Theodore Roosevelt Presidential LibraryPublic Lands Directory

Alerts and conditions

Park Closure Green River Ferry Closed to RV/Trailer Traffic

Green River Ferry is operational but remains closed to recreational vehicle and trailer traffic due to low water conditions. A river forecast is available at: water.noaa.gov/gauges/03309000

Park Closure Elevator for Accessible Tour Out of Service

Due to mechanical issues with the cave elevator, the Accessible Tour is currently unavailable. Please check back for updates or call the visitor center at (270) 758-2180.

Information Tickets are required to enter Mammoth Cave

Reservations are strongly recommended. Reservations are the only way to ensure a spot is available for your party. Please plan accordingly by visiting Recreation.gov to secure your tickets in advance. Availability of walk-up tickets is not guaranteed.

Read the full alert

Weather Frost Advisory issued November 8 at 9:37PM EST until November 9 at 10:00AM EST by NWS Louisville KY

* WHAT...Temperatures as low as 34 will result in frost formation.

* WHERE...Portions of south central Indiana and east central, north

central, northwest, and south central Kentucky.

* WHEN...Until 10 AM EST /9 AM CST/ Monday.

* IMPACTS...Frost could harm sensitive outdoor vegetation. Sensitive

outdoor plants may be killed if left uncovered.

What to do: Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.

Read the full alert · Until Nov 9, 2026, 3:00 PM

Overview

Rolling hills, deep river valleys, and the world's longest known cave system. Mammoth Cave National Park is home to thousands of years of human history and a rich diversity of plant and animal life, earning it the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Region.

From the National Park Service

History

The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.

What to see and do

Activities

  • Astronomy
  • Stargazing
  • Biking
  • Boating
  • Camping
  • Backcountry Camping
  • Canoe or Kayak Camping
  • Car or Front Country Camping
  • Horse Camping (see also Horse/Stock Use)
  • Group Camping
  • RV Camping
  • Caving
  • Fishing
  • Freshwater Fishing
  • Food
  • Dining
  • Picnicking
  • Guided Tours
  • Self-Guided Tours - Walking
  • Hands-On
  • Hiking
  • Backcountry Hiking
  • Front-Country Hiking
  • Horse Trekking
  • Horse Camping (see also camping)
  • Horseback Riding
  • Paddling
  • Canoeing
  • Canoe or Kayak Camping
  • Kayaking
  • Junior Ranger Program
  • Wildlife Watching
  • Park Film
  • Shopping
  • Bookstore and Park Store

Browse hiking, biking and paddling routes on AllTrails

Plan your visit

Hours

Park 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.

Getting there

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.

Visitor centers

Campgrounds

  • Mammoth Cave Campground (111 sites) — reserve
  • Maple Springs Group Campground (7 sites) — reserve
  • Houchin Ferry Campground (12 sites) — reserve

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).

Phone: 2707582180

Whose lands these are

These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.

Photos

Trees with colorful autumn leaves surround a large pond and reflect off of its surface.
Autumn at Sloans Pond · NPS Photo / J. Wheet
A long staircase travels down a slope into the dark cave opening.
Historic Entrance · NPS Photo/ Thomas DiGiovannangelo
A large stacked stone pillar reaches the flat ceiling containing signatures in a cave passage.
Gothic Avenue · NPS Photo/ Jackie Wheet
A long cave passage with an oval shape.
Cleaveland Avenue · NPS Photo/ Thomas DiGiovannangelo
A wooden boardwalk leads into the forest.
Heritage Trail · NPS Photo/ Thomas DiGiovannangelo
A small white church building with yellow flowers in the foreground.
Good Spring Baptist Church · NPS Photo/ Thomas DiGiovannangelo

Pair it with