LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - A
cave system in Kentucky that's known as the longest in the world has reached
400 miles.
The National Park Service
says Mammoth Cave in south central Kentucky recently added 10 miles to its
explored underground length. The popular attraction for cave enthusiasts
attracts volunteers who spend thousands of hours each year scouring the cave's
winding caverns. The park service made the announcement over the weekend.
Charles Fox, president of
the Cave Research Foundation, says the new length was measured thanks to many
incremental additions in many parts of the cave, instead of one big discovery.
The foundation is made up of volunteer explorers.
The cave attracts about
700,000 visitors a year and last year it opened a new $16 million visitors
center.
(Copyright
2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
