Basic Information

 

Physical Address

1 Visitor Center Parkway
Mammoth Cave, KY 42259-0007

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.

Directions Details

Operating Hours & Seasons

 

All Park Hours

• Every Day:Open 24 hours

Mammoth Cave National Park is open 24-hours a day, although services such as cave tours and the visitor center are limited after-hours. There is no gate at the park entrance. Please note that camping is only possible either in designated campgrounds or backcountry campsites with a valid reservation or permit.

Weather

Kentucky has a moderate climate with warm, yet moist conditions. Summers average in the high 80s; winters average in the low 40s. Southern Kentucky, where Mammoth Cave is located, receives the highest average precipitation for the state, about 50 inches per year, mostly in spring. Winter can bring mild to moderate snow and ice. Storms happen year-round, and can include tornadoes and flooding in low-lying areas, but severe weather is infrequent. The temperature deep in the cave is a constant 54°F (12°C).

Current Weather Forecast

Fees & Passes

Entry to Mammoth Cave National Park and its surface features is free of charge. There is, however, a charge to tour the cave, stay in campgrounds, or reserve picnic shelters.

Visitor Center Ticket Counter is open 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Central Time

Learn more about Fees & Passes. 
 

Entrance Fee-free

This site is fee-free year-round. No entrance fee or pass is required.

Visitor Centers

Mammoth Cave Visitor Center

The park visitor center is the central point for visitors to orient themselves to what lies both above and below the surface at Mammoth Cave. Situated just up the hill from the cave's Historic Entrance, the visitor center is the departure point for all cave tours, and offers exhibits to prepare you for discovery. You can also meet a ranger for a talk or a hike. Gifts, restrooms, permits and information are available and visitor amenities are offered by the nearby Lodge at Mammoth Cave across the footbridge.

• Every Day:8:30 AM–4:30 PM

Visitor Center hours vary by season. The visitor center is closed on Christmas Day. Mammoth Cave National Park is on US Central Time.

Closures & Seasonal Exceptions

Holidays

2025–2026

Christmas Day	December 25, 2025	Closed
Holiday	Date	Hours

Internet & Cellular Access

Public WiFi is available.

Free, public WiFi is available at the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center, the Lodge at Mammoth Cave, and the Sunset Lodge. Cell service depends on carrier. Verizon customers typically have service. However, dead zones still exist, particularly in the valleys and river valley of the park. Other providers have extremely limited service, if any at all. Make sure to understand the nature of your outdoor activities and plan accordingly as cell service may be unavailable depending on your location.

Internet & Cellular Access Details