Visitor Center Area and South Side Trails

 

Many trails in the visitor center area can be connected together into a longer hike.

NPS Photo/ Nathaniel Leies

A hiking adventure is never out of reach at Mammoth Cave. With 18 miles of easy to access trails found on the south side of the Green River, you can take a day to explore the above ground geology and history of the park, or simply venture out on a quick hike between your cave tours and ranger-led programs.

 

Visitor Center Area Trails

The area around the park visitor center offers 7.2 miles of scenic trails that feature: ridgetops, river views, sinkholes, cave-fed springs, cemeteries, a historic train engine, and views of the historic entrances to Mammoth Cave and Dixon Cave.

Trail List

Trail	Starts at	Mi.	Km.
Amphitheater Trail	Hotel parking/ Cavers' Camp Store	0.2	0.3
Cabins Trail	Hotel Parking	0.2	0.3
Dixon Cave Overlook Trail	Picnic Area	0.1	0.1
Dixon Cave Trail	Historic Entrance	0.4	0.6
Echo River Springs Loop Trail ♿	Green River Ferry	1.0	1.6
Engine No. 4 Trail ♿	Hotel Parking/ Cavers' Camp Store	0.2	0.3
Green River Bluffs Trail	Picnic Area	1.3	2.1
Heritage Trail ♿	Mammoth Cave Hotel	0.5	0.8
Historic Entrance Trail	Visitor Center	0.2	0.3
Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike and Hike Trail - Visitor Center Access Trail	Near Engine No. 4	0.2	0.4
Mammoth Cave Campground Trail	Park Amphitheater	0.2	0.3
Old Guides Trail	Heritage Trail/ Historic Entrance	0.1	0.1
River Styx Spring Trail	Historic Entrance	0.4	0.7
River Valley Trail	Sinkhole Trail/ Echo River Springs Trail	0.3	0.5
Sinkhole Trail	Heritage Trail/ Echo River Springs Trail	1.0	1.7
Sunset Point Trail	Heritage Trail/Echo River Springs Trail	0.3	0.5
Two Springs Trail	River Stix Trail/Echo River Springs Trail	0.6	1.0
Whites Cave Trail	Sinkhole Trail/ Mammoth Cave Campground Trail	0.6	1.0

 

Beneath Your Feet

We spend most of life exploring the beauty and wonder found on the earth’s surface, but beneath our feet, unbelievable feats of geology are at work and hundreds of years of modern human history have passed. Perhaps nowhere else in the world is this truer than at Mammoth Cave. Take a hike and find out what really lies Beneath Your Feet.

 

Want to Learn More? 

Stop in to the park visitor center to see the park’s museum where you can check out exhibits on the history and geology of the park, and watch a short film about the exploration of Mammoth Cave.

 

South Side Trails

Many trails found along the main park roads allow you to explore almost 11 miles of forested trails.

The Cedar Sink Trail, Sand Cave Trail, Sloan's Crossing Pond Walk, Turnhole Bend Nature Trail, and the Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike and Hike Trail are great trails to get out into the park and see what lives on the surface of the park.

Trail List

Trail	Starts at	Mi.	Km.
Cedar Sink Trail	Cedar Sink Trailhead	1.0	1.6
Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike and Hike Trail - North	Hotel Parking	3.3	5.4
Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike and Hike Trail - South	South Park Entrance	5.1	8.2
Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike and Hike Trail - Furlong Cemetery Spur	Spur entry point	0.2	0.4
Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike and Hike Trail - South Entry Spur	South park entry sign	0.2	0.4
Echo River Springs Loop Trail ♿	Echo River Springs Trail Head	0.7	1.13
Sand Cave Trail ♿	Sand Cave Trailhead	0.1	0.2
Sloan's Crossing Pond Walk ♿	Sloan's Crossing Trailhead	0.4	0.6
Turnhole Bend Nature Trail	Turnhole Bend Trailhead	0.5	0.9

 

 

Pets

Four-legged friends are often our favorite hiking companions! Happily, Mammoth Cave National Park allows leashed pets on trails with a few guidelines to follow. Please learn more about bringing your pets to the park.

 

Ticks, Poison Ivy, and Snakes—oh my!

Mammoth Cave National Park is just as much a home for ticks and snakes as it is for white tail deer, turkeys, and songbirds. Poison Ivy also makes its home here and is found in most areas of the park. Learn more about ticks, poison ivy and snake safety while in the park.

 

Be a Steward of Mammoth Cave

Mammoth Cave National Park has earned the distinction of several international designations, including being listed as a International Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site.

You can help protect your national park by following the seven Leave No Trace principles and doing other simple things like picking up litter, discouraging others from taking keepsakes, carving their initials into trees, or bothering wildlife.

Ready to embrace your call to Stewardship? Learn more ways you can Get Involved in protecting your national park.