Lost River Cave

In between Frankfort and Bowling Green, we spent about a week and a half in Tennessee. Due to an oversight on our part, that portion of our trip was published to the blog out of sequence back in May. You can reread it here if you like.

While waiting to tour the National Corvette Museum, we had a couple of days in the Bowling Green, Kentucky, area to fill. One day we spent driving around country roads. I was delighted that our adventures took us across a bridge that reminded me of my childhood, specifically, the slab on Dry River.

Kentucky "slab"

Bowling Green is home to Lost River Cave. What makes this cave tour a little different is that part of the tour is on a boat. The tour lost a little of its specialness for me when we reached the dam of the river inside the cave. The dam keeps the river to a depth of 3 - 4 feet in order to operate the boats. 

The river, primarily underground, reaches the surface in several blue holes near the cave. No matter how inviting the water looks on a hot day, do not swim there. Unsuspecting people are pulled under to their deaths, not knowing about the unseen holes sweeping underneath. 

What I liked about the cave was its earlier history as a nite club. During the 1930's, before most places had ever heard of air conditioning, a cave was quite literally a cool place to be. Lost River Cave has one of the largest natural cave entrances east of the Mississippi. An enterprising owner built a dance floor, a small hydroelectric dam, and a bar. It was so popular that Kentucky bar owners, who were losing money, managed to get a law passed that prohibited the sale of alcohol below street level. If one wanted a drink, he had to walk up the 100+ steps to street level. 

After the nite club closed, the cave entrance became a dumping ground. For years it was neglected. Western Kentucky University bought the property, hauled out over 55 tons of trash, and started a non-profit organization, offering tours to discourage further dumping of trash. You can rent the venue too. I would have loved to have danced there to the sounds of a big band.

Lost River Cave Entrance

Let's dance

Inside the cave

Duck your head

Dance floor view

Man-eating bottomless pit

Where Are We Going Next?