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Mammoth Cave National Park is cracking down on drivers and boat operators under the influence.
The national park announced Thursday that park law enforcement officers will conduct periodic sobriety and safety checkpoints along park roadways and riverways for the rest of the year.
“The special operations are being conducted to reduce the incidence of DUIs and increase public awareness of the dangers associated with drinking and driving,” the news release said.
The checkpoints “will strive to not unnecessarily delay other motorists or boat operators.”
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The park conducted sobriety checks in 2021.
The park, which is home to the world’s longest cave system, has a history of partying and arrests. In 2022, law enforcement arrested 15 people attending the illegal Redneck Rave, which had thousands of attendees and is known to get rowdy and sometimes violent. The majority of the arrests were from underage drinking and driving under the influence.
Back in 2013, the campground store at Mammoth Cave stopped selling alcohol after the park rangers saw a “sharp increase in criminal offenses related to alcohol.” Besides being dangerous, the incidents strained the park’s workforce.
According to Wyoming-based Freeburg Law, getting a DUI in a national park is a federal crime since national parks are considered federal land. This misdemeanor comes with a maximum jail sentence of six months and maximum fine of $5,000.
Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at kwong@usatoday.com
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