Looking out from a large cave entrance with falling water and green trees shown over the entrance.
Two worlds, one aboveground and the other below, collide at the largest natural entrance to Mammoth Cave. NPS Photo / J. Cooper

Mammoth Cave National Park

National Park · Kentucky · National Park Service

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.

Plan your visit

Trails & hiking

Biking · Hiking · Horseback Riding

Camping

Camping · Backcountry Camping · Group Camping · RV Camping

Site types & reservations: see the official site.

Know before you go

Phone
2707582180
Official site
www.nps.gov
Managed by
National Park Service

Getting there

Directions on Google Maps →

Things to do

Highlights: Architecture and Building · African American Heritage · Archeology · Burial, Cemetery and Gravesite · Enslavement · Industry · Mining · Medicine · Hospital · Monuments and Memorials · Native American Heritage · Religion and Spirituality · Churches · Transportation · Trains and Railroads · Wars and Conflicts · War of 1812 · World War I · Women's History · Ancient Seas · Animals · Birds · Fish · Caves, Caverns and Karst · Climate Change · Fire · Forests and Woodlands · Fossils and Paleontology · Geology · Mineral Deposits · Groundwater · Freshwater Springs · Natural Sounds · Night Sky · Astronomy · River and Riparian · Rock Landscapes and Features · Scenic Views · Trails · Water Trails · Unique Species · Endangered · Watersheds · Wetlands

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

Photos

  • A long staircase travels down a slope into the dark cave opening.
    NPS Photo/ Thomas DiGiovannangelo
  • A large stacked stone pillar reaches the flat ceiling containing signatures in a cave passage.
    NPS Photo/ Jackie Wheet
  • A long cave passage with an oval shape.
    NPS Photo/ Thomas DiGiovannangelo
  • A wooden boardwalk leads into the forest.
    NPS Photo/ Thomas DiGiovannangelo
  • A small white church building with yellow flowers in the foreground.
    NPS Photo/ Thomas DiGiovannangelo
  • A view of a river valley with hills covered in trees. A blue sky with white clouds stands above.
    NPS Photo/ Thomas DiGiovannangelo

Nearby parks

Parks of Kentucky

Jefferson Davis State Historic SitePine Mountain State Resort ParkDale Hollow Lake State Resort ParkCarr Creek State ParkYatesville Lake State ParkDr. Thomas Walker State Historic SiteDawkins Line Rail TrailKingdom Come State ParkGrayson Lake State ParkJenny Wiley State Resort ParkLincoln Homestead State ParkBuckhorn Lake State Resort ParkBlue Licks Battlefield State Resort ParkWaveland State Historic SiteKenlake State Resort ParkWickliffe Mounds State Historic SiteOld Mulkey Meetinghouse State Historic SiteGeneral Burnside Island State ParkBig Bone Lick State Historic SiteGreen River Lake State ParkMy Old Kentucky Home State ParkMineral Mound State ParkNolin Lake State ParkNatural Bridge State Resort ParkColumbus-Belmont State ParkIsaac Shelby Cemetery State Historic SiteLake Malone State ParkJohn James Audubon State ParkCarter Caves State Resort ParkKincaid Lake State ParkCamp Nelson National MonumentFort Boonesborough State ParkPennyrile Forest State Resort ParkPerryville Battlefield State Historic SiteLake Cumberland State Resort ParkKentucky Dam Village State Resort ParkLake Barkley State Resort ParkGreenbo Lake State Resort ParkAbraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical ParkBarren River Lake State Resort ParkRough River Dam State Resort ParkPine Mountain State Scenic TrailCumberland Gap National Historical ParkOld Fort Harrod State ParkTaylorsville Lake State ParkCumberland Falls State Resort ParkE.P. Tom Sawyer State ParkMill Springs Battlefield National MonumentPaintsville Lake State ParkGeneral Butler State Resort ParkSimon Kenton

52 parks mapped in Kentucky

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Guides for the trip

All guides →

Sources: National Park Service · updated 2026-08-12