Where I woke up after a short hike at Mammoth Cave National Park. Got to the the trail late so had to hike back mostly in the dark. It was dark enough that we couldn’t even see the lake while setting up. It was maybe 30 yards from us
Posted Mar 25, 2018, 10:33 PM UTC
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Just a three day trip but the first that I actually planned myself. As I hinted at in the title we got to the trail kind of late but woke up to a beautiful view. Next day hiked ~10 miles to the next site and then ~8 miles out the next day. Did a tour of the cave before getting there that was pretty amazing. Brought a little bit too much gear, should’ve left some behind. Too many clothes but I was worried about getting wet because it was gonna be cold. If you all more experienced backpackers have any advice on how to keep weight down but still be prepared for the cold, it would be much appreciated. Otherwise had some pretty great views and a lot of fun. Looking forward to some warmer weather for the nights next time
Check out r/ultralight if you want tips on cutting weight. Be warned, it’s more of an addiction than you think!
I’m considering a trip to Mammoth but have heard mixed reviews on hiking. Do you feel it was worth it to hike there, or better to take cave tours then go somewhere else? I think most visitors don’t hike so it’s hard to find info.
I think it was worth it. In general the trails weren’t completely maintained but it may have just been the time of year, lots of debris in them. Lots of water around there as well so everything was pretty muddy, but again, that’s probably just seasonal. There had been some snow melt which could’ve done the trick on that one. If you’re there during substantial rain it looked like quite a few of the trails would become rivers. I think that it’s full of pretty little creeks popping out of the hillside, as well as good sized river. All in all it was very pretty, but that’s coming from someone who has grown up in the land of corn, otherwise known as central Illinois.
I don’t know how it would be for a long trip. There aren’t hundreds of miles of trails there to walk, I’m guesstimating 50-ish but not completely sure.
If you go you should definitely go on a cave tour though. Totally worth the $15. If you’re not a fan of cramped spaces or heights it may not be for you though. The NPS website has pretty much all the info you could need about the tours though.
I have checked out r/ultralight and am intrigued. I would like to get down to their weights but don’t really have the capital necessary for that much new gear being an unemployed college student and all. I have been poking through their lists just to see what I had with me that they just plain didn’t bring though
Thanks for the great feedback, much appreciated!
Don’t worry about having to be rich & fancy to be ultralight. You can do it on a budget. I’m not “ultralight” but I definitely read there to learn and gain critical thinking on what I should pack to stay light and go further.
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