Mammoth Cave National Park

National Park Service, Kentucky.

Rolling hills, deep river valleys, and the world's longest known cave system. Mammoth Cave National Park is home to thousands of years of human history and a rich diversity of plant and animal life, earning it the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve.

Camping and Day Use

  • Houchin Ferry Campground
  • Mammoth Cave Campground
  • Mammoth Picnic Shelters
  • Maple Springs
  • Mammoth Cave Backcountry Camping

Activities and Experiences

  • Mammoth Cave National Park Floyd Collins History Tour
  • Mammoth Cave National Park Tours

Nearby Activities

  • Biking
  • Camping
  • Fishing
  • Hiking
  • Horse Camping
  • Horseback Riding
  • Paddling
  • Swimming

Directions

DO NOT FOLLOW YOUR GPS! From the North: Take Interstate 65 to Exit 53 (Cave City Exit). Turn right onto KY-70. Follow 70/255 as it becomes the Mammoth Cave Parkway in the park. Follow the Mammoth Cave Parkway to the Visitor Center. From the South: Take Interstate 65 to Exit 48 (Park City Exit). Turn left onto KY-255 and follow 255 as it becomes the Park City Road into the park. Follow Park City Road until it joins the Mammoth Cave Parkway; turn left. Follow the Mammoth Cave Parkway to the Visitor Center.

Additional Information

  • Mammoth Cave National Park Official Website
  • Mammoth Cave National Park Map

Photo Gallery

  • Waterfall at Historic EntranceThe sound of falling water welcomes visitors into the natural entrance of Mammoth Cave.
  • Gothic AvenueOver two hundred years of guided tours leads to the history of Mammoth Cave.
  • Green River ValleyRolling hills and valleys can be seen from many of the overlooks in the park.
  • Good Spring Baptist ChurchThree historic church structures still stand, shedding light on the pre-park communities that once existed here.
  • Cleaveland AvenueThe network of cave passages in the Mammoth Cave system stretches over 400 miles.
  • Historic EntranceThe Historic Entrance to Mammoth Cave has welcomed explorers for centuries.
  • Heritage TrailThe half-mile Heritage Trail leads to panoramic views of the Green River.
  • Heritage TrailThe half-mile Heritage Trail leads to panoramic views of the Green River.
  • Mammoth Cave - Dripstone WallDripstone formations create a panoply of textures in the Frozen Niagara section of Mammoth Cave as slowly dripping water redeposits dissolved limestone over the course of centuries. Image is a panoramic composite.
  • Wonder in Mammoth CaveMammoth Cave's shadows have beckoned the explorer deep within its visitors for geneerations, asking the question "Where does that lead? What lies in the dark places?" The questions remain as compelling today as they did for the first explorers.
  • Green River in Mammoth Cave National ParkMore than 30 miles of the Green and Nolin Rivers course through Mammoth Cave NP, representing one of the most biologically diverse river systems in the Eastern United States. Their languid waters are a magnet for canoeist, kayakers and anglers.
  • Fog at the Historic Entrance of Mammoth CaveA layer of mist hangs over a small tour group gathered at the Historic Entrance of Mammoth Cave on a summer day - it both delights the skin and fogs spectacles, and gives a sense that one is on the threshold of another world.
  • Frances Benjamin Johnston Enters Mammoth Cave in 1892Frances Benjamin Johnston and her photographic expedition enter the Historic Entrance of Mammoth Cave, 1892.

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