Mammoth Cave National Park is located in Kentucky and is 100% a park that should be on your list. Â Whether you are in the middle of a road trip or this is your only destination, the park is a great way to spend 3 days/2 nights. Â It’s home to the world’s longest cave and you can go inside on a tour. Â They also have some beautiful hikes and historic areas throughout the park. Â Hope you enjoy!
RV, tent, and group camping
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Equestrian Campground
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Tent ONLY
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Hike, ride your horse, or paddle to rugged campsites
We’ve gathered together all of the Cave Tour information and you find it on our CAVE TOUR INFORMATION GUIDE. Â Find out which one is the right tour for you.
A detailed map of the park can be found HERE.
Arrival day! Â Always one of my favorites as the anticipation is high and you just want to get there already. Â You’ve probably been driving for a bit this morning. Â You’ll want to make sure that you arrive just after lunch. Â Check-in time for campsites is 1pm and you’ll want to get there so you can get all your set up done and still have some time to have an afternoon adventure. Â Of course, you’ve already made a camping reservation and know exactly what spot you’ll be heading to. Â Let’s be real, there isn’t much to set up since there are no hook ups in any of the campgrounds at Mammoth Cave National Park. Â Just pull in to your site and put some chairs out for the late night star gazing session later on. Â It’s time to explore the park. Â Who wants to stay at their campsite all day? Â You’ve only go 3 days here!
Take out your phone and open up the NATIONAL PARK SERVICE APP. Â Search for Mammoth Cave and then look for Self-Guided Tour. Â Once there, you’ll see BENEATH YOUR FEET. Â This is a tour that takes you throughout the Mammoth Cave Campground and Visitor Center areas where you can learn about what is beneath your feet. Â Beneath your feet, of course, is the cave! Â Honestly, this tour just gets you excited for that upcoming cave tour that you’ve been thinking about in the car the whole way here. Â It’s a great way to spend the afternoon and into the evening.
This is the day you’ve been waiting so patiently for.  It’s tour day!!!  After some breakfast, head to the Visitor Center at least an hour before your tour starts.  Hopefully, you booked your tour before you arrived at the park as they tend to sell out and it’s highly unlikely that you’ll get on a tour (at least the tour you want or the time you want).  We did the Domes & Dripstones Tour in the morning.  It’s a combination of other tours and is great for families.  One thing to note:  It has a lot of steps at the very beginning of the tour and some throughout so if that’s not for you, try an alternative.  The tour begins and ends at the Visitor Center.
Now that you’ve gone on the tour and are back at the Visitor Center, you can head to the hiking trails. Â You’ll spend your afternoon hiking a combination of 3 trails to make a loop back to the Visitor Center. Â Green River Bluffs Trail, River Styx Spring Trail, and Dixon Cave Trail. Â Check out the MAP for a better view. Â These trails create a 2.2 mile loop with views of the river, the spring, and the bat cave. Â Get more information about the trails right HERE.
This is your last day here and you’re probably heading out in the afternoon for home or the next park. Â Now is the perfect time to check out some history and a few other views in the park. Â Head down Mammoth Parkway to Turnhole Bend Nature Trail, Joppa Church, and Sloan’s Crossing Pond Walk. Â At these locations, you’ll find sinkholes, springs, history, and hopefully some wildlife. Â These 3 areas are on the south side of the park (you can find them on this MAP) and basically on your way out anyway so you may as well stop and enjoy. Â It’s a great way to end your adventure at the park.
Consider the Wonders is a travel blog intended for entertainment purposes only. We are not RV, travel, or hiking experts and are not making recommendations. These are our opinions and you should do your own research and make your own decisions.
Consider the Wonders is not affiliated with Mammoth Cave National Park or the National Park Service.
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