Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth Cave National Park was established to preserve its remarkable cave system (the longest recorded cave system in the world), the scenic valleys of the Green and Nolin rivers, and a section of south central Kentucky. A very popular destination for families and day-trippers, the land surrounding the caves affords visitors great fishing and day hiking in addition to all that the underground world has to offer.
At A Glance
In The Park
Superintendent: Patrick H. ReedPhone Number: 270-758-2180
Entrance Fees: Mammoth Passage Tour: $5 (adult), $3.50 (youth), $2.50 (senior); Historic Tour: $12 (adult), $8 (youth), $6 (senior)
Sights: Bottomless Pit; Green River Bluffs Overlook; Nolin River; Fat Man's Misery; Cleaveland Avenue; Mammoth Dome; Old Guide's Cemetery; Turnhole Bend; Rotunda; Engine No. 4; The Big Woods; Chief City; Cave Island; Cedar Sink; Sloan's Crossing Pond; Good Springs Church; Sand Cave; Frozen Niagara; River Styx Spring; Cathedral Domes
Endangered Species: Birds; Crustaceans; Fish; Gastropods; Insects; Mammals; Mussels; Plants; Reptiles
Important Dates
Established as Park: May 25, 1926By The Numbers
Acres: 52,830.00Highest Point: Mammoth Cave Ridge (930 feet)
Annual Visitation: 597,934 (2006)
Location
Latitude / Longitude :37.196590 / -86.142050 (map it)
State: KY
Nearby Big City: Mammoth Cave, KY
Gateway Communities: Mammoth Cave, KY; Park City, KY; Cave City, KY; Rocky Hill, KY; Smiths Grove, KY; Horse Cave, KY; Lindseyville, KY; Sweeden, KY
Nearby Airports: Louisville International (SDF); Nashville (BNA); Lexington Blue Grass Airport (LEX); Evansville (EVV)
Green Features
Has Recycling? : YesHas Shuttle System? : No
Has Volunteer Program? : Yes
Park Photos
Cave Tour
Rob & Ann Simpson
Fox Woods
Gary W. Sargent
Green River Tour
Rob & Ann Simpson
View More Mammoth Cave Photos
In Detail
Activities & Programs Regardless of the season, there is no limit to activities and programs available in Mammoth Cave and the surrounding area. The following is a partial list of the various recreational activities, class ... read more.
At A Glance From the beginning, underground explorers doubted that they would ever find the end of Kentucky's Mammoth Cave. Currently measuring 350 miles long and 379 feet deep, Mammoth Cave is known as the long ... read more.
At Your Fingertips General Park Information: (270) 758-2180 or http://www.nps.gov/maca Cave tour reservations: (800) 967-2283 or http://reservations.nps.gov Lodging within the park: (270) 758-2225 or http://www. ... read more.
Biking at Mammoth Cave Mountain Biking Grab your helmet and get ready to ride! Mammoth Cave National Park is one of the first national parks to permit mountain bikes on select backcountry trails. It is important to note, h ... read more.
Campgrounds at Mammoth Cave Campground Headquarters Houchins Ferry Maple Springs Sites 109 12 7 Fee $16/night $12/night $30/night Reservations Y N Y RV Sites Y N N RV Hookups N N N Dump Station Y N N Grill & Tables Y Y Y Ca ... read more.
Camping at Mammoth Cave There are three campgrounds located in Mammoth Cave National Park that can accommodate tents, RVs and even horses. Headquarters Campground, Houchins Ferry camping area and Maple Springs Campground ra ... read more.
Caves Beneath the dimpled surface of the park, the splendid sights of Mammoth Cave impress hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Ancient artifacts, fascinating cave critters and breathtaking mineral ... read more.
Earthquakes Mammoth Cave lies 150 miles from a major earthquake fault along the Mississippi River. In 1811 and 1812, a series of three earthquakes with estimated magnitudes of 8.6, 8.4 and 8.7 on the Richter Sca ... read more.
Flora & Fauna Mammoth Cave is home to a wide variety of plant and animal life ranging from rare exotic cave species to more common woodland creatures found in eastern deciduous forest environments. Scientists have ... read more.
Floyd Collins In 1925, Floyd Collins, one of the world's premier cavers, met a tragic and bizarre end in part of Mammoth Cave called, "Sand Cave." Collins, determined to find a "show" cave as a source of family in ... read more.
Geology Beneath the surface of south-central Kentucky lies a world that is virtually unparalleled. It is a labyrinth characterized by mile upon mile of dark, seemingly endless passageways. The geological pro ... read more.
History of Mammoth Cave Indigenous peoples lived and hunted in Kentucky between 2,000 and 4,000 years ago in the Late Archaic Period (3000 — 1000 B.C.). These early explorers traveled miles within Mammoth Cave, using ... read more.
In A Nutshell PLANNING YOUR VISIT Entrance Fees Entrance to Mammoth Cave National Park is free, although there is a fee for cave tours. The park is open year-round, except for December 25. Activities and programs ... read more.
Just For Kids Are you between 6 and 13? If so, do you want to learn all you can about Mammoth Cave National Park? Take the Trog Tour: A fun trip for kids between 8 and 12 years old. You get to go into parts of the ... read more.
Kentucky Cave Shrimp The entire known population of the Kentucky cave shrimp lives in or near Mammoth Cave National Park. Blind and semitransparent, these tiny crustaceans feed on bacteria, protozoa and other minute orga ... read more.
Lodging & Dining Although there are a variety of lodging options in nearby towns, there is only one place to stay within park boundaries: Mammoth Cave Hotel. At Mammoth Cave Hotel, guests can choose from several type ... read more.
Mammoth Cave Park Regulations You can make the most of your visit to Mammoth Cave National Park by planning ahead, and becoming acquainted with some simple precautions, all designed to enhance your safety and enjoyment. Please re ... read more.
Mummy in the Cave Two guides discovered the desiccated body of an American Indian pinned beneath a limestone slab in 1935, two miles from the entrance of Mammoth Cave. The American Indian was working or crawling (prob ... read more.
Oh, Ranger! My love and interest in America's National Parks was kindled in my youth, when my parents began taking me to visit many of our national treasures. I have visited 290 of the 388 national park units, a ... read more.
Only A Day The compact nature of Mammoth Cave National Park means you can pack a lot into just one day. Start the day with a guided tour of the world's longest cave. The tours vary in length, but most are aroun ... read more.
Recent News
- A Park in Kentucky That Shines Brightest below Ground June 26, 2008, 11:06 am
Mammoth Cave In Depth
News from the Parks
Snow greets visiting hikers at Mount Rainier
July 25, 2008 - 10:15am
PARADISE, Wash. -- Cool ocean temperatures in the southern Pacific Ocean -- a phenomenon known as La Nina -- chilled sunny expectations this summer for thousands of visitors to Mount Rainier National Park. Those who arrived here in July planning to backpack or hike its famous sub-alpine wildflower meadows found snow instead, six feet in places, though sunny daytime temperatures reach into the 70s. The popular mountain that draws 1.5 million visitors each year received 950 inches of snow last winter, 300 inches more than its 650-inch average. Park officials said a cooler than usual spring also pushed back the thaw.
July 25, 2008 - 10:15am
PARADISE, Wash. -- Cool ocean temperatures in the southern Pacific Ocean -- a phenomenon known as La Nina -- chilled sunny expectations this summer for thousands of visitors to Mount Rainier National Park. Those who arrived here in July planning to backpack or hike its famous sub-alpine wildflower meadows found snow instead, six feet in places, though sunny daytime temperatures reach into the 70s. The popular mountain that draws 1.5 million visitors each year received 950 inches of snow last winter, 300 inches more than its 650-inch average. Park officials said a cooler than usual spring also pushed back the thaw.
CAUSE OF FIRE NEAR STAIRCASE RELEASED
July 25, 2008 - 10:14am
The U.S. Forest Service says the brush fire Monday night off the road to the Staircase area of Olympic National Park was human caused. According to a news release, the fire, dubbed the East Cushman Fire, was contained before it reached one-tenth of an acre in size. An abandoned campfire ring at its origin indicated that the ignition was human caused.
July 25, 2008 - 10:14am
The U.S. Forest Service says the brush fire Monday night off the road to the Staircase area of Olympic National Park was human caused. According to a news release, the fire, dubbed the East Cushman Fire, was contained before it reached one-tenth of an acre in size. An abandoned campfire ring at its origin indicated that the ignition was human caused.
Hikers should expect plenty of snow on higher routes
July 25, 2008 - 10:13am
Hikers should expect lots of snow on mountain trails still, with rangers saying that higher-elevation routes in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and North Cascades National Park are two weeks to one month behind in terms of melting out. Higher than normal snowpack coupled with lower than normal temperatures well into spring means that, in general, those going over routes at the 5,000- to 6,000-foot level need to be comfortable traveling on snow and have poles or ice axes and route-finding skills.
July 25, 2008 - 10:13am
Hikers should expect lots of snow on mountain trails still, with rangers saying that higher-elevation routes in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and North Cascades National Park are two weeks to one month behind in terms of melting out. Higher than normal snowpack coupled with lower than normal temperatures well into spring means that, in general, those going over routes at the 5,000- to 6,000-foot level need to be comfortable traveling on snow and have poles or ice axes and route-finding skills.
Cabin lottery takes a hike
July 25, 2008 - 10:11am
HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK - Officials at Haleakala National Park announced Thursday the end of the lottery system used for years to select cabin users in the crater. Starting with September, all reservations for the wilderness cabins will be taken over the phone up to three months ahead of the reservation, on a first-come, first-reserved basis. Calls for reservations will only be accepted between 1 and 3 p.m. HST daily at 572-4400. As of midday Thursday, there were no openings in August for any of the three cabins in Haleakala Crater
July 25, 2008 - 10:11am
HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK - Officials at Haleakala National Park announced Thursday the end of the lottery system used for years to select cabin users in the crater. Starting with September, all reservations for the wilderness cabins will be taken over the phone up to three months ahead of the reservation, on a first-come, first-reserved basis. Calls for reservations will only be accepted between 1 and 3 p.m. HST daily at 572-4400. As of midday Thursday, there were no openings in August for any of the three cabins in Haleakala Crater
Second bear killed in Yellowstone in recent weeks
July 25, 2008 - 10:10am
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) - Rangers in Yellowstone National Park have killed a black bear that became accustomed to eating human food. Park officials say the 130-pound male bear was getting food from hikers' backpacks in northern Yellowstone. Repeated attempts to trap the bear failed. On Wednesday, the bear was caught ripping into the packs of a large group of backcountry hikers. Rangers cleared the area of visitors and shot the bear.
July 25, 2008 - 10:10am
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) - Rangers in Yellowstone National Park have killed a black bear that became accustomed to eating human food. Park officials say the 130-pound male bear was getting food from hikers' backpacks in northern Yellowstone. Repeated attempts to trap the bear failed. On Wednesday, the bear was caught ripping into the packs of a large group of backcountry hikers. Rangers cleared the area of visitors and shot the bear.
