Mammoth Cave Hike in Memory of Gary Smith

We're going to hike in Mammoth Cave National Park to honor the memory of Gary Smith "the King of off-trail hiking" in Mammoth Cave. We will hike, enjoy a dinner together at Maple Springs Campground and have the option to spend the night at Group site 7 (even though Gary wasn't a camper).

No early starts either! Pizza might be required! IYKYK

Details to follow.

The hikes, we'll meet at Mammoth Cave Baptist Church on Flint Ridge Road at 10am CST, this is where Floyd Collins is buried. We'll carpool from here to our first hike along Crystal Cave Rd. This is a 2.2 mile out and back hike along a gated gravel road leading to Crystal Cave and the home of Floyd Collins. Next we'll carpool to Great Onyx Cave Road, another
gated road where we'll hike 4.4 miles out and back to the Great Onyx Cave entrance. Along the way we'll visit the Bransford Family Memorial which is a monument to the generations of Bransfords who have played an important role in the history of Mammoth Cave National Park.

Due to the large number attending this event we won't be doing any Gary Smith off-trail hikes and I don't want to get lost. LOL Gary led many off-trail hikes off of both roads we'll be hiking.

We hope to be finished with these hikes by 3pm and then proceed to Maple Springs Group Campground with enough time for campers to set-up and have a potluck meal before dark.

Please watch for more updates about this event and feel free to post in the comments section what you plan to bring for potluck so others can plan accordingly.

Your well-behaved dog on a lease is welcome.

Maple Springs is a primitive campsite with vault toilets, electric, and water. There may not be cell service.

RSVP with integrity. If you RSVP'D "Yes" and discover you cannot go, please change your RSVP to "No" so others aren't standing around the parking waiting on you. Thanks!

Disclaimer: Meetup organizers/leaders are not guides. Expect the same risks and take the same precautions you would take if you were hiking alone. You are solely responsible for your own safety and well-being. By signing up for and/or attending this Meetup event, you acknowledge, understand, accept, and agree that hiking and other outdoor activities can be dangerous and can cause serious bodily injury and possibly death. The organizers of this group and current and former members cannot be held responsible or liable in any way for the actions of any participant at any event. All attendees participate at an event at their own risk and are solely responsible for any damage to their property, and/or any injury to themselves or their guests. By signing up for this event, you affirm that you understand this disclaimer, and that you knowingly and voluntarily agree not to bring any type of claim arising out of or related to this Meetup event against the organizers of this Meetup group.