What Are ‘Blue Holes’ on Kentucky’s Green River?

The Green River. At 384 miles, it is the longest river within Kentucky's borders. It begins or rises in Lincoln County KY, runs through Mammoth Cave, and empties into the Ohio River not far from Henderson and Evansville.

I've heard stories my whole life about my grandfather's adventures on the Green River, although DETAILS of those adventures were a bit sketchy. I never got them firsthand; he was always a hard one to pin down for too long a time. But I learned enough over the years to take a closer look. The Green River may be much more beautiful than we realize.

But despite the number of stories I was told, Mom never mentioned anything about "blue holes" in the Green River. That's something I would have remembered. But my grandfather likely never made it up to Hart County, where those "blue holes" are highly sought after locations by adventure seekers. They're found at Blueway on the Green, part of Kentucky's first National Water Trail. There's also a blueway on the Nolin River.

Hart County Tourism rightly promotes its Hart County Blueway as the perfect getaway for paddle adventurers. And those "blue holes" are where caves are located beneath the water.

This blue hole is near the end of a 21-mile trip that launches at Thelma Stovall Park in Munfordville and takes out at Dennison's Ferry in Mammoth Cave National Park. Other features along this trip are Gorin Mill Spring (the state's largest spring) and Rush Island, both near the beginning of the trip.

Feel like an adventure? Head to Hart County KY. It's a comfortable drive from most points in Kentucky.

And there are "blue holes" in the water. Now THAT'S something to investigate.