NSS Convention 2026

Big Bat Cave in Breckinridge County, Kentucky ranks among the longest caves in the United States at nearly 17 miles of mapped passage. Exploration by organized cavers began in the late 1950s through a chance encounter at a country store, and has continued ever since through the Kentucky Cave Survey, the University of Louisville, and generations of dedicated cavers. This presentation tells the story of how Big Bat was found, who explored it, and how the Kentucky Karst Conservancy was formed to purchase and protect the Mushroom Entrance — ensuring the cave remains open to cavers for generations to come.