Cave City

Mammoth Cave National Park
The Mammoth Cave system is the largest in the world, with approximately 330 documented miles of passageways, and assumedly many more miles that have never been explored.  With it's mysterious chambers and colorful history, it is no surprise that many reports of paranormal events have been recorded here.

The most well-known story involving the caves and the surrounding area is that of Floyd Collins, a seasoned caver who met his death in Crystal Cave, which later proved to be part of the Mammoth system.  While exploring the caves alone, he became stuck, and despite valiant attempts over many days with national attention, he finally died in the cave.  This was during the period of the "Cave Wars," when the competition was fierce for tourist dollars, and Floyd's embalmed body was eventually placed in a glass-topped casket and displayed as a tourist attraction.  His body was stolen for unknown reasons, and was later found in a field, minus one leg.  He was returned to a chained casket for a time, but was ultimately buried on the National Park Grounds next to the old Mammoth Cave Baptist Church.  Several reports of disembodied legs running around have been reported, and it is assumed that this is Floyd's spirit looking for his leg.  If you care to try to contact his spirit, you can walk 1.5 miles to the Crystal Cave entrance, where the Crystal Cave ticket booth still stands.

As far as Mammoth Cave, at least two entities have been identified from reports.  One appears to be a slave named Stephen Bishop, an early cave guide who loved the cave so much he refused his freedom to stay there.  The other is named Melissa, and she apparently led an unwitting lover into the caves and abandoned him as revenge for his rejection of her.  He was never seen again, and she is believed to still be lurking in the passageways looking for him. 

Photographs in Mammoth Cave, mostly taken by unwitting tourists, have revealed orbs, mists, shadowy figures, and of course, ambulatory disembodied body parts. 

Mammoth Cave National Park is in Central Kentucky, and is easily accessible from Interstate 65 from either the north or south.  Floyd Collins' grave is about 2 miles down Flint Ridge Road, just before the Visitor's Center.  The Crystal Cave entrance is 1 more mile down Flint Ridge Road.  Watch for a pull-off with a gated dirt road, then walk the rest of the way (1.5 miles) to the cave entrance. The Park Service doesn't really want people to go up there, (that's why it's a gated road) so be as unobtrusive as possible when visiting this area.

 

 

 

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