Mammoth Cave National Park is located halfway between Louisville Kentucky and Nashville Tennessee in Bowling Green Kentucky.

Mammoth Cave National Park preserves the cave system and a part of the Green River valley of south-central Kentucky. It is the world’s longest known cave system, with more than 400 miles (643 km) explored. It is a World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve.

Site Review:

Located about 1/4 mile from the parks Visitor Centre is the Mammoth Cave campground.

Mammoth Cave Campground:

• 105 sites that can accommodate RVs.
• Paved parking pads
• Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring
• Restrooms with flush toilets
• A dump station
• You CAN make reservations (highly recommended)
• 103 of the 105 sites do not have any hook-ups at all
• The camping fee for the unserviced sites is $20 USD a night- no refunds
• There are 2 fully serviced sites. Only 2. They are not reservable and are on a first-come, first-serve basis. They cost $50 USD a night.
• Generator use is permitted from 6am-10pm
• Easy access from the campground to the Visitor Centre
• Leashed pets are permitted

When we visited during May we had reserved site #13.

This is a pull- thru site in a wooded section of the campground. It would have been fine for our 2-night stay but it was unseasonably hot during the time of our visit and our generator was not functioning properly.

We had our dog with us on this trip. Our intention was to leave him in our air-conditioned motorhome while we took a 2-hour cave tour. This was not possible. It was too hot. Since there are only 2 sites with services and both were occupied we had no choice but to endure the heat on the serviceless site. We did take the cave tour and chose to utilize the kennel provided by the park for our dog.

Mammoth Cave National Park Kennel

If you are interested in utilizing the kennel situation at Mammoth Caves National Park, you first go to the Mammoth Cave Hotel which is located beside the Visitor Centre. There they will issue you a padlock. Then you take the lock and your pet to the kennel cages located in a shaded area near the tennis courts.

You must bring your own water bowl, water and anything else your pet will need (we brought his food and his bed as well). Then lock your pet in and walk away.

When you return the lock they charge you based on the duration of use.

To be honest I kind of hated this. I didn’t like that there was no one around. However, the kennel cages were large with a covered area within each enclosure, as well they were set amongst the trees in a shady spot. Ultimately my dog was safe and it solved the problem of what to do with him for the couple hours we were enjoying the caves.

Sites with hook-ups:

When we returned to the campground after the cave tour, we saw that one of the full-service sites had become available. We chose to claim that site and abandon our reserved site.

This worked out well for us. We did pay for 2 sites for the night as there are no refunds but considering the heat, we felt that it was worth it. 

Activities:

Visitor Centre:

The Visitor Centre is the main hub of the park:

• There is a museum area with displays depicting the caves and their formation
• Information desk
• Gift shop
• Cave tour reservation assistance.

Cave Tours:

There are multiple cave tours to choose from. Cave tours can and do frequently sell out. Summer days, holidays, and all the weekends are busy. It is advisable to make advance reservations so that you can enjoy the tour of your choice. Call 270-758-2180 or visit www.nps.gov/maca. 

We chose to go on the Dripstones and Domes tour.

The group was very big for this tour probably around 90 people. I personally found this to be too big but the two guides assigned to our tour were experienced and handled the crowd expertly. The guides were entertaining as well as informative.

Hiking:

There are approximately 80 miles of trails that can be hiked within Mammoth Cave National Park. The trails vary in degree of difficulty. Most of the trails are north of the Green River. If you are camping at the Mammoth Cave Campground you will likely have to drive to the trail access point and in doing so you will have to use the Green River Ferry to cross the river.

Big rigs, trailers and motorhomes can NOT be accommodated on the Green River Ferry.

Some trails are located closer to the Visitor Centre:

Visitor Center Area Trails
Trail	Starts at	Mi.	Km.
Amphitheater Trail	Hotel parking/ Cavers’ Camp Store	0.2	0.3
Cabins Trail	Hotel Parking	0.2	0.3
Dixon Cave Overlook Trail	Picnic Area	0.1	0.1
Dixon Cave Trail	Historic Entrance	0.4	0.6
Echo River Springs Trail	Green River Ferry	1.0	1.6
Engine No. 4 Trail	Hotel Parking/ Cavers’ Camp Store	0.2	0.3
Green River Bluffs Trail	Picnic Area	1.3	2.1
Heritage Trail	Mammoth Cave Hotel	0.5	0.8
Historic Entrance Trail	Visitor Center	0.2	0.3
Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike and Hike Trail – Visitor Center Access Trail	Near Engine No. 4	0.2	0.4
Mammoth Cave Campground Trail	Park Amphitheater	0.2	0.3
Old Guides Trail	Heritage Trail/ Historic Entrance	0.1	0.1
River Styx Spring Trail	Historic Entrance	0.4	0.7
River Valley Trail	Sinkhole Trail/ Echo River Springs Trail	0.3	0.5
Sinkhole Trail	Heritage Trail/ Echo River Springs Trail	1.0	1.7
Sunset Point Trail	Heritage Trail/Echo River Springs Trail	0.3	0.5
Whites Cave Trail	Sinkhole Trail/ Mammoth Cave Campground Trail	0.6	1.0

Mountain Biking is permitted on some of the hiking trails. Check a park map for specific trail information.

Canoeing/Kayaking:

Over 30 miles of the Green and Nolin Rivers meander through the park offering a variety of canoeing and kayaking opportunities carrying boaters past dramatic bluffs, majestic trees, and wildlife. There are various put-in spots if bringing your own equipment. Commercial outfitters outside of the park like Cave Country Canoe or Mammoth Cave Canoe rent canoes, kayaks and safety equipment. 

Mammoth Cave National Park does NOT rent watercraft equipment. Information can be obtained at the Visitor Centre.

Fishing:

Fishing in the Green and Nolin Rivers is good throughout the year, with spring and summer being the most productive. Bass, crappie, bluegill, muskellunge and catfish, along with almost 100 other species, frequent the rivers. State size limits apply, but you do not need a state fishing license as long as you fish within park boundaries. Further information can be obtained at the Visitor Centre.

Ranger-led Programs:

Rangers give evening programs at the Mammoth Cave Amphitheatre during the regular season.

Outside of the Park:

Additionally, there are a variety of activities outside of Mammoth Cave National Park to enjoy including go-carts, horseback riding, zip-lining and an assortment of museums. Check out Park City for more information.

Things to Know:

1. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult to participate in cave tours. 
2. Sturdy shoes or hiking boots are recommended for cave tours. Sandals are not advised.
3. To guard against white-nose syndrome (a fungal disease affecting bats) all cave tour participants must walk on bio-security mats immediately following the tour.
4.  Showers are located in the building behind the camp store. They are pay-per-use.
5. In accordance with Kentucky law, visitors MAY OPENLY carry firearms on the trails, in the campgrounds and in all areas in which carrying is not specifically prohibited. Weapons are prohibited on cave tours and in all federal facilities.
6. A Kentucky fishing license is not required to fish inside the park.
7. No park entrance fee is charged beyond the fees collected for tours and camping. If you want to come into the park and enjoy the hiking trails etc. you are free to do so without requiring an additional permit.

IMO:

I enjoyed Mammoth Cave National Park, though I  must say that I liked Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota better as a cave experience. The vastness of Mammoth Cave, however, was definitely impressive.

I was pleasantly surprised that there were more things to do at the park than just the caves. I enjoyed the hikes that I took and really enjoyed biking the Railroad Trail as well as the scenic drive to the Dennison Ferry Day Use area.

Overall I would recommend Mammoth Cave National Park as an RV Place to Go. I enjoyed the couple of days we spent there. I am not sure I would plan an extended stay but for us, it was a great stop as part of a larger road trip.