Your Virtual Guide to Adventure Outdoors!
Your Virtual Guide to Adventure Outdoors!
Kentucky
Hiking Maps & Trails
Maps & Trails
Mammoth NP. Area Camping Guide
The Mammoth Cave Tour Planner
Mammoth Overview
Mammoth Park's Above Ground
Trails
Mammoth NP. Area Camping Guide
Maple Springs Group Campground
Located 6 miles from the Visitor Center and 3 miles north of the Green River Ferry, this campground has 7 sites with a 24-person capacity per site. The campground has picnic tables, fire grates, chemical toilets, garbage dumpsters, and fresh water. Four of the Maple Springs sites have hitching posts and trailer parking for horses. Campsites cost $15 per night per site. Make campsite reservations by calling 1-502-758-2251 weekdays between 8 a.m., and 4:30 p.m. Pay for your campsite (cash only) at the Maple Springs registration/pipe-safe located next to the campground bulletin board, If you arrive without a reservation, check In first at the Headquarters Campground to find out if a campsite at Maple Springs is available. Maple Springs Campground check-in and check-out time is 12 noon. Note: The most direct route from the Visitor Center to the Group Campground requires crossing the Green River Ferry. The ferry has a load limit Of 8 tons, but some vehicles (e.g. school buses) cannot be ferried due to length or low ground clearance. The ferry is open from 6 a.m. to 9:55 p.m.. daily, except when repairs or hazardous river conditions prevent operation. An alternate route to the campground via state and country roads is 35 miles from the Visitor Center.
Headquarters Campground
Located ¼ mile from the park Visitor Center, this campground includes111 sites. Each site features a paved parking area, a picnic table, and a fire grate. The campground has restrooms, fresh water, a dump station and garbage dumpsters. There are no hookups for electricity or sewer. The camping fee is $10 per night per site and hall price for visitors with Golden Age/Golden Access passports. Campsites are available on a first. come, first-served basis. A maximum of 8 people is permitted at each site, and campers can stay a maximum of 14 days. Showers operated by the park concessionaire are open weekends in the spring and daily in the summer and fall. Showers are located behind the Service Center adjacent to the campground.
Houohins Ferry Campground
Located 15 miles from the park Visitor Center on the south bank of the Green River, this campground includes 12 sites. Each site has a picnic table and a fire grate. The campground has two chemical toilets, fresh water, and an adjacent picnic shelter. This campground is not suitable for large trailers or RVs. The camping fee is $5 per night per site and half price for visitors with Golden Age/ Golden Access passports. Campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The ferry operates from 9:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. daily except when repairs or hazardous river conditions prevent operation.
Dennison Ferry Campground
Located 7 miles from the park Visitor Center on the south bank of the Green River, this campground includes 4 sites. Located in a remote area of the park, the last two miles leading to the campground are along a rough dirt road. Each site has a picnic table and a fire grate. The campground has a chemical toilet, but fresh water Is not available. This campground is not suitable for large trailers or RVs! Camping Is free and reservations are not accepted. Dennison Ferry Is not operating.
Backcountry Camping
Twelve peaceful and scenic backcountry campsites offer opportunities to find solitude and appreciate the beauty and diversity of Mammoth Cave National Park’s rugged hills and majestic woodlands. Overnight camping is permitted at designated sites and along flood-plains more than ½ mile away from ferry crossings or developed campgrounds. Each campsite holds a rnaximum of 8 people. All campsites except McCoy Hollow have a nearby water source. Boil and treat water before drinking, or carry in your own drinking water. Obtain a free backcountry use permit and a free trail map showing backcountry campsites at the Visitor Center Information Desk. Other detailed guidebooks are available for sale.
The Mammoth Tour Planner
When you get there, you're going to want to venture into the depths...And this is what to expect of the various Ranger lead offerings. Chose wisely before you show up, or be prepared for chaos and disappointment on arrival. Some tours are way passive, or short. While others may prove to much for the general populace, but not YOU my little Trailmonkeys!
Cave tours are given every day except December 25, but schedules are changed from season to season. with varied tours and departure times offered. Fees are charged. Certain cave tours may require special clothing or equipment. Visitor Center hours also change through the year. Reserve a Tour Before Your Visit!!!
Cave tours can and do sell out: make reservations so you can plan ahead to enjoy the tour of your choice. Summer days, holidays, and all weekends are busy. You will need reservations. Make them through the mail or by telephone (with a major credit card) no earlier than 8 weeks before and no later than one hour before you wish to tour the cave. To make Your reservations ahead, first call the tour information at 1- 502-758-2328. When you have settled on a tour that meets your interests and schedule, call the reservation service at 1-800-967-2283. Or you may mail your reservation with a personal check or money order to:
MISTIX Customer Service,
P.0, Box 85705, San Diego,
CA 92186.Historic Tour
2 hours. 2 miles. Visit the cave passages and learn about the rich human history that made Mammoth Cave famous. View, artifacts left by native Americans.; discover ruins of mining operations; and see evidence of early visitors, explorers, and workers at Mammoth Cave. Must descend and climb one stairway with more than 60 steps and must climb more than 130 steps on a steel tower. If You fear heights or close places and/or cannot climb steps, do not take this tour.Limit: 120
Frozen Niagara Tour
2 hours, ¾ mile. Descend in search of the spectacular. Ride a bus to the entrance, explore huge pits and domes and view decorative dripstone formations, including stalactites and stalagmites. Must descend approximately 300 steps and navigate steep terrain. If you fear heights or close places and/or cannot climb steps, do not take this tour. The Travertine Tour route is include in this more strenuous tour.Limit: 120
Discovery Tour
½ hr. minimum, ¾ mile. Visit one of the largest rooms in Mammoth Cave, explore a large canyon passage, talk with park rangers and learn about 19th Century saltpeter mining operations and the geologic origins of Mammoth Cave. Must descend and climb one stairway with more than 60 steps. To get the full picture, hike the River Styx Spring Trail or the Green River Bluffs Trail in conjunction with this tour.Unlimited availability during periods of high visitations.
Travertine Tour
1-1 ¼ hours, ¼ mile (easy). Ride a bus to the Frozen Niagara entrance and view some of the cave’s finest geologic artistry, including stalactites, stalagmites, pits and domes. Must climb 18 steps; an additional 98 steps are optional. Best suited for those who cannot walk longer distances, and those with infants and toddlers.Limit: 40
Gothic Tour
2 hours, 11/2 miles (moderately strenuous). Visitors began touring the Mammoth Cave in 1816 to marvel at the wonders underground - and became themselves a part of the cave’s fascinating history. Discover how early visitors saw the cave and how they left their mark on this "grand, gloomy and peculiar place." Must climb and descend two stairways- one with more than 60 steps and the other with about 40 steps.Limit: 60
Great Onyx Tour
2 ¼ hours, 1 mile. Even before the creation of this national park, the private owners of Great Onyx Cave understood the need for stewardship. Join a Park Ranger on a visit to Flint Ridge and Great Onyx Cave and learn how past and present ways of treasuring these resources have come together. Must climb and descend 20 stairs and several hills. Use lanterns to explore this beautiful and varied cave which features stalactites, stalagmites, helictites, and "soda straw" stalactites.Limit: 40
Mammoth Passage Tour
1 ¼ hours, ¾ mile. Visit the large passage referred to by early cave explorers as "Main Cave." whose high vaulted ceilings and broad walls gave birth to the cave called "Mammoth." Park Rangers discuss the cave’s creation by water, the absence of what many people refer to as "typical" cave formations, the cave’s cultural history, and contemporary environmental concerns, Visitors must descend and climb more than 60 stairs. Must walk up a steep hill to return to the Visitor Center.Limit: 100
Cleaveland Avenue Tour
1 ¾ hours, 1 mile. A bus takes you to the cave’s entrance. Descend approximately 220,stairs at the entrance. See gypsum-encrusted tube passages and learn about early tours in Mammoth Cave. Food service at Snowball Room is available seasonally (for an additional fee). Extra time will be given at the end of the tour for those wishing these services. Exit by elevator, ascending 267 feet to buses waiting to return to the Visitor Center.Limit: 100
Making of Mammoth Tour
2 ½ hours, 2 ½ miles. Get back to basics - discover the geologic beginnings of Mammoth Cave and learn why it is unique throughout the world. Trip will investigate the cave’s ancient origins 325 million years ago all the way to its ongoing formation today. This exploration of the cave’s diversity will descend to the very bottom of the cave the water table. Must descend and climb the entrance stairway with more than 60 steps and must climb steel tower with more than 130 steps. If you fear heights or close places and/or cannot climb stairs, do not take this tour. Restrooms available. Two miles of passageway overlap the Historic Tour route.Limit: 60
Violet City Lantern Tour
3 hours, 3 miles. Follow the path of the cave’s famous explorers along a nostalgic journey into Mammoth Cave’s historic past. By the light of coal-oil lantern, view a saltpeter mining operation, evidence of prehistoric exploration, historic tuberculosis hospital ruins, and some of the largest rooms and passageways in the cave. The first half-mile follows the Historic Tour route. Do not bring flashlights.Limit: 60
Wild Cave Tour
6 to 61/2 hours, 51/2 miles (extremely strenuous). Must be 16 years or older to participate. (Be prepared to show proof of age.) Must have a hip/chest size of no larger than 42 inches - anyone larger will not fit through the tight spaces. Crawl, climb, and squeeze through small passages. Helmets and lights provided. Knee pads available, but you may bring your own ;rollerblade-type or hard plastic kneepads not allowed. Hiking boots required. Gloves and long pants strongly recommended. Visitors should bring a lunch and a small water bottle in a small "fanny" pack. Restrooms are available. Tickets being held at "Will Call" must be picked up 30 minutes prior to departure or the tickets will be released.Limit: 14
Trog Tour
2 ½ hours. The environment has many parts and they all work together - children 8-12 years old can discover the connections between the sunlit world and the underground world on this environmentally focused activity. Parents must accompany their children for the first 15 minutes of the program and then promptly pick up children at the end of the program. Designed for children 8-12 years old. Children younger than 8 find the physical demand too difficult. Please do not purchase a ticket for children younger than 8. Be prepared for crawling.Helmets and lights provided. Long pants and sturdy shoes or hiking boots required. Gloves recommended. We also recommend that you bring kneepads rollerblade-type or hard plastic kneepads not allowed. restrooms not available.
Limit: 12
Introduction to Caving
3 to 31/2 hours (very strenuous). Designed for youths, adults, and families to learn arid explore the basics of responsible caving. Visit passages off traditional tour routes. Stooping, bending and crawling. Helmets and lights provided. Bring your own knee pads; no rollerblade-type or hard plastic kneepads allowed. Long pants and boots required. Gloves recommended. Youths must be at least 10 years old. Ages 10-1 5 must be accompanied by an adult. Visitors with tickets being held at "Will Call" must check in 30 minutes prior to departure or your tickets will be released.Limit: 20
Grand Avenue Tour
4’-/2 hours, 4 miles (strenuous). Experience the cave’s geologic variety. I-like through avenues representing four separate aspects of cave formation and discover why some of these passages were originally named "Grand Avenue." A short bus ride to Carmichael Entrance begins the trip. Consider your physical limitations - must ascend and descend steep switchback trails and more than 500 stairs. Restrooms available. Scheduled 35-minute lunch stop at Snowball Room - lunch may be purchased at an additional charge. Age restriction: must be at 16 years old to take the Avenue Tour. Overlaps a portion of the Frozen Niagara and Travertine tours.Limit: 120.
Schedule and Prices:
As of : March 15, 1997
Weekends
Historic Tour $6 9:45 (Sun), 10:15, 12:00
Mammoth Passage Tour $4.50 4:30
Frozen Niagara Tour $6.50 9:15, 10:00,1:00, 2:30, 3:15
Travertine Tour $6 8:15, 9:00, 12:45, 1:30, 3:45
Violet City Lantern Tour $7.50 8:30
Grand Avenue Tour $15 11:00
Mobility Impaired Tour $5 9:15, 1:15
Wild Cave Tour $35 10:15
Introduction To Caving $17.50 10:00 (Sat), 2:15 (Sat/Sun)
Discovery Tour $3 when visitation warrantsAll tours half price for youth 12 & under and for Golden Age Passport holders, except Introduction to Caving, which is $10 for youth and Golden Age Passport holders. Wild Cave Tour is for persons 16 years & up.
Evening Programs and Campfire Programs begin March 28. Ask at the Visitor Center for details.
Visitor Center Hours: 8 am - 6 p.m. Central Time
Weekdays
Historic Tour $6 9:30, 10:15, 2:00, 2:45
Mammoth Passage Tour $4.50 4:30
Frozen Niagara Tour $6.50 11:30,12:15, 1:00, 3:15
Travertine Tour $6 8:15, 9:00, 12:45, 1:30, 3:45
Violet City Lantern Tour $7.50 8:30
Mobility Impaired Tour $5 9:15, 1:15
Wild Cave Tour $35 10:15 (beginning May 1 0)
Discovery Tour $3 when visitation warrantsAll tours except Wild Cave Tour half price for youth 12 & under and for Golden Age Passport holders.
Visitor Center Hours: 8 am - 6 p.m. Central Time
Mammoth Cave lies 9 miles north of Interstate 65 and approximately 85 miles from both Louisville, Ky., and Nashville, Tenn. The park Is in the Central Time Zone: when traveling from the north, you gain an hour.
***Airports and car rentals are in Nashville, Louisville, and Bowling Green, Ky.
No park entrance fee is charged, but a variety of tour fees are required for all persons 6 years or older. Fees also are charged for camping. See the information and map at right. For more pre-arrival information, write or call: Superintendent, Mammoth Cave National Park, Mammoth Cave, KY 42259-0007; telephone 502-758-2328.
Consult the free park newspaper, Mammoth Cave Inside Out, for a schedule of current ranger-led programs, Visitor Center hours, evening programs, hours of operation for the Green River and Houchins ferries, a map of the park’s extensive hiking and walking trails, and information about facilities and activities accessible to persons with physical disabilities.
Camping
Three park campgrounds are available on a first come, first-served basis with a 14-day camping limit. They may be closed December through February. Headquarters, Houchins Ferry, and Dennison Ferry campgrounds offer toilets, grills, and tables. All but Dennison Ferry have water. No hookups. Large, organized groups can call the park for reservations at Maple Springs Group Campground. It also is available for camping with horses. Backcountry camping is allowed at 12 designated sites. on river banks, and on islands by permit only and by reservation. Free permits may be obtained at the Visitor Center.
Hiking
North of the Green River lie 60 miles of hiking trails. There are 10 miles of trails south of the river
Bicycling
A mile-long gravel bicycle trail connects Loop B of Headquarters Campground with the Carmichael and Violet City Entrance Road.
Boating and Canoeing
Nearly 30 miles of the Green and Nolin rivers in the park usually offer canoeing and boating past dramatic bluffs. Canoes may be rented from commercial outfitters outside the park.
***Touring the Cave…(Plan Ahead)
In anticipation of changes from one visit to the next, you are encouraged to contact the park for current information on cave tour descriptions and schedules, surface activities, or special events. Write to: Superintendent, Mammoth Cave National Park, Mammoth Cave, KY 42259@7; telephone 502-758-2328.
You can make reservations in person at the park Visitor Center, but by the time you get there your preferred tour for that day maybe full. It is better to make reservations ahead of time.
Children younger than 16 years old are eligible for discounted tickets but must be accompanied by an adult unless otherwise noted. Children younger than 6 years old are admitted free but must have a ticket.
Pets? The Mammoth Cave Hotel next to the Visitor Center offers a pet kennel with fees by the hour or day. Only seeing-eye or hearing-ear dogs are permitted in the cave. Pets left in parked vehicles may be removed by park personnel because vehicle temperatures may threaten pets’ lives.
Traveling With Children?
If your children are very young, consider taking a shorter orientation tour. All children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Strollers are not allowed in the cave. Backpacks for infants are allowed, but restrictions apply from tour to tour. Some cave passages are too narrow or low for backpack carriers, and small heads can be injured! Some tours have restroom facilities; others do not!!!
What Can I Take Into the Cave?
Photography is permitted, but tripods are prohibited. Video cameras are permitted but don’t use them when walking or using stairs in the cave. Food and drink are permitted in the cave, but you must use trash receptacles. Flashlights are welcome on tours ,but may not be used during tour stops. Be aware of other visitors. Do not shine the light in their eyes in the dimly lit cave.
Clothing and Footgear
Wear sturdy shoes or hiking boots with a good sole. No sandals or bare feet, please. A light jacket is recommended; cave temperatures can range from freezing to around 600F. In winter, warm clothing should be worn.
Cave Tour Safety
All cave tours are strenuous and require stooping and walking over rough, uneven terrain. Except for the Tour for the Mobility Impaired, all tours require walking up and down steps, Visitors must stay with their tour and on cave trails. Smoking is prohibited in the cave. Children must remain with parents in the cave, and everyone must stay on defined tour trails. Do not write on cave walls or collect cave rocks as souvenirs. Use handrails where available. Walk at a comfortable, steady pace. No running, please.
Information for the Mobility-impaired Before your arrival, call 502-758-2328 for information on the park’s accessible cave tours, surface trails, camping, and accommodations.
Scenic Driving
Flint Ridge, Green River Ferry, Maple Springs, Loop, Houchins Ferry, Little Jordan, and Joppa Ridge roads enable you to tour part of the park by private motor vehicle. The latter 3 roads are not passable by trailers or motorhomes. Ask for more information at the Visitor Center.
Ranger-led Programs
Rangers deliver 10-minute talks or demonstrations on a variety of topics near the Visitor Center. Longer surface activities, offered in season, start from specified locations. At Headquarters Campground, rangers give seasonal evening programs at the campfire circle and amphitheater. Parking near both locations can accommodate non-campers.
Junior Ranger Program
Children between ages 6 and 13 can become Junior Rangers by completing projects and taking part in ranger-led
programs. Junior Ranger booklets are sold at the Visitor Center. School groups may qualify for the park’s environmental education program. Call the program’s coordinator at 502-758-2251 weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Scenic Boat Rides
A concessionaire offers1 hour boat cruises aboard the Miss Green River // from April through October, river conditions permitting. Buy tickets in advance at the Visitor Center. Call 502758-2243 for more information.
Fishing
Muskie, bass, white perch, and catfish await anglers in the Green and Nolin rivers. No license is required within the park. However, all other Kentucky fishing regulations apply. Ask for a list of regulations at the visitors’ center
Horse Use
Trails north of the Green River, except the Ganter Cave Trail. are open for horseback riding. Horses may be rented from a concessionaire outside the park. For horse use information, call 502758-2328.
Safety Concerns
Check the park newspaper for park regulations, restrictions, and cave safety precautions. Pet use is restricted; a kennel is available through Mammoth Cave Hotel (fee). Be alert for ticks and chiggers and avoid the parks 2 poisonous snakes, the timber rattlesnake and northern copperhead. Snakes and all other park animals are protected by law. Do not disturb or kill them. Do not feed any wildlife. If you have questions about any activity, check at the Visitor Center or ask a ranger.
Tour members meet at the Visitor Center and then walk or take a bus to the cave entrance at which their tour begins. Children 16 years of age or under must be accompanied by an adult. Children ages 8 to 12 can take part in a special guided exploration of the surface and a small cave.
Cave tour tickets may be bought through the service wide reservation contractor and the Visitor Center. Tickets for the 1 hour scenic boat cruise on tire Green River also are sold here.
Mammoth Park's Above Ground Trails
With nearly 80 miles of hiking trails, Mammoth Cave National Park offers plenty of space to stretch your legs. Use this handy guide to the above ground half of the park to venture forth into some of the finest Kentucky flora and fauna you're going to fine in the whole state. Glorious!
North Side Trails
Trail: Begins At: Length: Blair Spring Hollow Trail Collie Ridge Trail at Raymer Hollow 1.2 miles Buffalo Trail Maple Springs Trailhead 4.0 miles Collie Ridge Trail Lincoln Trailhead 4.3 miles First Creek Hollow Trail Temple Hill Trailhead 6.7 miles Ganter Cave Trail Maple Springs Trailhead 1.8 miles Good Spring Loop Trail Maple Springs Trailhead 7.9 miles McCoy Hollow Trail Temple Hill Trailhead 6.3 miles Raymer Hollow Trail Maple Springs Trailhead 4.7 miles Sal Hollow Trail Maple Springs Trailhead 8.7 miles Turnhole Bend Trail Maple Springs Trailhead 3.2 miles Wet Prong - Mc Coy Hollow Spur Wet Prong Trail 0.4 mile Wet Prong Trail First Creek Trailhead 4.9 miles White Oak Trail Little Jordan Road 2.7 miles
South Side Trails
Trail: Begins At: Length: Cedar Sink Trail Cedar Sink Trailhead, Hwy. 422 0.8 mile Sand Cave Trail Sand Cave Trailhead, Hwy. 255 0.1 mile Sloan’s Crossing Pond Trail Sloan’s Crossing Pond Trailhead, Hwy. 70 0.4 mile Turnhole Bend Turnhole Bend Nature Trail Nature Trail Trailhead. Hwy. 70 1.0 mile
Visitor Center Area Trails
Trail: Begins At: Length: Campground Trail Campsite 11, Loop A 0.5 mile Dixon Cave Trail Historic Entrance 1.2 miles Echo River Spring Trail Green River Ferry 0.4 mile Echo River Trail Sunset Point 2.2 miles Green River Bluffs Trail* Visitor Center Picnic Area 1.1 miles Mammoth Dome Sink Trail Heritage Trail 2.0 miles River Styx Spring Trail* Historic Entrance 0.6 mile Heritage Trail Mammoth Cave Hotel 0.3 miles *denotes: Self guiding trail brochures are available for the trails marked with an asterisk(*)
Drop us a line, your comments & trails welcome!
Original
Artwork, Text, & Maps © Trailmonkey.com 1997 -'07
Images Protected (Digitally
Watermarked) by Digimarc embedding
Paws Off Without Permission!
Privacy
Statement & Disclaimer
Designed & Tweaked by Flying
Squirrel Adventures inc
