Bat Cave

Useful Information

Location:	Carter Caves State Park. Exit 161 off I-64. 3.2 km east on U.S. 60 to State Hwy. 182. Park entrance 13 km N of Olive Hill. Cave tours depart from the Welcome Center. (38.380268, -83.130912)
Open:	Welcome Center: Memorial Day to Labor Day daily 9-18. Labor Day to Memorial Day daily 9-17. Bat Cave Walking Tour: Memorial Day to Labor Day daily after appointment. Bat Cave Crawling Tour: Memorial Day to Labor Day daily after appointment. [2022]
Fee:	Bat Cave Walking Tour: Per person $7. Cave Trekking tours: per person $10. [2010]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:	L=3,300 m, T=13-16 °C.
Guided tours:	Bat Cave Walking Tour: D=2.5 h, L=3,200 m, MinAge=12. Bat Cave Crawling Tour: D=3 h.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Carter Caves State Resort Park, 344 Caveland Drive, Route 5, Box 1120, Olive Hill, KY 41164-9032, Tel: +1-606-286-4411, Fax: +1-800-325-0059. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1780	area discovered by white settlers.
1946	Carter Caves State Resort Park founded.

Description

Bat Cave is a wild cave. There are two different tours into this cave, both include stooping and bending. Visitors should wear appropriate clothes and closed shoes, and bring their own electric torches, as this cave is not lit at all. The Bat Cave Walking Tour is considered rugged and strenuous, participants must pass a squeeze test before they go on this tour. The cave trekking tour, called "crawling tour" includes even more crawling in the muddy cave. Appropriate clothes and additional clothes to change afterwards are a good idea.

In winter this cave is used by thousands of Indiana bats (Myotis sodalis) for hibernation, and it is thus closed for visitors. The number of bats is estimated nearly 30,000 individuals.