Blair Spring Hollow Trail in the backcountry of Mammoth Cave National Park

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If you plan to hike in the backcountry of Mammoth Cave National Park, do not rely on the map that comes with the free park brochure. Purchase the weatherproof map by National Geographic that is available in the Visitor Center book store (it is also available from various online retailers). This map has more detail, and it is going to last much longer than the paper map. I hiked most trails in the backcountry using the National Geographic map, and it’s nearly as good as new.

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Length:  1.8 mile (one way)
Time:  1 hour
Difficulty: Somewhere between easy and moderate
Suitable for Horses: Yes

The Blair Spring Hollow Trail in the backcountry of Mammoth Cave National Park is a 1.8-mile hiking and equestrian trail that runs between the Collie Ridge Trail and the Wet Prong Trail. It is more suited for horses than humans due to numerous mudholes created by horses churning up the dirt in near-perpetual wet areas on the trail. Those on foot should only hike it if camping at the Ferguson Backcountry Campsite. If that is your destination, it is best to limit your travels along the Blair Spring Hollow Trail by taking the Wet Prong Trail starting at the First Creek Trailhead. From there it is only a 1.3-mile hike, and the Wet Prong is a much nicer trail.

Blair Spring Hollow Trail map (click to enlarge)

I began my hike on the Blair Spring Hollow Trail at the intersection with the Wet Prong Trail. There are no directional or trail identification signs at this intersection, so without a map in hand you might not know where you are. I was hiking northwest on the Wet Prong Trail towards the Blair Spring Hollow Trail, and in that direction the Wet Prong Trail dead ends at a T-intersection, with a left leading back to the First Creek Trailhead and a right being the Blair Spring Hollow Trail. If you are coming from the First Creek Trailhead, you actually must turn right to stay on the Wet Prong Trail. Keeping straight naturally puts you on the Blair Spring Hollow Trail.

Intersection of the Wet Prong and Blair Spring Hollow Trail when hiking northwest from the intersection of the Wet Prong and McCoy Hollow trails, Mammoth Cave National Park

While the intersection is not marked, it is easy to tell which trail is which. The Wet Prong Trail is wide and inviting. The Blair Spring Hollow Trail is much narrower with gully-like terrain. It heads downhill for two tenths of a mile before reaching the bottom at the confluence of Ferguson Creek and Wet Prong (a small creek). The descent is only moderate in difficulty, but the trail itself is somewhat rutty, and it gets worse (more rocks) the closer it gets to the creeks.

Blair Spring Hollow Trail at the intersection with the Wet Prong Trail, Mammoth Cave National Park

Blair Spring Hollow Trail south of the confluence of the Wet Prong and Ferguson Creek, Mammoth Cave National Park

At the bottom of the hill is a beach-like area where the trail crosses a creek—which one, I am not sure. Google Maps shows it crossing Ferguson Creek. A hiking app I use shows the trail forking before crossing any creek (which is definitely not correct). The printed National Geographic map appears to show the trail crossing Ferguson Creek as well. However, I believe it crosses Wet Prong. Regardless, there is only one place to cross, and there are enough stepping stones for those with hiking boots on to reach the other side without getting their feet wet as long as the water level is low. I had on waterproof hiking boots and had no problem, but those in tennis shoes may well come away with wet shoes and socks.

Blair Spring Hollow Trail at the confluence of Ferguson Creek and Wet Prong in the backcountry of Mammoth Cave National Park

Blair Spring Hollow Trail crosses Wet Prong, Mammoth Cave National Park

The Blair Spring Hollow Trail immediately forks on the other side of the creek. Per Google Maps and the National Geographic map, a left is the trail to the Ferguson Campsite and a right is the Blair Spring Hollow Trail, which supposedly crosses Wet Prong just up ahead. This is where trouble comes into paradise, because I don’t think either is correct. The trail to the left crosses back over one of the creeks, which per the maps is a crossing that shouldn’t exist. This is more in line with my hiking app, which shows a left crossing over Ferguson Creek to get to the campsite and a right, the Blair Spring Hollow Trail, crossing the Wet Prong. The only problem is that the app never showed the first crossing (the one I actually did).

If a left did indeed lead to the campground, the creek was KNEE DEEP in that direction. There was no way across short of wading, and I wasn’t exactly sure if there even was a trail on the other side. The routes of all campsite trails within Mammoth Cave National Park are marked with orange blazes. These are typically paint splotches or colored markers on trees that serve as Hansel and Gretel breadcrumbs. There are no orange blazes in sight on the trail to the left. If I am a camper, and I have to wade across a creek to get to my campsite, I need some assurance that I am actually heading in the right direction before doing so. I wanted to get to the Ferguson Campsite so that I could photograph it, but I wasn’t about to cross that creek and get soaking wet. A friend of mine who hiked the trail claimed he saw orange blazes in an entirely different area along the creek bank. I saw nothing but the original creek crossing and the fork immediately after. So good luck finding the Ferguson Campsite if that’s where you are heading.

Equally confusing is that there is no creek to cross when taking a right on the Blair Spring Hollow Trail, as two of the maps indicate. However, I know a right turn is the Blair Spring Hollow Trail because there is a blue blaze, and blue is the blaze color for all hiking trails in the backcountry of Mammoth Cave.

Blair Spring Hollow Trail just after crossing Wet Prong, Mammoth Cave National Park

For the next .4 mile the Blair Spring Hollow Trail runs along the Wet Prong, though not within sight distance. Other than one very short-but-steep hill, the trail is like hiking a kiddie rollercoaster—plenty of minor ups and downs. However, the trail is somewhat of a mess. It continues to follow a gully for much of the way, but worse are the mud pits that seem to come one after another.

Typical gully-like terrain on the Blair Spring Hollow Trail in the backcountry of Mammoth Cave National Park

One of many mudholes on the Blair Spring Hollow Trail in the backcountry of Mammoth Cave National Park

Even if the mud is dry, there are hoof prints six inches deep, so it is still very difficult to walk across the mudholes without twisting an ankle. If it has rained in the last week, expect mud (I did the hike two days after rain). To complicate matters, most of the mud pits have multiple side trails around them that were worn into the ground by previous hikers, which goes to show that they are muddy more often than not. There are oftentimes so many side trails that it’s hard to figure out what’s what. And sometimes the mud holes are so wide that the side trails simply lead through the least muddy spot because the vegetation is too thick to make a wider circle.

If you are on a horse, it’s no big deal. But on foot it’s not the most pleasant hiking experience. At least the trail is not overgrown like some of the other trails in the Mammoth Cave backcountry, and in truth, only the mudholes keep the Blair Spring Hollow Trail from being an enjoyable hike. There are a few trails in the backcountry that aren’t suitable for man or beast.

Once the trail veers from Wet Prong, the next half mile is just a long, steady uphill climb with a few level reprieves. If referencing the trail map, this hill is located along the entire finger-like protrusion at the northern section of the trail. The good thing about the hills is there are no mud pits. There are, however, some on the level areas. I came across three on the way up.

Typical terrain on the northern section of the Blair Spring Hollow Trail in the backcountry of Mammoth Cave

The last .7 mile of the Blair Spring Hollow Trail is back to being a kiddie rollercoaster, and most of the hills are so nominal that you might as well consider it level ground. The trail continues to follow along a sunken path, and while the surface is fairly smooth, there is a lot of sandy soil that is ripe for becoming a mudhole. And yes, there are still mudholes, but definitely not as many.

Terrain at the eastern end of the Blair Spring Hollow Trail in Mammoth Cave National Park

Mudhole at the eastern end of the Blair Spring Hollow Trail in Mammoth Cave National Park

The Blair Spring Hollow Trail eventually ends at a four-way intersection with the Collie Ridge Trail and the Raymer Hollow Trail. There is a picnic table and hitching posts at the intersection.

End of the Blair Spring Hollow Trail at the intersection with the Collie Ridge Trail, Mammoth Cave National Park

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