trip advise including activities for a teen

My son is reluctant to leave home and his video games so we need something really engaging. He does like hiking and caving so we hope Kentucky will WOW him. Coming from central New Jersey, we have two weeks to spend and would like to cover a lot of ground. How much time should we give each location? We would like to see the Mammoth Caves, Natural Bridge, Cumber Land Falls and the Big South Fork NP. I need advise on accomadations-cabins vs hotel rooms and best places a teen would like to eat. He%26#39;s in good shape and could hike for hours if it%26#39;s not too buggy. (We were in Maine%26#39;s Baxter State Park last summer and had to leave after about an hour because the mesquitos were so bad.)

trip advise including activities for a teen

What is your route? Are you planning to do east to west or vice-versa? I can help you out with some specific info on the Cumberland Falls area. I think you could easily spend 2-3 days there.

If possible, try to plan your visit during the full moon, so you%26#39;ll have a chance to see the Moonbow. The weather conditions have to be just right in order for it to occur. Dates for 2008 are shown on the link below.

For lodging at the park, there%26#39;s the DuPont Lodge or you can rent a cottage. I haven%26#39;t been inside a room at the lodge since I was a kid, but I remember thinking that they were on the smallish side.

There are about 12 hiking trails. #9 Eagle Falls Trail used to be really popular. There%26#39;s also horseback riding, a public swimming pool (where I spent plenty of time as a teenager) and there used to be a whitewater rafting service. The website indicates it%26#39;s still available.

corbinkentucky.us/cumberlandfallsstatepark.h…

Here%26#39;s a bit of trivia that your son might get a kick out of.....

On the beach below the falls, there%26#39;s a noticable rock that kind of stands alone. It%26#39;s named ';Rebel Rock';. If you scramble up to the top of the rock, you%26#39;ll see a big rebel flag that%26#39;s been painted on top of it. You can%26#39;t see the flag from the ground. The rock stands about 10-12 ft. high.

The rebel flag doesn%26#39;t have anything to do with southern pride etc. It was actually painted on by a softball team from Corbin named The Rebels. I knew a few of the guys ';back in the day';. I can%26#39;t remember if there%26#39;s a date next to the flag, but it was probably painted in the late 70%26#39;s.

For dining, DuPont Lodge has a restaurant and there%26#39;s usually a small snack stand at the Falls. There%26#39;s probably also a snack stand at the pool. That%26#39;s about it for dining options.

Fyi...I can%26#39;t recall there being a grocery store anywhere around the park. So if you plan on making your own picnics, snacks or lunch etc., you%26#39;ll probably want to swing through the Kroger in Corbin and stock up before you head up ';Falls Road';. Kroger is about 2 miles east of exit #25 at I-75.

If you venture in to Cobin to eat, you may want to pay a visit to The Colonel Sanders Museum. It%26#39;s the location of the very first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. Be advised that the food is exactly the same as you%26#39;d find in any KFC in the world.

Other Corbin restaurants....

The Depot on Main - Bistro type, American fare. There%26#39;s also a comedy club next door, but I have no idea about the schedule.

The Dixie Restaurant (also on Main St) - Old school diner. Burgers, fries, daily specials %26amp; ';the Dixie dog';

The ';old'; A %26amp; W drive-in on Falls Road is fun on a nice night. Classic drive-in restaurant. It%26#39;s only open in the Summer.

Another fyi....This area of Kentucky has historically been ';dry'; i.e. no alcohol sales. A couple of years ago, Corbin went ';damp';. Meaning that you can purchase alcohol at restaurants that seat 100 people, but still no package sales. The Depot serves alcohol.

Don%26#39;t worry about mesquitos. They will be out, but they aren%26#39;t really much of a menace. Just take some OFF.

trip advise including activities for a teen

You can wear mosquito proof shirts as well. They are great for hiking, I wore them all over Europe. I just wanted to add that the state park lodges and the Mammoth Cave Tours need to be booked well in advance. The lodges are booked well ahead of time....so hurry!

I guess we can start with the Natural Bridge then head west to the Mammoth Cave area and end with the falls to catch the Moonbow as out vacation ends on 8/16.

Can anyone give advice on the Mammoth Cave area?

Depending on how adventurous you and your teen are, I would highly recommend the ';wild'; cave tour. It%26#39;s not really ';wild'; per say, but you do get off the beaten path and get out of the touristy area of Mammoth Cave.

I went on it when I was in college, and it was magnificent. You get a hard hat with a light on top and knee pads, and you head deep into the cave. You have to squish through some tight spots, crawl on your knees for a considerable length of time, and get down and dirty. It was a blast!

It lasts all day, and you eat lunch in the big crystal room, which is/was one of the only ';civilized'; places you see on the tour and your only restroom break. I don%26#39;t remember, but I think lunch is included.

You have to reserve a place way in advance, so you might want to do so soon if this is something you are interested in.

Are there snakes in and around Mammoth Caves? When you do the wild tour, what is the average age of people in the group? I imagine you need to be fairly fit to do the crawling and climbing.

Hi,

I just checked on the restrictions for the wild cave tour. There are many. You might want to think about the beginning caving one instead. You can check for yourself and decide what suits your needs best by going to the Mammoth Cave website at

http://www.nps.gov/maca/

Click on tours and see what you think would be the best one for your family.

As far as snakes IN the cave, no. It is too cold for them at 54 degrees. Outside of the caves, I%26#39;m sure there are, but I%26#39;ve never seen one. Like I said in your snake post, I%26#39;ve been to many state parks and have only seen snakes at Otter Creek and then only 2 times in 30 years. If you don%26#39;t go looking for them, you won%26#39;t find them.

Just checked the tour site and he%26#39;s too young for the wild cave tour (age 16 minimum) but the grand tour sounds like a good alternative. He is interested in nature and biology and while reluctant to start group activities, he does engage as we go on. The focus of the annual trips across America is to disconnect him from the electronic world and have him interact with real people.