My partner and I have done many cave tours at Mammoth Cave National Park, seeing as it is our local park and just over an hour from our doorstep. You could spend an entire week, or much longer, just checking out our state's cave systems! The Frozen Niagara cave tour goes down as my favorite cave tour, and in this blog, I will share some details of our time on the cave tour, and some tips for capturing the beauty of the cave system on just an iPhone!
This cave tour is short and rated as easy. It starts with a bus drive out to the cave entrance, which is included in the overall duration of the tour. A ride back to the visitor's center via the bus is also included in the duration.
Duration: 1.25 hours
Distance: 0.25 miles (0.4 km)
Total Stairs: 64, plus an optional 98
Difficulty: Easy
The main feature of this tour is a large 75 feet tall and 50 feet wide stalactite formation discovered in 1923 that resembles a frozen waterfall. It is truly stunning! It has grown at the rate of 1 inch every 1,000 years and is estimated to have been forming for over 800,000 years! Two other main attractions include Crystal Lake and Moonlight Dome. Crystal Lake was a small pond sitting at the base of Moonlight Dome until it was expanded to its lake status by Cave Operator George Morrison in 1923, so that he could offer boat tours - a more unique experience that could compete with the Echo River boat tour that took place in the lower section of Mammoth Cave during this time period. Obviously, boating Crystal Lake is no longer a feature of this cave tour. You will just have to attend the tour to hear more details on the history of this cave system before the land was transferred to the federal government in 1941!
The final feature that I will mention is Showerbath Spring, which is a tall waterfall that springs from the ceiling near the Frozen Niagra formation. You can see images of Frozen Niagra, Crystal Lake, Moonlight Dome, and Showerbath Spring below!
Wanting to do a longer adventure? This section of the cave can be seen in its entirety on the Domes and Dripstones, Grand Avenue, and Caving and Wild Cave Tours! Learn more about these trips and book your tour on Recreation.gov.
Capturing images of the formations on your phone
Flash photography is not allowed on any cave tour. Regardless, flash photography will not be your friend. The walls of the cave on this tour are wet in many spots and the flash will lead to glare on your photos. My biggest tip for getting the best photos on your tour, regardless of which tour you are on, is to turn on 3s exposure. When capture the photo, hold your phone as still as possible for the entire three seconds. Try your best to avoid getting people in your photos, as their movements will show up in the image as blurs. As always, be courteous of others that are trying to enjoy the tour while doing so. Below are some of my photos from my time on the Frozen Niagra Cave Tour!
