The Essential Guide to Mammoth Cave National Park

Every single one of America’s national parks is unique, with a beauty that’s entirely its own.

Some, like Joshua Tree and Saguaro National Park, are known for their desert landscapes; others, like Grand Teton and Katmai National Park and Preserve, have become famous for wildlife sightings. And then there are national parks where the attraction is two-fold: above ground and underground. At Mammoth Cave National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in South Central Kentucky, visitors are drawn not only to the outdoor recreation on the surface but also to the eponymous world-famous cave system below, which started to form around 10,000,000 B.C.E. and continues to grow to this day.

“The park’s cave system is the longest in the world, stretching over 426 miles, and offers visitors a chance to learn about the cave’s human and geologic history,” Molly Schroer, a spokesperson for Mammoth Cave National Park, tells Travel + Leisure. Visitors can join guided tours—more on those below—to explore the complex labyrinth of canyon and tube passages, and see narrow vertical shafts, stalagmites, stalactites, cave popcorn, flowstone, and other fascinating formations. 

“Beyond the geologic and natural features of the park, Mammoth Cave preserves evidence of human history that dates back over 4,000 years,” Schoer adds. “Early area residents from the Late Archaic and Early Woodland period used and explored the cave, leaving behind items such as cane reed torches, mussel shells, gourd bowls, woven sandals, and early cave drawings and figures.” Modern settlers rediscovered the cave in the 1800s, but it wasn’t until 1941 that Mammoth Cave National Park was established (it was dedicated five years later). 

Whether you’re an amateur ​​speleologist, history buff, avid hiker, or national park enthusiast, use the guide below to inform your next trip to Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave, a magnificent natural wonder that welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

Here’s what you need to know before planning a trip to Mammoth Cave National Park.

How to Get There

Louisville International Airport (SDF) is the closest major airport to Mammoth Cave National Park, but it’s still about 90 miles from its visitor center. According to the National Park Service, it’s best to navigate to the park using GPS coordinates (N 37° 11′ 13.115” ¦ W 86° 06′ 05.197”), rather than relying on navigational systems. The park is also about two hours from Lexington, Kentucky—home to Keeneland—and 15 minutes from the small town of Park City, Kentucky. Park City is the entrance to both Mammoth Cave National Park and Diamond Caverns.

Know Before You Go

Mammoth Cave National Park is open and free to enter year-round, although visitors are charged for tours and reservations for picnic shelters and campgrounds. Ahead of your trip, Schroer recommends downloading the NPS App and checking the park’s website for any updates or closures. Upon arrival, get your bearings at the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center—open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This is where you’ll join a cave tour, meet a ranger, or check out exhibits, the gift shop, and other visitor amenities. 

The Green River divides the park into the north and south sides. Visitors will head to the south side to embark on cave tours and explore the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center. The quieter north side is great for hiking, backcountry camping, horseback riding, and mountain biking. 

While a cave tour is a can’t-miss activity, don’t forget that the cave is only half of the appeal of the park, which spans almost 53,000 acres. “The park has several climate zones, including high-exposed ridge tops, damp and moist secluded valleys, and an extensive karst system,” says Schroer. “These climate zones provide habitats for a wide variety of plant and animal species. Over 600 species of mammals, birds, insects, fish, reptiles, and amphibians call the park home, and over 1,300 plant species have been identified.” 

Along the road, hiking trails, or rivers, you may spot wild turkey, white-tailed deer, eastern gray squirrels, songbirds, eagles, or snakes, among other wildlife. “Inside the cave, tour groups may pass by a bat or two but are more likely to see cave crickets, salamanders, or even pack rats,” she adds. 

Best Time to Visit

“Spring, summer, and fall are the most popular seasons to visit the park because they are perfect times to combine a cave tour with surface activities such as camping, wildlife viewing, hiking, biking, horseback riding, or canoeing,” says Schroer. That said, she notes there’s “truly no bad time” to travel to Mammoth Cave, as “underground temperatures remain around 54 degrees Fahrenheit year-round.” If you want to experience the cave while avoiding the crowds of summer, plan your trip for the winter. After all, she adds, you “can’t tell if it is a hot sunny day or a cold snowy one” when you’re in the cave.  

Outside the cave, the seasons provide different landscapes and things to see. “From early spring to late fall, trees, wildflowers, fungi, lichen, and mosses bloom throughout the park. Spring kicks off the season with tulip poplar blooms and small wildflowers, like Virginia bluebells,” says Schroer. “Summer sees a variety of colors and sizes emerge from the forests and barrens, such as the purple passionflower, pink blazing stars, and orange milkweed.” Come fall, she says, visitors can expect autumnal foliage as well as the colorful blooms of goldenrod, asters, and black-eyed Susans.

Best Things to Do

Go on a cave tour.

If you’re traveling to Mammoth Cave National Park, your priority is likely the cave itself. And to see this underground formation, you’ll need to join a tour; don’t forget to reserve your ticket in advance online. “There are long tours, like the Grand Avenue or Violet City Lantern tour, that can fill an entire day, or shorter tours, like the Frozen Niagara or Historic Tours, that only take a couple of hours,” says Schroer. “While tours focus on topics like geology or history, each tour is unique to the cave guide who gives it. Guides enrich their tours with curated stories and tales from over 200 years of discoveries and explorations of the famed cave system.”

Paddle the Green and Nolin Rivers Blueway.

More than 30 miles of the Green and Nolin rivers wind through the park as part of the Green and Nolin Rivers Blueway. “This popular riverway offers a wonderful opportunity to see the park from the seat of a canoe or kayak. Paddlers can explore scenic flat waters with gravel bars, islands, and back channels or visit riverside caves that are accessible at lower water levels,” says Schroer, adding that “wildlife is abundant along the river as it is one of the most biologically diverse waterways in the United States.” Rent a canoe or kayak from Caveland Kayak & Canoe, Green River Canoeing and Kayaking, or Adventures of Mammoth Cave, and head to Dennison Ferry, Green River Ferry (temporarily closed), or Houchin Ferry to access the Green River.

Hike, bike, or explore on horseback.

Visitors can also choose to see the park via two feet or on two wheels—or atop a horse. “Mammoth Cave National Park has over 85 miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails that provide scenic views of the landscape and chances to learn about the geology and history of the area,” says Schroer. “Whether it is a leisurely hike between cave tours or embarking on a more challenging journey through the park’s backcountry, the park’s vistas and lush forests offer a perfect escape for nature lovers.” Double J Riding Stables and Campground is currently the only authorized operator of guided horseback tours through the park.

Best Hikes

Cedar Sink Trail 

“Cedar Sink Trail is a short one-mile round-trip trail that traverses into, and out of, an enormous sinkhole, which immerses visitors into the unique cave and karst landscape of the southcentral Kentucky region,” says Schroer. “It is also a popular location to view wildflowers in the spring and summer.” Just come prepared to handle nearly 300 steps on the hike. 

Sloan’s Crossing Pond

“A visit to Sloan’s Crossing Pond is a perfect option for visitors with accessibility concerns or very young children who may not wish to walk very far,” says Schroer. She adds that it’s a good spot to see turtles, frogs, and red-winged blackbirds, as the 0.4-mile wheelchair accessible boardwalk “travels around the edge of a marshy pond where several wayside exhibits explain the pond’s unique wetland environment.”

Green River Bluffs Trail 

“Green River Bluffs Trail is a scenic 1.3-mile hike through the forested areas that run above and up to the Green River,” says Schroer. “The Green River Bluffs Overlook along the trail provides one of the best views of Green River as it winds its way through the park.”  

Where to Stay

Campgrounds

“For a more rugged experience, the park offers three developed campgrounds and several backcountry campsites,” says Schroer. The front country campgrounds—Mammoth Cave, Maple Springs, and Houchin Ferry—have sites that can be reserved online. Houchin Ferry is open year-round, and the season for Mammoth Cave and Maple Springs starts March 1 and runs through Nov. 30. The 13 designated backcountry campsites are reachable by boat, hike, or horseback ride, and require a permit. 

The Lodge at Mammoth Cave

Not interested in camping but want to sleep overnight in the park? You’ve got options. “Inside the park, guests will find both historic and modern cabins and motel rooms provided by the Lodge at Mammoth Cave,” says Schroer. “These accommodations are centrally located near the visitor center, trail system, and cave tours. Recent improvements have been made to several of their lodging options, including the construction of new modern cabins that sleep eight to 10 people and feature a full kitchen and living room.”

Where to Eat

Green River Grill & Bar

You’ll find the Green River Grill & Bar inside The Lodge at Mammoth Cave. Open from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, the three-star certified Green Restaurant is a simple eatery serving up sandwiches, soups, salads, and burgers. 

Maple Springs Coffee & Gift Shop

As its name implies, the Maple Springs Coffee & Gift Shop, open 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., is your go-to for a caffeine fix and a memorable souvenir. 

The Lantern Café & Ice Cream Parlor

Also inside the loge, The Lantern Café and Ice Cream Parlor ​​is open seasonally. It’s a convenient stop when you need something quick—it has grab-and-go lunch options—or something sweet after your cave tour, hike, or paddle.