Southern trailhead for the Dixon Cave Trail at the Historic Entrance of Mammoth Cave

Length:  .3 mile
Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate

The Dixon Cave Trail is located on the south side of the Green River near the Mammoth Cave National Park Visitor Center. It is an out-and-back trail that can only be reached by hiking other trails first. It is accessible from the Green River Bluffs Trail (northern trailhead) and by taking the paved path from the Visitor Center that leads down to the Historic Entrance of Mammoth Cave (southern trailhead). There is also a short connector trail from the main parking lot of the Mammoth Cave Picnic Area. I hiked The Dixon Cave Trail as part of a loop that started out on the Green River Bluffs Trail at the picnic area, continued on the River Styx Spring Trail to the Historic Entrance, and ended back at the picnic area via the Dixon Cave Trail / Picnic Area connector.

Dixon Cave Trail map (click to enlarge)

I picked up the Dixon Cave Trail at the Historic Entrance. It starts off up a short hill, and at the top is a path that branches off to the right. There is no sign identifying it, which nearly all trails at Mammoth Cave have, so just ignore it and continue straight. I have no idea what this side trail is or where it leads to.

Southern trailhead for the Dixon Cave Trail at the Historic Entrance to Mammoth Cave

After the initial hill, the Dixon Cave Trail covers level-to-slightly downhill terrain for the next .2 mile. It is a gravel trail with a few rocks and roots here and there, but in general this section is quite smooth and easy to hike.

Typical terrain at the southern end of the Dixon Cave Trail at Mammoth Cave National Park

Less than a tenth of a mile before coming to the actual Dixon Cave, the trail starts to climb once again, and it also gets a little rockier.

Dixon Cave Trail just south of Dixon Cave, Mammoth Cave National Park

A platform takes hikers up to a view of the Dixon Cave entrance. It was once connected to Mammoth Cave a million years ago, but a sinkhole formed, and the debris separated the two. When counting the length of Mammoth Cave, if a section that was previously connected is no longer connected, it is now considered a separate cave and does not count when calculating the overall length of Mammoth Cave.

Staircase up to an observation deck with a view of the Dixon Cave entrance, Mammoth Cave National Park

Entrance to Dixon Cave, Mammoth Cave National Park

Just past the cave observation deck is the connector trail to the picnic area. It is a tenth of a mile long and uphill all the way, with steps and staircases taking hikers up the entire hill. If you stay straight, you will connect to the Green River Bluffs Trail. This section of the Dixon Cave Trail is also uphill.

Connector trail between the Dixon Cave Trail and the Mammoth Cave Picnic Area

Connector trail between the Dixon Cave Trail and the Mammoth Cave Picnic Area

Once you reach the Mammoth Cave Picnic Area, just make your way to wherever you parked. I started my loop hike at the Green River Bluffs Trail across the street from the Mammoth Cave Environmental Education Center, so I still had another .2 mile walk ahead of me.

Connector to the Dixon Cave Trail from the Mammoth Cave Picnic Area

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