Cedar Sink is located within Mammoth Cave National Park on the south end.
One way to get to it is from 31W onto KY422.
Map of Mammoth Cave Park
Info about Mammoth Cave Park
This is a short hike but a little strenuous because
of the climb down and then back up a set of stairs.
Looking at the map (below) you can see that you will slowly descend on a trail, which leads to a loop trail, which goes into the sinkhole where there are millions of wildflowers at this time of the year (early April).
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| You will enter the sink from the west and exit it from the south. |
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| The walk takes you through a forest dominated by Red Cedar trees, pretty much the entire way... thus the name Cedar Sink. |
As you walk observe some of the plants growing along the trail.
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| Moss in the middle, Reindeer Moss (really a lichen) on the left (gray-green), and Partridge Berry on the right. |
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| Descending toward the sinkhole. |
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| Next to the trail was the leaf of a Cranefly Orchid. A very beautiful set of orchid flowers will grow here in July. To see the flower, click here. |
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| Rue Anemone Click here for Information |
(If you want to view only the photos and not the script,
then simply click one of the photos.)
After about a half mile you'll come upon this staircase which takes
you down into the sinkhole.
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| Looking down into the extremely large sinkhole, Cedar Sink. The floor of this depression is covered with wildflowers of many species! |
As you descend the staircase look to your right to see a variety of
plant and fungi species. Mosses can be found growing on the rocky
wall of the sinkhole slowly breaking down the rock creating soil
for small plants to grow on.
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| Walking down the steps, you will see an unusual fern called Walking Fern growing on the soil created by the mosses. The flowers belong to a plant called Spring Beauty. Information On Walking Ferns |
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| Ragwort Information |
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| Wood (or Celandine) Poppy |
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| Wood Poppy flower buds Information On Wood Poppy |
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| Yellow Trout Lily Information On Yellow Trout Lilies |
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| At the bottom of the stairs turn left and you will see this landscape. Millions of wildflowers!! |
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| The tiny flowers of Yellow Corydalis Information on Corydalis |
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| The maroon flowers of a species of Trillium, along with Spring Beauty and Violet flowers. |
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| The leaves, sepals, petals, and stamen of Trillium. |
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| A snail with a beautiful pattern on its shell. What fascinates me is the fact that its eyes are at the end of its stalks. Snail Information |
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| Wood Poppy and a species of Fern. |
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| Early Saxifrage, which likes to grow in the crevises of rocks. |
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| The flowers of Stonecrop are just now blooming. Stonecrop Information |
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| This platform is just below the steps and gives you a great view of the stream (photo below). |
There are many subterranean streams in southern KY which are
sometimes exposed in areas like this.
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| View from the platform showing you the exposed portion of an underground river, which comes out of the ground at the top of the photo and goes back underground at the bottom right of the photo. |
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| The trail on the floor of the depression...wildflowers everywhere! |
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| The striped leaves of Putty-root Orchid. You can also see the yellow Trout Lily and the little flowers of Spring Beauty. Putty-root Orchid Information |
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| The unusual flowers of Dutchmen's Breeches. Information |
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| A great view of the south wall of the sinkhole. |
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| The leaves of Bent Trillium. You can see the flower buds of some of the plants. They should be flowering next week! This is the land of Spring Beauties. Information On Bent Trilliums |
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| This hill is covered with Wood Poppies. Another depression is in the background. |
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| You can see the fiddleheads of this fern. Fern leaves (fronds) begin as coiled up fiddleheads. |
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| A beautiful Blue butterfly. |
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| A great view of one of the sinkholes. |
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| Wood Poppies everywhere! |
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| This millipede secretes a compound that smells like cherries when you try to pick it up. |
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| The leaves and flower of Wild Ginger. |
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| Wild Ginger flowers Information on Wild Ginger |
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| Violets and Spring Beauty. |
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| Spring Beauties and a Yellow Violet. |
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| You can see the south stairway that leads out of this sinkhole. |
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| At the top of the stairs looking into the south side of the depression. |
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| As you circle back you will come across an Overlook with this information. Click the photo to enlarge it. |
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| View of the exposed river from the south-side Overlook. |
Continue clockwise around the loop and you will
end up back on the trail leading back to the parking lot.
Everyone should take the day off in early Spring
and visit Cedar Sink. It's a little strenuous going
into the sinkhole and climbing out, but
well worth the trouble.
Get out and explore this Karst landscape!
(I went back to Cedar Sink 10 days after this.
Click here to see Cedar Sink 10 days later.
