Complete vacation planning information for your trip to Mammoth Cave National Park is now on National Park Planner.
Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky is home to the largest cave system in the world. To date, 426 miles of passageways have been mapped, all of which roughly fall within a 7-square-mile area. Cave tours, which cover roughly 12 miles of the passageways, are the main draw to the park. Some focus on the history of Mammoth Cave while others focus on the geology. Most are held within Mammoth Cave itself, but there are two tours held in other caves within the park boundary. Visitors also have the option to attend lantern tours so they can experience the cave just as early visitors did—by lantern light.
What many visitors to Mammoth Cave National Park do not realize is that there is much more to do than tour caves. There are plenty of hiking trails just outside the Visitor Center that lead to interesting features such as springs and small cave entrances (you can’t go inside). Across the Green River is the backcountry of Mammoth Cave, and here there are 60 miles of trails open to both hikers and horseback riders. There is even one trail of substantial length that is open to mountain bikers.
Twenty-five miles of the Green River and seven and a half miles of the Nolin River flow through the park, providing visitors with plenty of paddling opportunities. Backcountry camping on the islands and banks of the rivers allows for overnight paddling trips.
There are three established campgrounds within the park, with the largest and most popular being the Mammoth Cave Campground near the Visitor Center. Hikers can also camp at thirteen different campsites in the backcountry.
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Last updated on October 11, 2024
