A website may have made a mistake calling Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave National Park the third-most disappointing national park in the country. When the park boasting the longest cave in the world found out about its designation, social media managers decided to embrace the hate.

When you think about government and social media, most wouldn’t blame you for thinking of it as a cocktail devoid of flavor.

The U.S. Army and U.S. Navy — as expected — laud the accomplishments of soldiers and sailors in a dry, straightforward manner. The National Weather Service’s mission to warn Americans about tornadoes and hurricanes probably supersedes any wiggle room to have fun.

But a recent post from Mammoth Cave National Park makes the case that the park system’s social media delivers precisely the right amount of burn.

A recent Instagram post called on tourists to “come experience what has disappointed millions of people for over 225 years,” and it was enough to get this reporter to look at plane ticket prices to Kentucky.

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Reviewers Warn it’s Dark in the Cave With ‘No Places to Eat’

A study looking at Google and Tripadvisor reviews found Mammoth Cave had the third-highest percentage of 1-3-star reviews among the national parks. The study also found that the sobering USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor had 17.48% poor reviews, placing it fifth on the list.

Reviewers called the cave attraction “very dark,” with “nothing cool” to see, according to Mammoth Cave’s post.

One October 2023 review on TripAdvisor called the Mammoth Cave Walk “the worst” because “there were no places to get something to eat” and “we were not warned on how hard the walk would be.”

“You couldn’t hardly see anything and we got yelled at for shining a light accidentally while walking and tripping yet the ranger flashed a light on the ceiling,” said Ann in an October 2020 post. “You couldn’t get hardly any pictures.”

Mammoth Cave’s post likewise warns potential visitors about the poor reviews. It also alerted potential visitors to the possibility of bugs, spotty cell phone service, and even stairs.

“A world of regret awaits you at Mammoth Cave!” the post reads.

 

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Which Scares You More — Humans or Animals?

Perhaps it’s park officials’ experience seeing what humans are capable of in the wild that fuels the snark. After 106 years on the job — parks’ birthday was on Sunday, Aug. 25 — the sights of tourist stupidity must be a constant source of inspiration.

Referring to bison in Yellowstone as “fluffy cows,” park officials still feel the need to warn people about petting or approaching the ungulate. They warn the same for bears despite them being “friend shaped.” Using TLC lyrics, they also warn visitors about the danger in “chasing waterfalls” — just in case a scrub might not know.

Apart from the virtual world, park rangers in the field also deserve accolades. This reporter still remembers the time on the way to Tuolumne Meadows that a ranger pulled over a driver for the rarely punished crime of going too slow and not turning out. The applause for the ranger from the dozen vehicles behind the turtle-like driver was well earned.

The beauty of America’s parks must help keep the flat hats patient. Being one of the most sought-after careers, the agency surely has their pick of the best.

But they have a good social media team supporting them, too.

The National Park Service may be fun to interact with, but don’t be surprised if it bites back.