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5. River Styx Spring
Mammoth Cave is so humongous, it has underground rivers that run right through it! Hit the trail to witness the River Styx come to light as it emerges from its deep, dark journey through the cave.
What You Need to Know
This trail is 1.2 miles roundtrip and gains about 250 feet of elevation. You’ll pass by the historic natural entrance of the cave, as well as a nice view of the Green River, on your way to the spring.
Getting Here
This trail starts behind the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center. Take the paved path down the hill to the historic cave entrance and then continue from there, following signs that point to the River Styx.
6. Heritage Trail
Wander through the trees to a quaint cemetery that honors the life of Stephen Bishop, the most famous tour guide at Mammoth Cave. This peaceful walk also leads to a beautiful overlook and is a great place to look for wildlife!
What You Need to Know
Stephen Bishop was brought to the cave as a slave in 1838. He, along with other African Americans who worked in the cave, opened the door for extensive cave exploration and discovered many of the routes we still take today! Learn more about their contributions here.
Bishop is buried here in the Old Guide’s Cemetery. Several of the other gravestones are patients who were treated in the cave’s tuberculosis hospital from 1842 – 1843.
This trail is 0.5 miles roundtrip and mostly flat.
Getting Here
You’ll find the Heritage Trail right behind the Mammoth Cave Hotel. From the backside of the Visitor Center, cross the bridge that leads over to the hotel. When you reach the end of the bridge, turn right and follow the back of the hotel to the beginning of the trail.
7. Railroad Hike and Bike Trail
Travel back to a time when the familiar chug of a train engine brought many eager visitors to Mammoth Cave! Jump on a bike and follow this old train route past several historical points of interest.
What You Need to Know
The entire trail is 9 miles each way but can be easily be altered to fit the mileage you feel comfortable with.
The Hike and Bike Trail doesn’t follow the exact route of the Mammoth Cave Railroad so you will go up and over some Kentucky hills along the way. For more information, click here.
You can rent bikes from the Mammoth Cave Lodge on a first-come, first-served basis. You can catch the Railroad Hike and Bike Trail right from the rental area!
An original train engine and passenger car are on display at what was the “end of the line.” You can take a closer look at where they now stand near the Caver’s Camp Store.
Getting Here
The Hike and Bike Trail runs from the Caver’s Camp Store to the NPS Welcome Sign near the town of Park City, KY.
8. Green River Bluffs
Find solitude in the forest while hiking through the beautiful Kentucky countryside! This trail opens up to lovely views of the Green River and surrounding hills.
What You Need to Know
This trail is a 1.3-mile loop but can be combined with other trails to create a longer hike. Take a look at the map here. Be sure to make it to the overlook located about halfway through the loop!
Getting Here
This trail is located at the Mammoth Cave Picnic Area. At the north end of the Visitor Center parking lot, look for the road that leads up the hill to the picnic area. Drive up here and park your vehicle. The trail begins at the top of the hill on the right side of the road. After you’ve hiked to the overlook, continue down the hill and follow signs for the picnic area/Dixon Cave. Look for a large wooden staircase near Dixon Cave to return to the parking lot.
Have a fabulous time in Mammoth Cave National Park. Happy trails!
(2) Q’s. Is there an illuminated underground kayak tour you would recommend ?
March travel: how much snow is on the ground and what should we expect for conditions to hinder the planned hiking ? (mid-march, 16th thru 22nd) thanks,
I’m an expert on the national parks, not really the surrounding areas. They don’t run tours like that in the national park, so I don’t have any recs for that, sorry! Spring gets a lot of rain, but not necessarily snow (though it can happen on occasion). I hope you have fun!
I see you have said no child backpack carriers, is that any child carrier or just metal framed ones? I have an all cloth soft structured carrier that can be worn on the front or the back, would that be aloud?
You can wear on the front, but not on the back :)
I’m planning to visit the Cave in early July. I really want to see the Frozen Niagara, but the spots for the shorter Niagara Tour are sold out on the website. Can you tell me if the Historic Tour include the Frozen Niagara? Or possibly Extended Historic Tour include this? Thank you!
No, you’ll need the Domes and Dripstones or Grand Avenue!
I’m a amputee I can hike for miles but stairs are a little difficult . I can do them just rather slow and wouldn’t want to slow up a group. What trips should I avoid.
If you go to this site and scroll down to the photos of the cave tours, you’ll see underneath each photo it says how many stairs are on each tour. There are a few with 200 stairs or less, like Gothic Avenue, Mammoth Passage, Discovery, Frozen Niagara, etc. I would avoid the tours with many stairs (500+), but the tours with 200 or less should be ok for you!
Do I need special shoes for the mammoth passage tour?
No, just comfy shoes that are good for hiking will work just fine!
When visiting mammoth cave and after a 4 hour tour what do you suggest is the best plan for lunch?
We like to either eat at the lodge, bring a picnic, or head out to Cave City and eat at Bucky Bees!
I would like to know the Mammoth Cave tour with the most light and space. My friends all want to tour, but I hate the dark and am claustrophobic…I know they won’t go if I don’t go…thanks for your help!
The Mammoth Passage or Discovery Tour are good options for that!
Are there any cave tours that are toddler (2yr old) friendly? We are scheduled to visit Labor Day Weekend in 2023.
I’ve found for little kids, it’s better to keep to the shorter tours such as the Discovery or Mammoth Passage. If you think your toddler can handle being in the cave a little longer, I suggest the Historic or Frozen Niagara!
We went to Mammoth Cave in March 2023 and had a great time! We forgot that it was around the time of lots of spring breaks, and we didn’t purchase tour tickets in time. In fact, they were all sold out for a solid two weeks. Gah! We went anyway, and we learned that sometimes a tour is added day-of. The Visitor’s Center opens at 9am, and we were able to easily get spots on the Historic Tour day since they’d just added some times. (I don’t recommend banking on this strategy! We lucked out!) The Wondering Woods Cave Tour was also super fun and had some rock formations that we didn’t see in the main cave. Highly recommend!
Thanks for the tip — I’m so glad you were able to get in the cave!!
Is there a way to print this article so I can take it with me? I don’t want to rely on internet when in the park.
thx
You can contact me here to get a printable version.
Thanks for the interesting article. I was a seasonal interpreter at Carlsbad Caverns a very long time ago and know that rangers have the best inside information.
Very cool!
A hike to Cedar Sink is a MUST. It’s an easy trail, to a viewing area for an enormous sinkhole containing several cave entrances. It’s a geology lesson in a short walk and is lovely any time of year.
That’s a great one too! So many cool things to do in this park!
We are thinking about visiting this summer. Are there any CCC Lodges or sites in the area?
The CCC was definitely in this area, but I don’t think there are any lodges you can stay in. You can read more about the CCC at Mammoth Cave here. Have a great trip!
Just curious, I’m an avid hiker and have recently been told of a ghost town accessible from mammoth state park. I can’t find anything about Edmondson online. Is it a myth?
I’ve not heard about that! If you find it, you’ll have to let me know!
There use to be an abandoned amusement park called Gun Town Mountain that was a wild west town. It had a sky lift that ran up the side of the “mountain”. A couple of years ago someone bought it and opened it back up.
Edmondson is not in mammoth cave.. its in Smoky Mountains..
Our trip to see mammoth cave is in Aug. Ever since Covid, my energy and strength level has diminished quite a bit. Could you recommend the best tour for us to see that doesn’t require miles of hiling?
I believe that the Frozen Niagara has the least amount of stairs. Have a great visit!
My friend and I are planning on coming in June from Michigan for a day and half maybe then heading to Grayson Kentucky. What do you recommend and where to stay
I’d try to take a few different tours through the cave and stay in Park City or Cave City. Have fun!
How many days does it take to complete all the items on the itinerary? Love the blog, it’s my go to for all my national Park Trips!
Thanks Caroline! If you can get on multiple cave tours, I’d plan a day for the tours and then another half day or full day for the hiking trails. Have a great time!
How did you become a park ranger? I’m interested in this profession..
I was hired while I was in college under a program called STEP. That program went away, but I recommend volunteering somewhere near you to get your foot in the door. They like to hire people that they know if possible!
How is this park in December?
They run cave tours year-round! You may not be able to complete some of the hiking trails due to weather, but the cave is open. Enjoy your trip!