetery. Rockcastle County is home to hundreds of caves. Many of the cave entrances are quite beautiful and are easily accessible from the roads. They are well worth the visit.

Trail Map

Sinks Of The Roundstone Cave

Interested in wild caving? Andy will be leading a beginners trip to the Sinks of The Roundstone Cave on Saturday. The trip will last 3-4 hours. We will visit mainly walking passages but some crawling, climbing and stooping is required. Plan on getting a bit wet and muddy. The cave contains the largest known cave passage in the region and has a very scenic entrance. A properly equipped caver will have a helmet with chin strap, three sources of light, knee pads, gloves, sturdy boots and pack with food and water. This trip is for both experienced and inexperienced cavers. New cavers are welcome. Andy will assist you in getting outfitted for the cave trip if you do not have the required gear. The trip level will be tailored to all participants. The caver’s motto is similar to the backpackers motto. Take nothing but pictures, kill nothing but time and leave nothing but footprints. As trip leader Andy's motto is "If you aren't having fun then I am doing something wrong."

Caving Gear Checklist

Nearby attractions include the Renfro Valley Barn Dance, (Carl Hurley is performing that weekend), the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum, Wildcat Mountain Civil War Battlefield and activities in the Daniel Boone National Forest. If you wish to venture a bit further away you can visit Lake Cumberland, Berea, Cumberland Falls State Park or the home of the very first Kentucky Fried Chicken.

See Andy for free tickets to the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum

Time & Energy Permitting. Waterfalls & Petroglyph. Would you like to take a short drive and 20 minute off trail hike into the Daniel Boone National Forest to visit two beautiful waterfalls? If we have time and energy I will lead a trip to the place we call Little Egypt to see two waterfalls flowing over sandstone cliffs to the limestone layer below. The area has lots of hemlock trees, firs and rhododendron and is well worth the visit. One waterfall flows into a cave. Another excursion possibility is to see a native American petroglyph (pages from the book titled Rock Art of Kentucky). This petroglyph is not far from the campground. Read the listing for this petroglyph in the Nation Register of Historic Places.

Photos of Little Egypt. Click on an image to see a larger photo

Photos of the petroglyph. Click on an image to see a larger photo

Even if you are not interested in wild caving this is a perfect weekend to get away from home, relax and enjoy the spring time season in Kentucky. There is something for every outdoor enthusiast this weekend. There are several motels and restaurants nearby if you do not wish to camp.