The world’s longest cave system: a true underground labyrinth, with tunnels and caverns stretching for over 365 miles. This is Mammoth Cave, the heart of the eponymous National Park in Kentucky, visited by nearly two million tourists every year.
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What is the Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth Cave National Park is the only national park in Kentucky, covering an area of 214 square miles. It is situated around the course of the Green River and its tributary, the Nolin River, but most notably above the Mammoth Cave, the world’s longest cave system. These caverns were formed by the flow of underground waters that carved through the limestone rock. This labyrinth carved into limestone and sandstone exceeds 365 miles in length, but not all passages have been explored yet, so new caves might be discovered in the future.
Native Americans had already discovered these caves, and they used them for burials, as evidenced by the discovery of many mummies. The caves were rediscovered by Europeans, likely by John Houchins in 1797 or Valentine Simons in 1798. The reason they were explored later remains the same: to extract potassium nitrate, a key ingredient in gunpowder. In 1941, the national park was established, and over the years, adjacent properties were acquired to expand the park and increase cave exploration. In 1981, Mammoth Cave was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in 1990, it was designated as a Biosphere Reserve.
Location and Directions
Mammoth Cave National Park is located in the central-southern region of Kentucky, approximately halfway between Louisville and Nashville, Tennessee. The Interstate 65 (I-65) highway connects these two cities and passes close to the eastern part of the park, where you can access the Visitor Center and the caves. If you are coming from the north or east, you can turn onto KY-70 (also known as Mammoth Cave Road) at Cave City and continue until you reach the turnoff for the Visitor Center. On the other hand, if you are coming from the south or west, you can take KY-255 at Park City, which eventually connects to KY-70.
Tickets and Hours
Mammoth Cave National Park is open year-round, 24 hours a day. The Visitor Center is also open year-round, except on Christmas Day, with slightly different hours depending on the season. During the summer, it is open from 8:00 AM to 6:30 PM. You can find updated operating hours for various seasons on this page.
While entry to the park is free, visiting the cave in its entirety requires purchasing a ticket or participating in one of the paid guided tours. You can find the updated prices for all available tours on this page. Among these tours, the Discovery Tour allows for self-guided exploration, while the others are all guided tours.
The standard entrance ticket (Discovery Tour) costs $12 for adults, $9 for children aged 6 to 12, and $6 for seniors and individuals with disabilities.
Visiting Mammoth Cave National Park
The main attraction of the park is undoubtedly the enormous caves that constitute its centerpiece. While many parts of this massive underground system are not accessible, there are several sections that can be explored by tourists. The best way to visit the caves is by joining one of the many guided tours available. Although it is possible to explore Mammoth Cave on your own, the Discovery Tour (accessible with the standard entrance ticket) lasts only about thirty minutes and allows you to see only a small part of the cavern.
Each of the 20 guided tours, on the other hand, offers a unique experience within this vast cave network. Among the most popular are the Historic Tour, which takes you through the most famous places in the caves and includes some adventurous sections, the River Styx Tour, named after the river in the Underworld Styx, which focuses on geological aspects and the flow of underground waters, and the Gothic Avenue Tour, known for its rock formations resembling Gothic cathedrals. However, these are just a few of the many tour options available. Tours can be booked through the official park website.
Things to Do at Mammoth Cave National Park
The underground cave system is the main attraction of the park, but not the only one. There are several reasons to visit this National Park, especially to immerse in nature and enjoy outdoor activities.
Trails
The park area is vast, and the trails available for exploration are numerous. For convenience, they can be divided into three subgroups. To the south of the Green River, we find the trails around the Visitor Center and the trails in the southern area. These two subgroups of trails are the most easily accessible for visitors touring the caves. Many of them are short and can be combined in the same day for those participating in a Mammoth Cave tour. All of them are listed on this page, but below, we recommend two of them.
- Sunset Point: As the name suggests, this spot allows you to admire the sunset, so it’s best to visit during that time. It’s about 0.6 miles round trip from the Visitor Center and is accessible to anyone. It can also be a walk to do just before or after visiting the caves. Other trails also branch off from this point.
- Cedar Sink: In the summer, we recommend taking this 1.25-mile loop trail, which starts from a dedicated access point in the southern area of the park. It is particularly beautiful during the summer as it is rich in flowers, making the surrounding landscape unique.
The third subgroup is the trails in the northern area. The entire northern part of the park, beyond the Green River from the Visitor Center, is dedicated specifically to hiking and camping, with numerous campgrounds and a network of about 121 miles of trails. The trails in this area, also called the backcountry, are explained on this page, and you can click here to open the complete trail map.
Tours
A good way to explore the park is to hop on a bicycle and ride along the long trails in the natural area. For example, you can rent an e-bike to make it less tiring and cover a larger area in less time. One option to consider is riding the Mammoth Cave Railroad: a former railway line now transformed into a 9-miles long cycling and pedestrian path.
Approximately 31 miles of the Green River and Nolin River courses run through the Mammoth Cave National Park. Both rivers are accessible for boats, canoes, and kayaks. Specifically, there are three access points on the southern bank of the Green River and one access point on the Nolin River, reachable by car. This page on the official website explains how and where to access the rivers, along with some recommended canoeing itineraries. Additionally, here you can find places where you can rent a canoe or kayak.
Another unique way to discover the park is by going on a horseback ride. The park is not only accessible to those traveling with their own horses, but there is also a stable where you can book a guided horseback excursion.
Things to Do Near the Park
The entire area of Kentucky is characterized by karst formations, so the caves are not limited to the vast complex of Mammoth Cave. In the immediate vicinity, there are other caves, some of which are visitable. Adjacent to the park’s boundary, along Park City Road (the road that leads from Park City to the Visitor Center), you can find the Diamond Caverns. These caves are accessible with guided tours lasting about an hour, available every day from 9 am to 5 pm, and can be easily combined with a visit to the national park. A little further away, along Happy Valley Road south of Cave City, you’ll find the Crystal Onyx Cave. Open for visits from March to December, this cave is large and divided into three sections. You can explore it with two one-hour tours: one dedicated to the upper part and scenic trails, and the other more specific to the lower level.
In addition to the caves, when visiting the National Park, you can also take the opportunity to learn more about the natural aspects of the area. In Cave City, you’ll find the Mammoth Cave Wildlife Museum, a museum that exhibits stuffed animals and explains the characteristics of the local and non-local fauna. If you are traveling with children, a place to consider is Dinosaur World, just outside of Cave City: a theme park with a large number of dinosaurs located in the woods.
Places to Stay Near the Park
The park’s territory is vast, and it is possible to stay overnight within it, primarily through camping in tents. There are a total of 13 campgrounds where you can camp, all described on this page of the official website. An alternative option is the lodge, which can be booked on this page. There are also many accommodation options around the park. Cave City and Park City are the two most convenient towns for accessing the caves. Here are some lodging recommendations in these towns:
- Sleep Inn & Suites Cave City: This 2-star hotel located in Cave City offers a great value for money. The rooms are comfortable, and there’s also an indoor pool.
- Historic Wigwam Village: For a more fun and unique experience, especially if you have children, consider staying in this hotel where each room is shaped like a teepee, the typical Indian tents. It is located just outside Cave City and is in a perfect location for visiting the national park.
- Grand Victorian Inn: If you want to step back into the Victorian era, this finely furnished hotel offers a beautiful and well-cared-for lodging experience.
- The Maple Retreat: If you are looking for a rustic and nature-oriented accommodation, this wooden cabin is perfect for you.
