Accessibility

Mammoth Cave National Park is a place for all people, with activities for every level of ability. We are committed to providing an accessible and inclusive experience for everyone. We will continue to update existing infrastructure and programs as we strive for inclusivity for all. If you have questions or suggestions please let us know.

 

Physical/Mobility Accessibility

Cave Tours:
The Accessible Tour was expressly created for visitors with mobility devices such as motorized wheelchairs or walkers. There are no stairs on this tour and there is the availability of some benches along the ½ mile route.

The Frozen Niagara Tour is a relatively easy tour which travels ¼ mile through some smaller narrow sections and includes 64 mandatory stairs. It is a good option for guests who may have difficulty walking long distances or negotiating long sets of stairs

Find out more information about cave tours.

Ranger Talks and Guided Walks:
Several ranger talks and guided walks are fully accessible to people with physical and mobility disabilities. More information is available about these Ranger-led Programs.

Campgrounds:
Both the Mammoth Cave Campground and Maple Springs Campground have RV campsites. Mammoth Cave Campground sites number 37 and 38 are fully accessible with paved access to accessible restrooms. More information is available about camping.

Amphitheater:
Evening Programs take place next to the Mammoth Cave Campground at the Amphitheater. The walking path to the nearby amphitheater is uneven and not suitable for people with mobility difficulties, there is an accessible path from the Caver’s Camp Store which has accessible parking. The Amphitheater has some benches with backrests and designated spaces for wheelchairs. Check out the calendar for more information on when to see an evening program.

Visitor Center:
The visitor center is fully accessible with entrance doors operable by buttons, lowered information and ticket desks, and accessible restroom stalls. The exhibits include interactive elements which can be reached from a wheelchair. The park film is closed captioned and located within the exhibit area.

The Lodge at Mammoth Cave:
Fully accessible rooms are available. For more information visit the Lodge at Mammoth Cave.

Other Facilities:
The Caver's Camp Store features supplies, groceries, picnic foods, restrooms, and a self-service laundry facility with an adjacent full-service U.S. Post Office. These facilities are all accessible.

Picnicking:
The Mammoth Cave Picnic Area, Echo River Springs Trailhead, and Sloan’s Pond Crossing Trailhead have accessible picnic tables. Find out more information about our picnic areas.

Trails:
The Heritage Trail, Echo River Spring Trail, Sand Cave Trail, and the Sloan’s Crossing Pond Trail are all wheelchair accessible.

More information on the park trails is available on our Accessible Activities page.

Deaf/Hearing Loss Accessibility

Cave Tours, Ranger Talks, and Guided Walks:
Mammoth Cave National Park is pleased to offer sign interpreter services for cave and surface activities to visitors free of charge. Arrangements can be made by contacting the park. However, before contacting the park, please note:

All requests require a two-week minimum notice prior to your visit.

Services are limited by tour group sizes and interpreter availability.

When calling, please have the date, name and time of the activity ready.

For further information or to request a sign language interpreter, please call [phone].

For visitors with hearing difficulty, assisted listening devices are available. These may be worn on cave or surface activities and are available for loan free of charge. They are on a first-come, first-served basis. Check at the visitor center for availability upon your arrival.

Find out more information about cave tours and what tours and programs are coming up on the calendar.

Visitor Center:
The films featured in the exhibit area have closed captioning. Printed brochures are also available in the visitor center or you can request hard copies through email.

Lodging:
Lodging rooms in the park provide written emergency procedures and TVs with the ability for subtitles. More information is available about lodging.

Campgrounds:
The Amphitheater near the Mammoth Cave Campground uses a sound amplification system but does not have an assistive listening setup.

Blind/Low Vision Accessibility

Park Information:
The official park brochure is available in a variety of formats, audio files for download and a text-only option are available through our Mammoth Cave Audio Described Map & Guide.

An audio version cave tour of Mammoth Cave is available to experience the sounds of mammoth cave from anywhere.

Cave Tours:
While cave tours rely heavily on navigating stairs and often narrow passages, service animals are welcome on cave tours. Tactile elements are not readily available on cave tours for resource protection. More information is available about service animals and cave tour descriptions.

Ranger Talks and Guided Walks:
Ranger talks and guided walks strive to engage multiple senses and learning styles, and often include audio components and/or tactile objects. A variety of guided walks may be on flat paved trails or uneven compacted dirt trails. More information is available about accessible activities.

Visitor Center:
The park brochure is also available in braille at the visitor center. The exhibits were built with numerous tactile elements and several audio experiences.

Trails:
While most trails have uneven natural trail surfaces, several meet ADA regulations. The Echo River Spring Trail is fully accessible and has touch activated descriptive audio at wayside exhibits. More information is available about accessible activities.

Cognitive/Learning Disability Accessibility

Tours and Programs:
All ranger programs strive to engage multiple senses and learning styles and some programs may include tactile objects. Cave tours may include a lights-out experience which creates a temporary total darkness on the tour. Please let rangers know at the beginning of the tour if this could present concerns within your group. Depending on the time of year/visitation, cave tours can be very crowded. It may be recommended to ask your guides to stay toward the back or front of a tour for physical and emotional comfort. More information is available about cave tour descriptions.

Visitor Center:
The exhibits feature numerous tactile experiences as well as several films with seating.

Noises and Quiet Space:
Announcements of tour departures are frequently made over the visitor center PA system. The exhibit area does not have PA speakers in order to allow for an immersive experience while learning about our history and geology.

Depending on the time of year/visitation, the visitor center can be very crowded. Benches outside of the facility can provide a welcome respite from crowds, but keep in mind that PA speakers are also located on the exterior of the visitor center.