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Completely utterly speechless with this experience! Its been a lifelong dream of mine to see the longest cave in the world (425 miles long) and today I got to experience it and it was unbelievable! I've been to many many national parks and this one is probably now my favorite! I signed up awhile back for their wild cave tour which is their most strenuous, difficult tour. This tour when I showed up this morning was sold out so I am glad I booked it in advance. This tour also only runs 3 days/week. Our NPS rangers Alex and Lizette were awesome! They were great trip leaders and I would come back anytime just to do the wild cave tour with them again. I was skeptical this would be a strenuous tour as NPS tends to grade their events harder than they really are but this was a pretty accurate depiction of this tour. If you aren't physically fit, or able to fit into tight spaces, this tour isnt going to work for you. Its also basically 5 hours of hardcore horizontal caving, so keep that in mind. I kind of lucked out with my group as most were younger and fairly fit. I might have been the oldest person on this tour. We did a lot of crawling, climbing, scrambling and fancy footwork. I probably sweated out a couple of liters for sure. Everything I was wearing was soaked in sweat. Everyone in our group kept up and the rangers even told us after that our group was really awesome and invited us to come back anytime to this wild cave tour with them! Cool! The visitor center is pretty big and they offer so many cave tours, which is quite overwhelming. They have tons of gift shops so take your choice in where you want to shop. What's also great is that the Park Store is here too! This was a phenomenal experience and its just an above and beyond experience. Definitely come check it out!
We had to cancel Mammoth Cave twice, but so glad we were able to come. We enjoyed the two our tour and a break from the heat in a 54 degree cave. There is over 640 steps and areas to squeeze through/dunk/sideways around. We had several wow moments. The pictures don't do it justice. I would definitely return and do the longer tour.
I highly recommend this park. While I didn't do the cave tour, the park itself is very accessible for visitors with strollers or wheelchairs. There are plenty of beautiful birds and an abundance of butterflies. The employees in the gift shop were very nice, and there were plenty of great spots for photo opportunities.
This was our objective coming from Texas and it was pretty cool....Super friendly....great visitor center with lots of knick knacks....I bought the tickets on line and did have to screen shot them as there is Zero service outside the center....Cave was vast with lots of great info on our tour....personally not as challenging as they warn but you still break a sweat...I do have to say it was a bit underwhelming to other caves we have visited...not many "structures/formations" underground as we hoped....Now we only did the Historical tour so Im not sure about the other tours...The low hang zig zag section was cool...still a very enjoyable visit for us and were glad we made the drive from Texas.
Sometimes, restaurants, bars, and other attractions don't want too much hype on social media because they don't want to become overrun with tourists. The National Park Service will tell you that "A world of regret awaits you at Mammoth Cave!" Just sayin.
Worth every minute of the drive. Great guides. Great tour. Really neat to see everything. Even went a 2nd time and would go again if it came up.
Longest cave system in the world [Mammoth Cave KY] There are over 400 miles of explored caverns and passages offering both guided as well as self-guided tours. They range from 30 minutes to five hours. We grabbed a map at the Visitors Center with names of the different tours listed on the back of the page. Touring the cave is the main attraction so take your pick from 15 different tours. It was a bit overwhelming trying to choose from such a long list. The tours are seasonal and not necessarily offered year-round. Since we were on a tight schedule we chose to do the Discovery Self-Guided Tour. This is a 30-min tour with a total stairs of 160 steps and is offered during the busy summer months for visitors who just want a quick visit to Mammoth Cave. It advisable to dress in layers. While it was a sunny 79° at the park, inside the caves is a constant 54°F year-round. Brrr! Bats dwell inside of the cave but a disease called White-Nose Syndrome has drastically reduced their numbers. At the end of the tour, we had to walk across medicated mats to help avoid the spread of this disease (this disease does not affect humans). Review #3918
Who doesn't love a national park cave!? It's crazy as you wander thru here and they state they have mapped out 400+ miles of pathways. I thought it was closer to freeway but you soon realize it's a bit of a trek. Plenty of parking. You can purchase the tour tickets on site or online. Facilities are nice but a good majority(if not all of them?) of the interactive museum features were 'not functioning' so just wander and read all the details and stories posted along the walls. It's crazy that the place was a tourist attraction way back in the day. You'd have to plan for being on the roads for probably days to get here. Tour was cool. Very pretty. Out ranger was super personable and seemed to love his job so that's nice. Glad we decided to drop by and check it out on our way back from Chattanooga.
What an amazing experience. The Domes and Dripstones tour was 2 hours long and explained how the caves were formed, along with history of the area and the geology around it. Dave was funny and informative and took time to answer all questions. It ends with an area full of stalactites and stalagmites. The other cool part, is that they allow you to take pictures!
Huge cave, very impressive. The "historic tour" is a fun and easy way to face your claustrophobia and other spelunking-related fears.
For many, the mighty Bluegrass State conjures ribbons of pastureland speckled with herds of grazing thoroughbreds and savoring a proper mint julep with Derby hats (optional). However, Kentucky is also home to such an incredible collection of caves thanks to its particular karst topography--rich in porous limestone. Located about a 30-minute drive from Bowling Green, Mammoth Cave boasts over 412 miles of mapped caverns to date, making it the world's longest known cave system, and the park estimates another 600 miles may still be waiting to be discovered. My partner, his family, and I were lucky enough to descend into the earth via the Historic Entrance and discover the rare beauty and mystery of the cave for a self-guided tour with rangers stationed at key points. The reservation was easily made by connecting with the website. All tours begin and end at the new Visitor Center. Oh yes, and be sure to pack a jacket if one plans to tour underground! The cave maintains the average yearly temperature of the area, so it stays around 55°. This natural wonder is a World Heritage Site and should be on everyone's list of must-have experiences among Kentucky's most popular attractions, which we could recommend this place.
I had never been to Mammoth Caves after driving past on previous road trips so we made plans specifically around a trip to Mammoth Caves. We were not disappointed. First of all, admittedly I am more at peace in a big city but found the scenery in the national park amazing. I spent more time on national park grounds this trip than all previous park trips and I would do it again. The plan was to visit the park on 2 seperate days. The first day, we arrived in the afternoon for our Domes and Dripstones tour. After the initial climb down 300 steps, the caves opened up to well groomed trails. Our specific guide was warm and welcoming and kept the large group of ~100 people engaged throughout. The next day, we spent a lot of time in and around the park. Hiking, picnicking, and enjoying nature paved the way for our second tour, Violet City. This 3 hour, lantern led tour has visitors hiking in this section of the cave without electricity. This tour transports you back to a time of early cave visitors when torches were used to navigate through it. Highlights of this tour were the 2 water falls that were cleverly lit with only flashlights providing visitors a truly awe inspiring experience. This is a very rigorous tour so be prepared. The tour namesake is only seen for the last few seconds of the tour so a rename could be considered. The visitor center and surrounding complex are well kept with both cave exhibits, restaurants, restrooms and gift shops for all your trip swag.
I've visited here a few times and I think Mammoth Cave National Park is one of my favorite national parks! We've done everything from camping, hiking, picnicking, multiple cave tours and of course browsing the gift shops. This particular trip we went on the domes & dripstones tour and the violet city tour. Both were amazing tours with the best & knowledgeable ranger tour guides. Both tours were slightly challenging at times navigating through steep hills and tight spaces in the caves. The lanterns added an element of charm but I also loved viewing the caves in all its grandeur with the lights on. It's great how the NPS can provide multiple tours and still have so much history/ information without any overlap. We all loved our cave experiences! There are also multiple hiking trails within and all very well maintained. There are some somewhat challenging hills but the trails we did would be considered achievable by any skill level. Mammoth Caves is one I'd highly recommend if you get the chance, if even just for a few hours. The experience is truly epic and one you'll never forget!
I wish I just day tripped it and did not spend money to stay the night. I was travelling solo and this was my last stop before heading back to Maryland. I was arriving from St. Louis. I booked one of the historic cottages to stay the night and planned on hanging out in the bar on site. When I first arrived my cottage wasn't ready to check in yet and I still had a couple hours until my tour. I went to the restaurant and sat at the bar. I was informed that they did not have a bartender but the servers were rotating serving the guests at the bar. I was promptly greeted by the waitress but ultimately moved to a table because the chairs are not tall enough for the height of the bar. It would have been extremely awkward and uncomfortable to eat up there. I had a salad and sweet potato fries and two IPA beers. Everything was delicious and the service was great. I went on the Historic Cave tour which was great. I wish I remembered the rangers name who gave the tour because he was amazing and hilarious! After the tour we (another solo traveler and I) planned to go to the bar and grab a drink before she hit the road for her next stop. Upon arrival to the restaurant, the bar was open but the host (who admitted he was new and did not know what he was doing) refused to let us sit there. He said there was no bartender. I told him earlier they allowed people to sit there and the servers helped. He said they only had 3 servers so he handed us a buzzer to wait for a table. The restaurant had half of its tables open. She decided she didn't want to wait so she left. I was then frustrated because I did not want to sit at a table alone again so I ordered food to go and ate in my cabin. There is no service in the cabins because you are in the middle of nowhere. As a solo female traveler I rely on meeting people at restaurants by sitting at the bar. This on site restaurant clearly was not staffed well enough to accommodate their guests in the middle of the summer when everyone is travelling. The other stores that served coffee and ice cream were closed by the time I finished my 3:30 tour. The prices in the gift shop were extremely high and I refused to pay for a magnet that was $12.00. I ended up going to bed super early and hit the road at 3 am because there was nothing else to do. For these reasons and more, I would have preferred to come for my tour and left to stay somewhere else. read more
3 months ago
The Domes & Dripstones Tour at Mammoth Cave National Park was easily one of the highlights of our trip to Kentucky. If you're looking for a cave tour that combines incredible scenery, fascinating geology, and a bit of a workout, this is the one to book. The ranger-guided tour is well organized and packed with interesting information about the cave's history, formations, and the natural processes that shaped this underground world over millions of years. The descent into the cave through the natural sinkhole entrance is an adventure in itself, and while the 638-640 stairs sound intimidating, they're absolutely worth it. The highlight for us was Frozen Niagara. The stunning collection of stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, and delicate cave curtains is unlike anything we've ever seen. It's amazing to think these formations were created one drop of water at a time over thousands of years. Throughout the tour, the massive domes and enormous passageways constantly reminded us why Mammoth Cave is the world's longest known cave system. The guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and happy to answer questions, making the experience both educational and enjoyable. The cave's constant 54-degree temperature also makes it a comfortable activity no matter the season. Be prepared for plenty of stairs and wear comfortable shoes, but don't let that discourage you. The tour is paced well, with opportunities to stop and admire the scenery along the way. If you're visiting Mammoth Cave National Park, the Domes & Dripstones Tour is an unforgettable experience and one we would enthusiastically recommend to anyone looking for a memorable underground adventure. Five stars! Check out our video on our socials @reessroots read more
Completely utterly speechless with this experience! Its been a lifelong dream of mine to see the longest cave in the world (425 miles long) and today I got to experience it and it was unbelievable! I've been to many many national parks and this one is probably now my favorite! I signed up awhile back for their wild cave tour which is their most strenuous, difficult tour. This tour when I showed up this morning was sold out so I am glad I booked it in advance. This tour also only runs 3 days/week. Our NPS rangers Alex and Lizette were awesome! They were great trip leaders and I would come back anytime just to do the wild cave tour with them again. I was skeptical this would be a strenuous tour as NPS tends to grade their events harder than they really are but this was a pretty accurate depiction of this tour. If you aren't physically fit, or able to fit into tight spaces, this tour isnt going to work for you. Its also basically 5 hours of hardcore horizontal caving, so keep that in mind. I kind of lucked out with my group as most were younger and fairly fit. I might have been the oldest person on this tour. We did a lot of crawling, climbing, scrambling and fancy footwork. I probably sweated out a couple of liters for sure. Everything I was wearing was soaked in sweat. Everyone in our group kept up and the rangers even told us after that our group was really awesome and invited us to come back anytime to this wild cave tour with them! Cool! The visitor center is pretty big and they offer so many cave tours, which is quite overwhelming. They have tons of gift shops so take your choice in where you want to shop. What's also great is that the Park Store is here too! This was a phenomenal experience and its just an above and beyond experience. Definitely come check it out! read more
We had to cancel Mammoth Cave twice, but so glad we were able to come. We enjoyed the two our tour and a break from the heat in a 54 degree cave. There is over 640 steps and areas to squeeze through/dunk/sideways around. We had several wow moments. The pictures don't do it justice. I would definitely return and do the longer tour. read more
I highly recommend this park. While I didn't do the cave tour, the park itself is very accessible for visitors with strollers or wheelchairs. There are plenty of beautiful birds and an abundance of butterflies. The employees in the gift shop were very nice, and there were plenty of great spots for photo opportunities. read more
This was our objective coming from Texas and it was pretty cool....Super friendly....great visitor center with lots of knick knacks....I bought the tickets on line and did have to screen shot them as there is Zero service outside the center....Cave was vast with lots of great info on our tour....personally not as challenging as they warn but you still break a sweat...I do have to say it was a bit underwhelming to other caves we have visited...not many "structures/formations" underground as we hoped....Now we only did the Historical tour so Im not sure about the other tours...The low hang zig zag section was cool...still a very enjoyable visit for us and were glad we made the drive from Texas. read more
1 month ago
Sometimes, restaurants, bars, and other attractions don't want too much hype on social media because they don't want to become overrun with tourists. The National Park Service will tell you that "A world of regret awaits you at Mammoth Cave!" Just sayin. read more
2 months ago
Worth every minute of the drive. Great guides. Great tour. Really neat to see everything. Even went a 2nd time and would go again if it came up. read more
Longest cave system in the world [Mammoth Cave KY] There are over 400 miles of explored caverns and passages offering both guided as well as self-guided tours. They range from 30 minutes to five hours. We grabbed a map at the Visitors Center with names of the different tours listed on the back of the page. Touring the cave is the main attraction so take your pick from 15 different tours. It was a bit overwhelming trying to choose from such a long list. The tours are seasonal and not necessarily offered year-round. Since we were on a tight schedule we chose to do the Discovery Self-Guided Tour. This is a 30-min tour with a total stairs of 160 steps and is offered during the busy summer months for visitors who just want a quick visit to Mammoth Cave. It advisable to dress in layers. While it was a sunny 79° at the park, inside the caves is a constant 54°F year-round. Brrr! Bats dwell inside of the cave but a disease called White-Nose Syndrome has drastically reduced their numbers. At the end of the tour, we had to walk across medicated mats to help avoid the spread of this disease (this disease does not affect humans). Review #3918 read more
Who doesn't love a national park cave!? It's crazy as you wander thru here and they state they have mapped out 400+ miles of pathways. I thought it was closer to freeway but you soon realize it's a bit of a trek. Plenty of parking. You can purchase the tour tickets on site or online. Facilities are nice but a good majority(if not all of them?) of the interactive museum features were 'not functioning' so just wander and read all the details and stories posted along the walls. It's crazy that the place was a tourist attraction way back in the day. You'd have to plan for being on the roads for probably days to get here. Tour was cool. Very pretty. Out ranger was super personable and seemed to love his job so that's nice. Glad we decided to drop by and check it out on our way back from Chattanooga. read more
What an amazing experience. The Domes and Dripstones tour was 2 hours long and explained how the caves were formed, along with history of the area and the geology around it. Dave was funny and informative and took time to answer all questions. It ends with an area full of stalactites and stalagmites. The other cool part, is that they allow you to take pictures! read more
For many, the mighty Bluegrass State conjures ribbons of pastureland speckled with herds of grazing thoroughbreds and savoring a proper mint julep with Derby hats (optional). However, Kentucky is also home to such an incredible collection of caves thanks to its particular karst topography--rich in porous limestone. Located about a 30-minute drive from Bowling Green, Mammoth Cave boasts over 412 miles of mapped caverns to date, making it the world's longest known cave system, and the park estimates another 600 miles may still be waiting to be discovered. My partner, his family, and I were lucky enough to descend into the earth via the Historic Entrance and discover the rare beauty and mystery of the cave for a self-guided tour with rangers stationed at key points. The reservation was easily made by connecting with the website. All tours begin and end at the new Visitor Center. Oh yes, and be sure to pack a jacket if one plans to tour underground! The cave maintains the average yearly temperature of the area, so it stays around 55°. This natural wonder is a World Heritage Site and should be on everyone's list of must-have experiences among Kentucky's most popular attractions, which we could recommend this place. read more
I had never been to Mammoth Caves after driving past on previous road trips so we made plans specifically around a trip to Mammoth Caves. We were not disappointed. First of all, admittedly I am more at peace in a big city but found the scenery in the national park amazing. I spent more time on national park grounds this trip than all previous park trips and I would do it again. The plan was to visit the park on 2 seperate days. The first day, we arrived in the afternoon for our Domes and Dripstones tour. After the initial climb down 300 steps, the caves opened up to well groomed trails. Our specific guide was warm and welcoming and kept the large group of ~100 people engaged throughout. The next day, we spent a lot of time in and around the park. Hiking, picnicking, and enjoying nature paved the way for our second tour, Violet City. This 3 hour, lantern led tour has visitors hiking in this section of the cave without electricity. This tour transports you back to a time of early cave visitors when torches were used to navigate through it. Highlights of this tour were the 2 water falls that were cleverly lit with only flashlights providing visitors a truly awe inspiring experience. This is a very rigorous tour so be prepared. The tour namesake is only seen for the last few seconds of the tour so a rename could be considered. The visitor center and surrounding complex are well kept with both cave exhibits, restaurants, restrooms and gift shops for all your trip swag. read more
1 year ago
I've visited here a few times and I think Mammoth Cave National Park is one of my favorite national parks! We've done everything from camping, hiking, picnicking, multiple cave tours and of course browsing the gift shops. This particular trip we went on the domes & dripstones tour and the violet city tour. Both were amazing tours with the best & knowledgeable ranger tour guides. Both tours were slightly challenging at times navigating through steep hills and tight spaces in the caves. The lanterns added an element of charm but I also loved viewing the caves in all its grandeur with the lights on. It's great how the NPS can provide multiple tours and still have so much history/ information without any overlap. We all loved our cave experiences! There are also multiple hiking trails within and all very well maintained. There are some somewhat challenging hills but the trails we did would be considered achievable by any skill level. Mammoth Caves is one I'd highly recommend if you get the chance, if even just for a few hours. The experience is truly epic and one you'll never forget! read more
4 months ago
These caves are so interesting. The tours are vey detailed and the comes are so interesting and cool to explore. The building has a great information museum section. The gift shop has so cool stuff and it is big. Make sure you make a reservation very early. The tours are not hard if you are in shape it is not a good idea if you were very out of shape or crazy tall. The tour we did was 2 hours and 2 miles. It is most an easy walk in open space but there is a lot of section you have to bend down in low sections. There is one section that is very tight. There were people they were pregnant and little kids that did if fine though. I would recommend. read more
Really enjoyed this park. Being in off season, there were limited tours, so i opted for the historic as it fit my schedule best. The park ranger was perfect for this tour and was funny and helpful with questions, etc. This was a pretty doable tour for most folks. read more
Terrific, highly recommend the Domes and Dripstones tour! Shannon and Stewart were great rangers. Shannon facilitated the tour, very knowledgeable and friendly. Highly organized, timely. Friendly people. I did not feel rushed at all. Started with arriving the tourist center. Quick walk to the Shelter where the bus comes to pick us up. Admittedly, got there only 9 min before the tour started so was a little stressed. BUT! Easy place to navigate and we asked a worker right away where to go and it was a quick walk to the shelter. Went on a bus, arrived to the entrance of the cave. Truly an experience once down below. I did not feel like I walked 734 steps, not particularly fatiguing. It was a cool 50 degrees or so. Recommend wearing a light rain jacket for droplets read more
Unfortunately, the government shutdown limited our experience. We were unable to go on our scheduled cave tour and the nearby private caves, while good, are just not at the same level. That said, time spent walking in the woods is always well spent and there are many pleasant walking trails in the park. Mammoth Cave has been on my must-see list for some time; there it will remain until the next opportunity. read more
The scale of this site is Grand Canyon-ish, in nature. It's hard to believe. It is ... well ... MAMMOTH! We only got to do the "self guided" tour, which was about an hour, but self paced. Book your tour well ahead of time. While it is in the middle of KY, without much "city" amenities (Louisville is about an hour away), the park is awesome! One very cool thing is that they have dog boarding. The facilities are minimal (a decently sized cage), it was fine for our doggy. I wanna go back. You should go! Peace! read more
We were pleasantly surprised by this National Park! I have never been in a cave before, so I wasn't sure what to think going into it, but I would love to go back! There is no fee to get in the park, so the hiking trails are free, but to go into the cave you need to book and pay for a tour (~$25-$30 per tour). We went on MLK weekend and it wasn't crowded at all. The Historical Tour was awesome! Not as strenuous as I thought it'd be based on the website descriptions. The "hardest part" was my 6'4" husband having to crouch the whole time and climbing about 5-6 flights of stairs. So much cool information about how the cave helped in the war of 1812 and the past tours of the cave. The Frozen Niagara Tour was also cool, but much shorter and almost completely flat besides an optional section. This was a completely different part of the cave than the historical tour so it was great to see different parts. read more
Great stop on our road trip! This stop could be quick or an all day event; make what you want out of it. They offer lengthy guided tours of all kinds and a self guided tour for those making a quick stop. We opted for the self guided tour for $12 a person and really enjoyed the quick intro to these massive caves. There is a short history walk at the visitor center for the caves and two small gift shops. All of the staff were friendly and helpful. The park has lots of walking and biking trails as well and camp grounds for an all day or lengthy stay. We will return to explore the caves in a guided tour next time! read more
2 years ago
I feel like this is more a man made wonder where the mining paths created something for you to view. May be there are other experiences that are amazing that the self discovery tour. I did this experience followed but Carlsbad Caverns and I personally liked the experience in Carlsbad. Note the experience is great, however within a span of 20 days doing 2 national caves, I definitely preferred the other one more. read more
1 year ago
AMAZING!!! This was our first time touring Mammoth Cave & we loved it! Our tour guide/park ranger was wonderful and a pretty funny guy. We did the historic two hour tour and it flew by. The cave was massive and astonishing. We would love to visit again and do the lantern tour! read more
9 months ago
We did the self guided tour, it was not crowded at all when we went and loved the fact that it was at our own pace. We spent as much time as we wanted in each of the areas. Cool in the caves, we went in March, but had a light jacket and that was plenty. Highly recommend!! read more
2 years ago
We stopped here as we were driving through Kentucky. No entrance fee but there is a fee depending on the tour you want to take. I would advise getting tickets before you go to make sure you get the tour you want. We took the domes and dripstones tour which was a two hour tour through the caves. There are tight spaces you have to walk through at time and would not be ideal for someone who is claustrophobic. read more
We did the Historic, Gothic, and Drips and Domes tours. The last was by far the best tour. They were all informative and well structured. If you're looking for beautiful formations, these caves are not that. Because they are mostly dry caves, they don't have the beautiful stalactites and stalagmites that wet caves have. It's also the reason this cave is the world's longest. Definitely worth visiting. Personally, three tours were a bit much for me but my buddy really wanted to do the tours. read more
1 year ago
Worth the 1 hour detour (20 min off the freeway + 20 min at the visitor center + 20 min onto the freeway). Its free to park and walk the visitor center. I'm glad I did it. Would do it again 100%. Highly recommend. I was driving from Cincinnati to Memphis and I had spare time until my hotel checkin. Crazy Vibes. Would do it again if I'm in the area. read more
11 months ago
1 year ago
6 months ago
Cave New World Many adventures are begun with a simple question, and the question that led us here to Mammoth Cave NP was when Carissa asked her youngest: If you could go anywhere in the country, where would it be? A few months later, we're driving across the country and end up here in Central KY. It's easy to see why Mammoth Cave would be on many bucket lists to visit, as it has many amazing features: *At over 400 miles, it's the world's longest cave system known to man. *Some parts of the cave date back as far as 10 million years *Almost every type of cave formation is present here. *Surrounded by thousands of acres of pristine forest with a unique biodiversity. But, in order to visit the cave, one needs to book a tour either in advance online or at the visitor center on your date of arrival. Pro Tip: Book ahead if possible, as on the date of our arrival almost every tour was booked but we had, fortunately, booked our tours in advance. There's a plethora of tours available (including a free self-guided tour), and each one is a bit different and costs fluctuate. Here's a review of the two we did: 1) Mammoth Cave National Park Historic Tour ($20/adults $15/Youth [under 16]): If you only have time for one tour, then this should be it as you'll get a really good idea of the immensity of the cave, and you get access to some of the cave's best features. This is a mildly strenuous tour at two miles over 2 hours and 540 total stairs, but it's worth it. 2) Mammoth Cave National Park Violet City Lantern Tour ($25/adults $20/Youth): This tour was really unique as you make your way thru the cave using only a lantern. Yes, you read that right. I mean, obviously, you're with a trained ranger guiding you thru the cave, but definitely not for the faint of heart. But if you're up for an adventure and a short three miles and 200 stairs over three hours, then this tour is for you! The park classifies this as "difficult," but I found it to be anything, but. TLDR: Fantastic park to visit, but make sure you plan and book ahead to get the tours you want. read more
We stayed overnight at the Lodge. Clean rooms. Very quiet. It was nice to be in the park after almost everyone left. We hiked all the trails around the visitor center. All easy. The hike to the River Styx entrance, overlook of the Green River and the Dixon cave were probably the best. The cave is what you really come for. We did the historic and the domes and drip stones tour. The last was the best. read more
We've driven past the Mammoth Cave National Park several times and planned to finally stop there for a tour. After doing some research, I discovered it's best to pre-book tours through their website because the tours sell out, especially during summer months. We did the domes & dripstones tour. The stairs descending were a little treacherous. But the remainder of the tour was fine. There were a couple stops that had seating, which was nice. These tours have way too many people in my opinion. It would also be better on the more difficult tours without children. It ruins the experience. The cave is beautiful, the visitor center is very nice and there are food and snack options. Parking was a bit limited for the amount of people and tours that go through here. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Everybody already knows how gorgeous Mammoth Caves is. I'm here to applaud it for something probably only parents of small children would notice. In the family bathroom, it had one of those little seats you can strap babies and toddlers into when you're done changing them and need to use the bathroom yourself! I've never seen one of these in the United States before. Way to go, guys!! read more
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More info about Mammoth Cave National Park
1 Mammoth Cave Pkwy
Mammoth Cave, KY 42259
Directions
(800) 967-2283
Call Now
Visit Website
http://www.nps.gov/maca/index.htm
Hours
Indoor Amenities
Outdoor Amenities
Other Amenities
Ask the Community - Mammoth Cave National Park
Can a 7 month pregnant woman deal with all the stairs and distance?
Negotiating the walk and minimal steps should not be a problem. However, there are a lot of tripping hazards in a dark environment that could cause problems.
Is the historic tour too long for a 6 year old?
It all depends on the 6 yr old mobility. The historic tour is 2 hrs in length. I'd recommend self guided tour that you can take at your own pace. It's not the terrain that would be difficult it would be the length since it's approximately 2 miles in…
Is there still a cafe along the Grand Avenue Tour? Years ago when I went there, we had lunch in the cave, but haven't seen the cafe mentioned in recent posts.
It wasn't open when we went the week of Memorial Day.
Review Highlights - Mammoth Cave National Park
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