Before Registering:

If your institution IS a member of NCHC:
Unless you hold a current NCHC Institutional or Professional membership, you must sign up as a "Contact" to be affiliated with your institution and receive member pricing for event registration. Sign up as a Contact Here (may take up to 48 hours for approval)

If your institution is NOT a member of NCHC:
Please proceed as a "Guest". Members receive a 50% discount on all NCHC event registrations - contact the NCHC Office for more details on joining!

Mandatory Documentation

When you register, you will be required to turn in 3 forms stating your acknowledgement of NCHC policies as a participant of Partners in the Parks. To save you some time while registering, we recommend downloading these files now, digitally or physically signing them, and have them ready to be uploaded with your application.

• NCHC Student Participant Conduct Agreement
• NCHC Accident Waiver
• NCHC Participant Health Insurance Information
• NCHC Intent to Pay (If you are not paying by credit card upon registration)

Mammoth Cave is the longest cave in the world and tells a story that spans millions of years across numerous disciplines. The Park preserves and interprets the internationally recognized geology of the cave and surface, biology of endangered cave species, and one of the most biologically diverse rivers in the country. Humans have explored the cave for 4,000 years and it has inspired art, poetry, essay, movies, music, and musicals. This program will feature ticketed and personalized, “behind the scenes” cave tours—including at least one “wild cave” experience, surface hikes visiting natural and cultural landscapes, and a canoe trip through the park along the Green River, recently named a National Water Trail. The program will participate in a citizen science project adding data to ongoing research it he park. Guest speakers and leaders may include experts from Interpretation, Science & Resource Management, and park administration.

Tentative Itinerary

• Monday, May 15th 
  • Depart Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky
  • Arrive at Mammoth Cave National Park and Orientation to Park
  • Quick “Behind the Scenes” Cave Trip (Olive’s Bower)
  
  
• Tuesday, May 16th 
  • Interpretive Tour (Historic Tour)
  • Park Administration: Guest Speaker: Jay Grass, Deputy Superintendent
  
  
• Wednesday, May 17th 
  • Cultural Resources on Surface Trip and “Behind the Scenes” Cave Trip (Main Cave/Violet City Route)
  • Guest Speaker: Ed Jakatis, Cultural Resources Program Manager, MCNP
  
  
• Thursday, May 18th 
  • Cave Exploration themed “wild cave” Cave Trip
  • Guest Speaker: Rick Toomey, Cave Resources Specialist and Research Director, past President of the Cave Resource Foundation
  
  
• Friday, May 19th  
  • Green River Canoe Trip
  • Discuss Interpretation with Guest Speaker Dave Wyrick or Johnny Meredith of Interpretation Division
  
  
• Saturday, May 20th 
  • Citizen Science Project Day (likely water discharge and/or soundscape data collection cave trip)
  • Personal Reflections and Presentations
  
  
• Sunday, May 21st  
  • Final Cave trip to Great Onyx Cave
  • Depart Mammoth Cave for Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky
  
   

If you have any questions regarding your trip specifically, please contact your trip facilitators listed below. They will be sending you more information regarding what to pack, and any supplies you may need for your trip.

Trip Facilitators

David Kime, Northern Kentucky University

Refunds

All requests for refunds MUST be submitted in writing to the national office and RECEIVED no later than thirty days in advance of the trip departure date. Please send to nchc@unl.edu.

• Received prior to 30 days before trip departure:          Full refund, less a $50 per person administrative fee
• Received within 30 days before trip departure:            No refunds granted