Castles & karst |
Mammoth cave
![Picture](/uploads/5/0/4/5/50450907/9793285.jpg?1430971304)
Mammoth Cave is the longest known cave system in the world - with more than 400 miles explored. The official name of the system is the Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave System for the ridge under which the cave has formed.
Mammoth Cave developed in thick Mississippian-aged limestone strata capped by a layer of sandstone, making the system quite stable. The caprock is relatively impermeable, except where there are vertical cracks. This means that many of the older, upper passages of the cave system are very dry, with no stalactites, stalagmites, or other formations which require flowing or dripping water to develop.