It seems on this trip that we are returning to places where we have been before, kind of a “lather, rinse, repeat” scenario. We have visited Spartan for service several times over the past 10 years, then headed south for the winter, often following the same routes and staying at the same places. That was the case for the winter of 2024 – 2025.

A three night stay at Cave Country RV Park in Cave City, KY was next on our itinerary. When we are in this area, this is one of our favorite places to stay as it is a very clean, well maintained park with 51 long pull thru, full hook up sites. We have been here over the years multiple times but it was our first visit to this area that was the most memorable. It was in our 2006 Fleetwood Discovery coach in 2012 when we visited Mammoth Cave National Park and took all three tours – the Passage Tour, the New Entrance Tour and the Historic Tour.

The next day after running a few errands, we stopped for lunch in Glasgow, KY, at El Mazatlan Mexican Restaurant. As soon as we were seated chips and salsa were served. Perusing the extensive menu while munching away, we both finally chose #1 on their lunch menu which consisted of a Chile relleno, a taco, beans and guacamole salad for $8.50. Delish!

Even though we had been here several times before, exploring the area was once again on our agenda. After a breakfast at the nearby Watermill Restaurant on the second morning of our stay. Although they have a breakfast buffet which is way too much food, we opted to order off the standard menu. I had my standard bacon & eggs while Rob enjoyed two eggs with a pork chop. Both meals were very good!

Funny how no matter how many times we have visited a place, we always seem to find a new attraction or some place new to us to explore. This was the case in Cave City. Exploring potential attractions to visit, we stumbled across information about Kentucky’s Stonehenge, located in nearby Munfordville. According to the Roadside America website, this attraction was “Built by former Munfordville mayor Chester Fryer in his large yard, the Stonehenge is aligned with the points of the compass. At the summer solstice, the rising sun casts shadows through the monument’s middle.” Hard to take photos of it but it was pretty cool!

Another attraction along Dixie Highway is Wigwam Village, a classic tee-pee-themed motel near Mammoth Cave, built in 1937. For more information and to learn about their detailed history, check out their website.

Even though, we wouldn’t be taking any tours of Mammoth Cave or even taking any long walks since the arthritis in my hip was causing considerable discomfort making standing for long periods and even walking challenging, we did, however, revisit the Visitor Center. It was a good opportunity to refresh our memories about the geology, history and exploration of the caves and surrounding area.

Within the park, a short driving distance from the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center, is the Green River Ferry. Although we had experienced the ferry back in 2012, it was still fun doing it again.

The area had changed considerably since our last visit. Next to the ferry road was a parking lot and a newly designated canoe and kayak launch as well as the recently constructed handicap accessible pathway, Echo River Spring Trail. The highlight of the one mile trail is the spring where water can be seen “bubbling” up from somewhere within Mammoth Cave.

After completing our walk, we moved the Jeep from the parking lot to the main road to wait for the next ferry. Not a long wait – it was only a few minutes for the ferry to return to our side and for the cars to unload. It was then our turn for us to drive aboard the ferry. Passengers are not allowed to leave their cars during the short ride.

Established in 1934, the ferry is not only a historic and vital component of Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky, it is also the sole remaining active river ferry within the park, providing access between the north and south sides of the Green River and an essential link for vehicles, hikers, and bikers. It saves drivers approximately 40 minutes of travel time.

Operating 364 days a year (closed on Christmas), it can accommodate vehicles up to 16 feet in length and weighing up to 8 tons, though it can only transport two vehicles at a time. The free crossing itself is brief, about 2 minutes, covering a distance of approximately 50 to 75 feet. Besides the ferry operator, there are no other crew members.

Here’s a short video of our ferry crossing.

 

A paddle wheel like setup for propulsion is powered by a propane fueled electric generator. Overhead steel cables guide the boat back and forth and prevent it from drifting downstream. Pretty interesting operation.

Once on the other side, we drove a short way then returned back to the ferry for a repeat performance!

After our fairly enjoyable, short stay in Cave City, it was finally time to hit the road again. A 190 mile drive would bring us to our next stop, a one night stay, at Northgate RV Park in Athens, AL. Uneventful drive and a quiet night.