Mammoth Cave National Park

Overview

About

Mammoth Cave National Park is in central Kentucky. It is a World Natural Heritage Site.
Over 420 miles of cave passages have been mapped, and 10 miles are open to visitors.

Map

Travel tips

Getting there: the park is in central Kentucky. The nearest major airports are Louisville and Nashville, each about 140 km away, roughly 1.5 hours by car. Bowling Green is about 50 km from the park.

Booking: the cave can be seen only on ranger-led tours of differing length and difficulty. In peak season, summer and holidays, tours often sell out days ahead, so book online early.

Tours: short tours include the Historic Tour, through the old entrance and main passage in about 2 hours; the Domes and Dripstones tour shows cave formations; the longer tours take over 4 hours and involve crawling and squeezing through gaps.

Inside: the cave stays at about 12 degrees Celsius all year, so wear a jacket and non-slip shoes. To limit white-nose syndrome, shoes may have to be disinfected before some tours.

Outside: above ground there are forest, the Green River and walking trails; a small ferry crosses the river, and the river suits paddling.

Time: one tour takes about half a day, and two different tours take a full day.

Season: the park is open all year, with fewer cave tours in winter. Summer is crowded, and spring and autumn are quieter.

Where to stay: The Lodge at Mammoth Cave and campgrounds are inside the park, and need early booking in summer; Bowling Green and Cave City outside have more hotels.

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