Boasting over 400 miles of explored passageways and subterranean halls, Mammoth Cave is the longest known cave system on Earth and one of America’s oldest tourist attractions.
Kentucky’s scenery encompasses rolling mountains, wide valleys, broad rivers and tumbling waterfalls. The hiking trails are great, the landscapes beautiful.
Its natural features show that the state has more to offer than what its traditional image portrays—bourbon, fried chicken and horse races.
Underneath those peaceful forests and undulating landscapes lies something that may come as quite a surprise to some people. Below the surface of rural Kentucky, you’ll find the world’s most extensive known cave system. There’s a lot of history—both human and natural—to be found here.
Mammoth Cave, actually a collection of linked cave systems, comprises more than 400 miles (650 kilometers) of known passageways, halls and tunnels.
No other cave in the world comes even close to that massive size. In fact, Mammoth Cave is almost twice as long as the world’s second-largest cave system, which is the Sac Actun Cenotes in Mexico.
Mammoth Cave became Mammoth Cave National Park in 1941. Forty years later, it was designated World Heritage by UNESCO.
The cave is unique on the planet not only because of its vastness, but also because of its delicate and fragile cave ecosystems, which depend almost entirely on what happens above ground.
This is why it’s so important to have the surface land protected as well. Mammoth Cave National Park does just that. It protects the entire cave system, as well as parts of the Green River valley and rural landscapes of south central Kentucky.
In 1990, the park also became an International Biosphere Reserve, again indicating both the vulnerability and significance of this amazing place.
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Highlights of Mammoth Cave National Park
Although there are many excellent hiking trails in the woods above ground, the major attraction in this fascinating park is the gigantic cave below. Previously called “a grand, gloomy and peculiar place” by one of the cave’s earliest tourist guides, Stephen Bishop, Mammoth Cave is spectacular.
Cave Tours
The only way to see the caves is on a guided ranger tour. And there are many of those. In fact, there are almost twenty different cave tours on offer.
No matter how much time you can spend in Mammoth Cave National Park, you should do at least one of the cave tours. Frankly, it would be silly to visit Mammoth Cave National Park without heading underground.
These tours range in duration from about twenty minutes to six hours, with pretty much everything in between. There are many different options. This variety in tours ensures that people of all ages and abilities can see a part of this vast cave system.
Recreation.gov, the official booking website for tours and accommodation in most of the American national parks, provides plenty more information. It’s definitely recommend to reserve a spot in advance.
Many tours sell out and you do not want to arrive at the park, walk up to the ticket booth and find out the day’s tours are all fully booked.
When you pre-book your tour, you can simply pick up your tickets when you arrive. You’ll then have some time to explore the park’s visitor center. The exhibits are awesome and watching the film is mandatory.
Other Activities
After your tour, you can head out on one of the trails around the visitor center. The River Styx Spring Trail combined with the Green River and Dixon Cave Trails makes for a nice woodsy loop.
An essential part of Mammoth Cave National Park is the landscapes above ground, so you’re encourage to explore these, too. It’ll give a more complete understanding of what Mammoth Cave National Park is about.
If you have more time, though, you might want to hit some of the park’s several backcountry trails. Bisected by rivers, it’s also a great place for canoeing and kayaking.
It’s actually a marvelous destination for a quiet camping vacation, home to many miles of peaceful hiking trails, great rivers for boating, exceptional cave tours and excellent facilities.
Accommodation Near Mammoth Cave National Park
In addition to three frontcountry campgrounds, Mammoth Cave National Park also has a lodge, appropriately called The Lodge at Mammoth Cave.
The towns surrounding the park also have plenty of accommodation options, from inns and B&Bs to chain motels.
Booking.com
Useful Info
Location: Central Kentucky, United States
Nearest Towns: Brownsville, Cave City and Bowling Green
Area: 82.5 square miles (213.8 square kilometers)
Annual Visitors (2019): 551,590
Features: Immense and endless caves, passageways and halls; lush woods; rivers and streams
Top Attractions: Frozen Niagara, Cathedral Domes, Sand Cave, River Styx Spring, the Big Woods, Chief City, Cave Island, Green River Bluffs Overlook
Popular Activities: Cave touring, hiking, boating, fishing, camping
Suggested Stay: 1-2 days
Campgrounds:
- Mammoth Cave Campground (111 sites)
- Maple Springs Campground (8 sites)
- Houchin Ferry Campground (12 sites)
More Information: National Park Service
(Somewhat) Nearby National Parks:
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio
- Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana
- Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
