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The park brochure is available in a variety of formats: Braille, audio description, text-only and print. Audio-Described VersionThe audio described version can be accessed free of charge through the UniDescription app. Text-Only VersionOverall Brochure DescriptionThrough text and audio descriptions of photos, illustrations, and maps, this version of the Mammoth Cave Map & Guide interprets the two-sided color brochure that Mammoth Cave visitors receive. The brochure explores the history of the park, some of its highlights, and information for planning your visit. Above and Below: One Ecosystem Linked by WaterPhotograph of a Mammoth-sized room inside of Mammoth Cave. This room is 1/2 acre in size and is called The Rotunda. The dimly lit room is surrounded by grey rock with a vast gently domed ceiling. The focus of the photo is the park ranger with forty visitors who all appear to be tiny inside the massive room. Behind the tour group there is a large and mysterious rectangular tunnel that leads to absolute darkness. The visitors stand behind shiny handrails that protect historic artifacts in the center of the large room, they wear long pants and jackets. The park ranger interprets the artifacts for the visitors as the remnants of an old salt peter works operation.
Source: CHIP CLARK Beneath the sandstone and shale ridges of Mammoth Cave National Park lies the largest cave system on Earth. After 4,000 years of intermittent exploration, the full extent of this water-formed labyrinth are unknown. Mammoth Cave's over 420 miles of surveyed passageways make it over twice as long as any known cave. How long might it be? Geologists think there could be 600 more miles of passageways.
This vast cave system holds one of the world’s most diverse cave ecosystems. About 130 forms of life can be found in Mammoth Cave. Most are quite small. Some use the cave only as a haven, while others are such specialized cave dwellers that they can live nowhere else. All depend on energy from the surface. Life in the cave is not separate from the rest of the park’s natural communities. It is an extension of the larger biological whole, whose diversity and abundance are preserved here. To tour the cave and not explore the park’s surface trails and waterways is to gain but half of the total picture here. The rugged, forested hill country of Mammoth Cave National Park is sanctuary to an array of wildlife. Deer and wild turkey frequently feed near roadsides, and 85 miles of park hiking trails provide access to the diverse life of the eastern hardwood forest. The Green River, which runs through the park for 27 miles, adds to the scenery and habitat. It is one of North America’s most biologically diverse rivers. This abundance has drawn humans to this region for nearly 10,000 years. Prehistoric peoples explored 10 or more miles of Mammoth Cave 4,000 years ago. Archeological evidence shows that these early cavers collected crystals and other salts in the cave. Cave exploration ceased 2,000 years ago, not to resume until the cave was rediscovered in 1798. Mammoth Cave played an important role at the very start of American tourism. As an attraction, the cave predates all national parks. Publicized in the War of 1812, the “mammoth” cave of Kentucky became an attraction by 1816. With the early scenic national parks, Mammoth Cave helped define our national identity in the 1800s, when a young United States sought status among world powers. Despite industrial and military might, we lacked the ancient places and cultural antiquities that Europe offered. Natural wonders - Mammoth Cave, Grand Canyon, and Giant Sequoia - were our great treasures. They still live up to what Ralph Waldo Emerson called “the brag” about them. A World Heritage Site and Biosphere ReserveThis section is mostly text but includes logos for the UNESCO World Heritage Site and Man and the Biosphere Reserve (a vertical diamond sitting inside a circle connected at the bottom and three letters of ‘MaB’ in alternating uppercase and lowercase text).
Mammoth Cave was authorized as a national park in 1926 and fully established in 1941. Only 40 miles of passageway had been mapped then. As surveying techniques improved, great strides were made in describing and understanding the cave system’s overwhelming extent. Several park caves were shown to be connected, and we now know the cave system extends well beyond the national park boundary. The park was named a World Heritage Site in 1981 and became the core area of an International Biosphere Reserve in 1990. With its 53,000 surface acres and underlying cave ecosystem, Mammoth Cave National Park is an international treasure.
But national park status and international recognition do not guarantee the continued protection and integrity of the natural systems of Mammoth Cave National Park. The park is not a self-contained system. Research shows that the cave and resident ecosystems belong to regional groundwater basins in the much larger Green River basin. Groundwater originates far beyond the park boundary and the quality can be seriously degraded under high-water conditions. Air quality studies detect ozone at concentrations that can damage vegetation. To preserve these world-class cave, forest, and river ecosystems for future generations, we must work together to protect the region’s air and watersheds. Adapting to DarknessThis section contains two images. The first image is the most unusual fish in Mammoth Cave National Park, the species known as the Eyeless Cave Fish. The fish is the size of an index finger with translucent fins protruding from its back and underside. There is a translucent tail protruding from the back end of the fish. It has adapted to light less environments by ceasing to grow eye structures and unnecessary skin pigments. This makes its body pinkish and translucent in color. The internal organs of the fish can sometimes be seen through its exterior.
Source: CHIP CLARK The second images is a Cave Crayfish, a small cave-dwelling animal. The Cave Crayfish is translucent with a slightly yellow tint. It has two arms with large claws at each end and multiple legs on each side. It has two, long antenna to navigate through habitats ranging from tiny streams to dry cave environments. Source: CHIP CLARK Many cave creatures living in darkness are eyeless with no coloring pigments. While sightless, most have sensory systems that mentally picture their environments. Shown are the eyeless cavefish (above) and the cave crayfish (right).
Clean Water Needed...This illustration depicts how rainfall flows into sinkholes where underground rivers create cave passages.
Rain on the sinkhole plain southeast of the park boundaries. There are many cavities, also known as sinkholes, on the terrain which promote cave formation when it rains. Rainwater collects on the surface then turns to groundwater and flows beneath the surface to dissolve sandstone and limestone layers. When the rock dissolves, tall vertical shafts form. The rainwater travels through the tall vertical shafts to the cave's underground river. The underground river channel flows Northward and empties into the Green River. This process results in the water table slowly lowering over time. Source: ROBERT TOPE Limestone underlies the Mammoth Cave region. As rainwater infiltrates the soil, it picks up small amounts of carbon dioxide gas. Carbon dioxide reacts with the water to form a weak carbonic acid, making the groundwater mildly acidic. Like most major caves, Mammoth Cave was formed by the slow dissolution of limestone by groundwater. Animals living in the cave depend on the quantity and quality of this water.
Eroded limestone landscapes—called karst topography—are typified by the Mammoth Cave area. Sediments of a shallow sea covering this region 350 million years ago formed the limestone as highly soluble layers over a 70-million-year period. Rain falling outside the park travels below ground and keeps sculpting Mammoth Cave. Plants and animals that live in the cave depend on the quantity and quality of this water. Human activities outside the park that pollute this water supply threaten the cave and its life. ...Caves Still FormingThis section is text only.
Over time, as groundwater dissolves the limestone, it forms underground streams. These streams converge, as surface streams do, and create Mammoth Cave’s underground rivers. Over Mammoth Cave’s geologic history the Green River, the region’s master stream, has deeply carved and entrenched itself in its valley. Cave streams responded by creating younger, lower routes and abandoning older and higher channels, creating a network of cave passages. At depths of up to 450 feet below the surface, cave streams are still forming passages today.
As the cave formed, many aquatic species from surface waters slowly adapted to cave habitats. Several evolved as the specialized animals now found in cave streams. These cave biological communities are part of a nutrient-poor ecosystem that needs excellent water quality to survive. The geological character that creates Mammoth Cave also threatens the cave’s ecology today. Rainwater-turned-groundwater flows readily through the cave’s aquatic habitats, but so do pollutants like human waste, agricultural runoff, hazardous spills on roadways, and oil and gas drilling wastes. These are easily washed into cave streams. Because most of the cave’s groundwater originates beyond the park, the Biosphere Reserve boundary encompasses Mammoth Cave’s entire watershed. Today the park and its neighbors work together through the Biosphere Reserve Program to help better protect the cave while promoting environmentally sustainable agricultural, industrial, and business practices outside the park. Human Use of the Cave and Its ResourcesA black and white oval portrait illustration showing Stephen Bishop, a middle aged African American man gazing calmly straight forward. His mustache is well groomed, and his hair is combed neatly on the top and curls tightly on the sides, ending at the bottom of his ears. He is dressed well, a light colored shirt, dark jacket with lapels, and a patterned handkerchief wrapped around his high collar several times.
Source: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS An oval black and white historic photo portrait of Floyd Collins, a middle aged white man with a furrowed brow staring straight forward. His cheek bones are prominent, and his eyes are shadowed, he has a stern look on his face. His well kept, short, dark hair is swept to the side, ending at the tops of his ears. He wears a white collared shirt, a dark jacket, and a dark tie. Source: NPS Stephen Bishop was a self-educated enslaved man who became a legendary cave guide and explorer. He began guiding visitors at age 17 in 1838. He was the first person to explore many miles of the vast cave.
Amateur caver Floyd Collins drew national media attention in 1925, pinned for days by a boulder in Sand Cave. He died before rescuers could free him. The publicity played a role in Mammoth Cave being made a national park in 1926. Over 10,000 years ago Paleo-Indians hunted animals in the Green River valley near Mammoth Cave. From 4,000 to 2,000 years ago, Late Archaic and Early Woodland Indians explored and mined minerals from Mammoth and other caves. Artifacts these earliest explorers left—including cane reed torches they used to light their way into distant parts of the cave—are preserved in drier passageways. European American settlers came to the Green River valley in the late 1790s. Like native people before them, the newcomers found uses for Mammoth Cave. The cave served as a mine for saltpeter, key to the manufacture of gunpowder. Before the War of 1812 enslaved workers mined large quantities of this mineral. By war’s end Mammoth Cave’s notoriety had grown. Around 1816, people started to visit the cave. In 1838 three enslaved men - Stephen Bishop and Mat and Nick Bransford - began to guide visitors. Bishop discovered many miles of cave. He was the first to cross the previously impassable Bottomless Pit and the first to see the cave stream’s natural residents, called eyeless cavefish. The Bransfords and their descendants were guides at Mammoth Cave for over 100 years. Touring the CaveA color photo of a brown cave formation, called flowstone, looking similar to melted wax or frozen rivulets of mud on the wall. Water glistens on the surface of the solid rock formation, indicating that it continues to form. Just like stalactites and stalagmites, flowstone is made by dripping water that is full of dissolved limestone, redepositing the limestone into beautiful natural sculptures over the course of thousands of years.
Source: NPS Two cavers, a man and a woman, army crawl through a two- foot tall passageway wearing coveralls, kneepads, gloves, and helmets with headlights shining. Both cavers have wide smiles on their faces as they look at the path ahead. Cave explorers must be physically fit and mentally robust people in order to enjoy crawling, climbing, and wading through water for hours on end through the longest known cave in the world. Source: CHIP CLARK Plan AheadThis section is text only.
Cave tours are offered daily, except December 25. Tour schedules and visitor center hours vary from season to season. Fees are charged. Certain tours may require special clothing or equipment. Contact the park for tour descriptions and schedules, or for information on surface activities and special events.
Mammoth Cave National Park Mammoth Cave, KY 42259-0007 www.nps.gov/maca (270)758-218 Getting to the ParkThis section is text only.
From Louisville, KY, take I-65 south to exit 53 at Cave City. From Nashville, TN, take I-65 north to exit 48 at Park City, KY.
Time ZoneThis section is text only.
Mammoth Cave National Park and Nashville, TN, are in the Central Time Zone, one hour behind Louisville (Eastern Time Zone).
Reserve a Tour Before You VisitThis section is text only.
Cave tours can and do sell out. Summer days, holidays, and all weekends are busy. Make advance reservations so you can enjoy the tour of your choice. Call the park or go to www.nps.gov/maca.
Traveling With ChildrenThis section is text only.
If your children are very young, consider taking a shorter orientation tour. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Some tours have other age restrictions. Strollers and child backpack carriers are prohibited in the cave. Some tours have restroom facilities, others do not. Ask for details.
Are There Things I Can’t Take Into the Cave?This section is text only.
All weapons are prohibited (firearms, knives, sharp instruments, pepper spray, mace). Camera tripods and monopods are not permitted, nor is flash photography, though you may photograph without a flash. Flashlights are welcome on all tours except lantern tours but may not be used during tour stops. Respect other people. Don’t shine lights in their eyes in the dimly lit cave. Except as medically necessary, bring no food or drink other than water.
Clothing and FootwearThis section is text only.
Wear sturdy shoes or hiking boots with good soles. Some spelunking tours require treaded boots. No bare feet; sandals are not recommended. A light jacket is recommended; cave temperatures range from freezing to around 60°F. In winter, dress in layers.
Protecting Yourself and the CaveThis section is text only.
Many cave tours are strenuous and require stooping and walking over uneven trails. You must navigate steps on all tours. Use handrails where available. Walk at a comfortable, steady pace behind the lead guide at all times; the slowest pace is at the front of the tour. You must stay with your tour, children must stay with parents, and everyone must stay on defined tour trails. Smoking is prohibited. Do not write on cave walls or collect cave rocks or objects as souvenirs. To guard against the spread of white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease affecting bats, all cave tour participants must walk on biosecurity mats immediately following the tour.
AccessibilityThis section is text only.
We strive to make our facilities, services and programs accessible to all. For more information go to the visitor center, ask a ranger, call, or check the park website.
Mammoth Cave Tour AreaThe purpose of this illustrated 3 D map is for navigation inside of Mammoth Cave. Just over 10 miles of cave passages are shown that can be accessed from six separate entrances. The Historic Entrance provides access to the Rotunda which is also depicted on the front side of this audio-brochure. Iconic names of places on the map include Mammoth Dome, Giant's Coffin, Fat Man's Misery, Cleaveland Avenue, Mount McKinley, Grand Canyon, Grand Central Station, New Entrance, and Frozen Niagara.
Source: © RICHARD SCHLECHT The Mammoth Cave tour routes explore the passages shown here. Many more miles of cave are not shown. Four hundred twenty miles have been surveyed in the Mammoth Cave system.
Exploring Mammoth CaveThis section contains five photographs, described from left to right.
Aerial-view picture features a sinkhole plain outside of the park. There is a large, open light green grassy landscape with intermittent patches of leafy dark green trees. Hundreds of sunken areas can be found in the landscape ranging in size from a small car to a large house. The sunken areas are cavities in the ground where water eroded the bedrock underneath. These cavities are also known as sinkholes. Source: CHIP CLARK Photograph of the front side body of a wild turkey. The background is blurry and burnt orange in color. The photograph depicts a small piece of the male turkey's fanned tail and its dark brown beard hanging from its neck. The turkey shows off its prominent and shiny feathers that come in dark brown, light brown, orange, yellow, and red. It has a bright red gobbler underneath its chin, a long beak, and a wrinkly, hairless bald head. Source: © PAUL REZENDES A young Black park ranger walking along a sidewalk with green grass and trees in the background. The ranger's hands are clasped in front of his gray shirt with a shiny gold badge. A smiling visitor walks beside and behind the ranger, both looking in the same direction to the side. Source: NPS The sun is peaking through the trees in this picture of The Mammoth Cave Baptist Church. The wooden, white church sits on a large bed of light green grass and is surrounded by tall, leafy green trees. It is a white , rectangular structure and made of wood with chipped pieces exposing a dark brown color. Four windows, two white doors, and a dark brown board can be found on the exterior. The board has painted white lettering but is too blurry to read. Source: ROBERT CETERA This is a picture of the Green River in autumn. The river appears to have a thin layer of white fog from the change in morning temperatures. Shadows from the trees cover the river and base of the large hill in the background. The hill has trees of red, brown, dark green, light green, and yellow. A blue sky depicts a clear and sunny day ahead. Source: © TOM TILL Erosional forces that formed the cave system shaped the entire region’s landscape. Rivers, bluffs, sinkholes, cave entrances, and ridge tops all provide varied habitats with many distinct plant and animal communities. Relatively small, specialized habitats like wetlands and old-growth forests contribute disproportionately to the park’s and Kentucky’s biological diversity. Largely wooded, the park features mostly second-growth forest, but small areas of relatively undisturbed old-growth forest—rare in Kentucky—are also found. Beech trees dominate ravine flats, joined by yellow poplar and sugar maple on lower and middle slopes. White and black oaks and three species of hickory define upper slope forests.
Park forests are home to a wide variety of wildlife. Eastern white-tailed deer browse roadsides and flocks of wild turkey are often seen. You may notice squirrels, chipmunks, and raccoons—the park’s most often-sighted mammals—as you walk the trails. As the region’s base-level stream, the Green River is central to the formation and health of the Mammoth Cave system. One of North America’s most biologically diverse rivers, the Green harbors 82 fish species. Gravel bars of the upper Green are critical habitat for freshwater mussels, one of the nation’s most endangered animal groups. Over 50 species are found in the park, 11 are listed as endangered. Two others are being considered for listing. The banks of the Green River and its largest park tributary, the Nolin River, abound in wildlife. Deer, wood ducks, turtles, kingfishers, and great blue herons are often seen. Mammoth Cave National Park has many smaller, more specialized habitats having conditions required for various plant and animal communities. Small ponds and stream banks are wetland refuges for at least one rare sedge, several rushes, bladderwort, arrowroot, and the lance-leaved violet. The sinkholes and cave entrances are moist microclimates for plant species unlike those in drier uplands. Native grassland species, once characterizing much of western and central Kentucky, grow in isolated patches and along park roadsides now. Sandstone gorges in the park’s northern part support hemlock, yellow birch, umbrella magnolia, and holly. Don’t think of Mammoth Cave National Park in two parts: the cave system’s below-ground world and the above-ground realm of forest and light. These are two parts of a greater whole, unified by forces of nature that continue to form the cave, shape the landscape, and nurture their biological communities. General InformationThe head of a flower with 3 round petals. The petals are a rich purple at the tips that fades to a light purple at the center.
Source: NPS Bright orange salamander speckled with black spots. When seen at wet cave entrances, this harmless amphibian is usually around 3-6 inches long. Source: ROBERT CETERA Mammoth Cave is about 85 miles from both Louisville, KY, and Nashville, TN. The park is in the Central Time Zone. Airports and car rentals are in Nashville, Louisville, and Bowling Green.
No park entrance fee is charged, but people six years and older must pay tour fees. Fees are charged for camping. Free park publications list visitor center hours, and ranger-led and evening programs. Find a trail map and information on accessible facilities and activities at the visitor center. CampingThis section is text only.
The park has three campgrounds: Mammoth Cave, Houchin Ferry, and Maple Springs. You may stay up to 14 days. Toilets, water, tables, and grills are provided. Reservations are recommended; call 270-758-2180 or visit www.recreation.gov or www.nps.gov/maca to make reservations.
Backcountry camping is allowed at 13 designated sites. Riverbank camping is allowed on riverbanks and islands if river levels are safe. Permits may be purchased at the park or on www.recreation.gov. Scenic DrivesThis section is text only.
Drive Flint Ridge, Green River Ferry, Ugly Creek, Joppa Ridge, and Houchin Ferry roads in your private vehicle. The latter three roads are not passable by trailers or motor homes. Ask for more information at the visitor center.
Ranger-led ProgramsThis section is text only.
Attend an above-ground talk or activity at specified locations in season. At Mammoth Cave amphitheater, rangers give evening programs in season. Non-campers may park nearby.
Junior Ranger ProgramThis section is text only.
Children ages five and older may become Junior Rangers by answering questions in the Junior Ranger booklet. Ask for it at the visitor center.
TrailsThis section is text only.
Echo River Springs, Heritage, and Sand Cave trails, and Sloan’s Crossing Pond walk are all wheelchair-accessible. The park has 66 miles of trails north of Green River, and 19 miles of trails south of the river.
BicyclingThis section is text only.
South of the Green River, bicycles are permitted on the nine-mile Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike and Hike Trail, the Amphitheater Trail, and on some service roads noted in the park’s Backcountry Map & Guide. North of the river, mountain biking is permitted on Big Hollow, Maple Springs, and White Oak trails. Ask for maps and mountain biking information at the visitor center.
Boating and CanoeingThis section is text only.
Nearly 33 miles of the Green and Nolin rivers offer canoeing and boating, past high bluffs. Commercial outfitters outside the park rent canoes, kayaks, and safety equipment. You are required to wear a personal flotation device.
FishingThis section is text only.
Muskie, bass, crappie, and catfish await anglers in the Green and Nolin rivers. Fishing licenses are not required in the park, but all other Kentucky fishing regulations apply. Ask for regulations at the visitor center.
Horse UseThis section is text only.
Most trails north of the Green River are open for horseback riding. You must stay on designated trails. Do not hitch horses to trees. Commercial liveries outside the park rent horses, and some may provide organized excursions. For information, call (270)758-2180.
PetsThis section is text only.
The Lodge at Mammoth Cave has a kennel; fees apply. Only service animals are permitted in the cave. Pets left in parked vehicles may be removed by park staff when temperatures threaten the animals’ lives. Pets must be kept on leashes, no more than six feet long, at all times.
For a Safe VisitThis section is text only.
Check park publications for regulations and safety precautions. Be alert for ticks and chiggers. Use insect repellent. Avoid the park’s two venomous snakes, the timber rattler and the northern copperhead. Federal law protects all animals and plants in the park. Do not disturb or kill them. Do not feed wildlife. If you have questions about any activity, check at the visitor center or ask a ranger.
Lodging and ServicesThis section is text only.
The lodge has rustic cabins, hot shower, coin laundry, food services, and a gift shop. Open spring to fall. For more information or reservations, call 844-760-CAVE or go to mammothcavelodge.com. Find public amenities in the Caver’s Camp Store and post office. (See map at right.) For privately owned caves and services outside the park, call Cave City Convention Center, (270)773-5159.
Mammoth Cave is one of over 400 parks in the National Park System. To learn more about national parks, visit www.nps.gov. More InformationThis section is mostly text but includes the logo for the National Park Foundation (a white arrowhead in a black square).
Mammoth Cave National Park
PO Box 7 Mammoth Cave, KY 42259-0007 270-758-2180 www.nps.gov/maca National Park Foundation Join the park community. www.nationalparks.org Visitor Center Area MapThe purpose of this close up map of the visitor center area is navigation. The Visitor Center and the Lodge at Mammoth Cave are shown in the center, north is oriented at the top. Roads are to the south and east, hiking trails are to the west, and the mammoth cave campground is in the southeast corner. A three mile section of the Green River cuts from 12 o'clock diagonally to 7 o'clock.
LegendA compass rose indicates north is oriented at the top of the map. A scale indicates the area shows a 2 mile by 2 mile area.
Icons: Parking lot, Hiking trail, Gravel bicycle and hiking trail, Wheelchair accessible trail, and Scenic overlook. AmenitiesThis map focuses on the Visitor Center and the Lodge at Mammoth Cave, the lodge is directly south of the visitor center, they are connected by a foot bridge. There are parking lots north of the visitor center, and south of the lodge. Both buildings have the following amenities: restrooms, information, and gift shops.
The Visitor center is where cave tour tickets can be purchased and where all tours depart from. The visitor center also has a water fountain, bookstore, park exhibits, and a park film. The Lodge also has an ATM, a restaurant, a grab and go cafe and ice cream parlor, and check in for lodging and pet kennels. North of the visitor center parking lot are The Woodland Cottages for reservation through the lodge, north of that is a picnic area with shelters, picnic benches, and parking. South of the Lodge parking lot is the Amphitheater. Southeast of the visitor center is the Caver's Camp Store. It has restrooms, a post office, laundry facilities, and showers. Further southeast is the mammoth cave campground. It has restrooms, there are no showers or RV hook-ups. Southwest of the visitor center is the Green River Ferry and Echo River Spring Parking. It has a boat launch, a kayak and canoe launch, and restrooms. The Echo River Spring hiking trail is accessible to people of all abilities. RoadsThe Visitor Center is located on Mammoth Cave Parkway. This road goes southeast from the visitor center to 4 o'clock on the map. An access road before the visitor center parking lot connects to the lodge parking lot.
At 5 o'clock, an access road leads to the caver's camp store and the mammoth cave campground loops. At 7 o'clock, the Green River Ferry road goes east to intersect with Mammoth Cave Parkway at 4 o'clock, south of the campground. At 2 o'clock, Flint Ridge Road winds southwest to connect to Mammoth Cave Parkway between the lodge parking lot access road and the visitor center parking lot. Hiking TrailsThe start of the Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike and Hike Trail is shown leading from the visitor center area in the center, southeast to 5 o'clock.
There are also eight hiking trails totaling about 7 miles. Two hiking trails are accessible to people of all abilities, the Heritage Trail and half a mile of the Echo River Spring Trail. The Heritage Trail starts directly from the visitor center area, travels west then loops around. At the far west point of the trail is Sunset Point overlook, a switchback trail travels west from that point to intersect with the Echo River Spring Trail. The Echo River Spring trailhead is at 7 o'clock. This accessible trail makes a "U" around the Echo River and then goes across a pedestrian bridge to make a loop trail returning to the Green River Ferry parking lot. The Green River Bluffs trailhead is a 12 o'clock, it starts from the picnic area. This trail loops around then travels southwest beside the Green River till it ends at the River Styx Spring Trail. The River Styx Spring Trail leaves from the visitor center area, travels west and passes the Historic Entrance. This trail ends at 9 o'clock at the Green River. The Dixon Cave Trail connects with the River Styx Trail next to the Historic Entrance and travels northwest to 10 o'clock to intersect with the Green River Bluffs Trail. Natural and Cultural HighlightsNatural and cultural highlights are listed in order of most to least frequently visited:
The Visitor Center is centrally located and surrounded by the Woodland Cottages, hiking trails, the amphitheater, and The Lodge at Mammoth Cave. The Historic Entrance is a 5 minute walk down the hill west from the Visitor Center and Lodge area. A cemetery lies in the middle of the loop of the Heritage Trail. A historic train engine, Engine No. 4, is located between the visitor center/lodge and the campground. River Styx is an underground river that exits the cave and joins the Green River, it is located at the end of the River Styx Spring Trail, one mile from the visitor center. Echo River is a spring fed creek that bubbles out of the cave, it can be accessed on the Echo River Spring Trail. Mammoth Cave National Park MapThis aerial map of Mammoth Cave National Park and the immediate surrounding area has a main purpose of navigation. This map also gives the viewer an understanding of river access, campgrounds, historic cemeteries, and the dozens of miles of hiking trails.
The park visitor center is located centrally, most easily accessed from the southeast roads. The Green River cuts east to west across the park in a winding path. Depending on weather conditions and construction, a ferry takes cars between the north side and the south side, where the visitor center is located. Call the park at (270)758-2180 for more information about ferry conditions. LegendA compass rose
A scale indicating this map depicts an area 14 miles North-South by 20 miles East-West Icons for: Unpaved road, Gate, River mile, Cemetery, Hiking trail, Gravel bicycle and hiking trail, Horse and hiking trail, Horse, hiking, and bicycle trail, Picnic area, Boat launch, Canoe launch, Backcountry parking area, Campground, and Backcountry campsite. AmenitiesDescription of amenities will be in order of most to least frequently used starting with the visitor center area:
The visitor center area has rest rooms, food service, lodging, gift shops, a picnic area, a camp store, and a campground. The heritage trail in this area is an accessible trail. The Green River Ferry and parking lot area is a 6-minute drive southwest of the visitor center area. It has a canoe and kayak launch, restrooms, and the echo river spring hiking trail which is an accessible trail. The Sloan’s Crossing Pond is a 7-minute drive south of the visitor center area. It has a picnic area, and a hiking trail that is an accessible trail. The Dennison Ferry Day Use area is a 20-minute drive northeast of the visitor center area. There is no longer ferry service here. It has parking for backcountry camping, a canoe and kayak launch, and a picnic area. The Sand Cave Trail area is a 9-minute drive southeast from the visitor center area. It has an interpretive boardwalk that is an accessible trail. Outside of the national park, Nolin River Lake State Park Tailwater Recreation Area, is about a 40-minute drive northwest from the visitor center using the green river ferry. It has two boat launches and a picnic area. The Houchin Ferry area is a 20-minute drive west of the visitor center area. There is no ferry in service there. It has a primitive campground, a picnic area, and a canoe and kayak launch. The Maple Springs group campground area is an 11-minute drive northwest from the visitor center area using the green river ferry. It has a campground, and backcountry parking. The Lincoln day use and backcountry parking area is a 20 minute drive northwest from the visitor center area using the green river ferry. The First Creek day use and backcountry parking area is a 25-minute drive northwest from the visitor center area using the green river ferry. The Temple Hill day use and backcountry parking area is a 30-minute drive northwest from the visitor center area using the green river ferry. The White Oak day use and backcountry parking area is a 30-minute drive northeast from the visitor center area using the green river ferry. RoadsThe Green River divides the park into two parts, the north side has backcountry hiking trails, the south side is where the visitor center area is located on Mammoth Cave Parkway. Within the park there is only one ferry that allows access between the north and south sides – the Green River Ferry – located centrally.
Most visitors come into the park from I-65, an interstate that connects Louisville Kentucky to the north, and Nashville Tennessee to the south. The following description of roads will begin with the most frequently used area then move around the map clockwise from there. At 4 o'clock, Cave City Road goes from I-65 exit 53 in Cave City northwest to the Mammoth Cave Parkway. At 5 o'clock, park city road goes from I-65 exit 48 in Park City northwest to the Mammoth Cave Parkway. On Mammoth Cave Parkway, halfway between I-65 exit 48 and the visitor center, is the intersection with Brownsville Road. At 6 o'clock, Brownsville Road goes west out of the park to Brownsville, Kentucky which is located at 9 o'clock. Several roads go south off of Brownsville Road such as Cedar Sink Road. At 9 o'clock, is the town of Brownsville, Kentucky. Houchin Ferry road goes north east to the Houchin Ferry campground, there is no longer ferry service here. At 10 o'clock, located outside of the park boundaries, is the Nolin River Lake State Park Tailwater Recreation Area connected to the town of Brownsville by state road 259. At 11 o'clock, Ollie road parallels the park boundary line, the First Creek and Lincoln backcountry parking areas are located on this road. Off of Ollie road, Houchin Ferry road goes southwest toward 9 o'clock, this road ends at the Houchin Ferry which is no longer in service. At 12 o'clock, the Green River Ferry Road goes south into the park, crosses the Green River using the ferry, and to the visitor center area. The Maple Springs group campground is located halfway between the park boundary and the visitor center area. Outside of the park's north boundary, several state roads connect to the Green River Ferry Road, including roads west to Nolin River Lake State Park as well as a road to the Lincoln, First Creek, and Temple Hill backcountry parking areas within the park. At 1 o'clock, the Dennison Ferry Road goes south into the park to the White Oak parking area. The Ugly Creek Road is a dirt road that connects the White Oak parking area west to the Green River Ferry at the north park boundary. Ugly Creek Road has a warning to not cross when water covers the ford. At 3 o'clock, Flint Ridge road goes west from I-65 exit 58 to the visitor center area. Halfway between I-65 and the visitor center area is the south section of Dennison Ferry Road leading to the Dennison Ferry Day Use Area located at 2 o'clock. There is no ferry service there, this road no longer connects to the Dennison Ferry Road located at 1 o'clock. Hiking TrailsMore frontcountry hiking trails are available than are shown on this map, more information is available on Visitor Center and Southside Trails. On the south side of the park, five hiking trails are shown. These trails are described with the map as a clock face.
At 4 o'clock, on Cave City Road at the park boundary, Sand Cave Trail is a very short out and back interpretive accessible hiking trail. At 5 o'clock, at the intersection of Brownsville Road and Mammoth Cave Parkway, Sloan's Crossing Pond is a short loop accessible trail. The hike and bike trail goes from the visitor center along Mammoth Cave Parkway then along Park City Road to I-65 exit 48 in Park City, Kentucky located at 5 o'clock. At 7 o'clock, on Cedar Sink Road, near the park's southern boundary, is the Cedar Sink Trail, a short out and back hiking trail. Nearby at 7 o'clock, on Brownsville Road, the Turnhole Bend Nature Trail is a short loop trail. On the north side of the park, over 60 miles of backcountry hiking trails weave back and forth, crisscrossing with one another, covering one-fourth of the park territory. Most of these trails are open to hiking and horseback riding, a few are also open to biking. 13 backcountry campsites are dispersed throughout the backcountry. More information is available about hiking trails and camping. Natural HighlightsThe winding Green River cuts the park into a south side and north side. Several small streams lead into the great Green River on the north side, creating valleys in this hilly forested terrain. A handful of hills and knobs are indicated on the map with elevations.
Cultural HighlightsEight cemeteries are shown spread across Mammoth Cave National Park. These cemeteries are the best reminder of the over 600 families that used to call the area home before the creation of the park in 1941. More information on the historic churches and cemeteries in the park is available.
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Last updated: April 27, 2022