If you live in Kentucky and you have yet to tour the magnificent Mammoth Cave, you owe yourself the experience. Not only is this the longest cave system in the state, but it happens to be the longest in the entire world. And if you’re claustrophobic, fear not — this cavern is so massive, you’ll never feel trapped.
Mammoth Cave National Park preserves this epic cave structure as well as about 53,000 acres of forest.
Al / Flickr It’s located in central Kentucky near Cave City.
The cave itself is easy to find, stretching out for over 400 miles.
ttmt2 / TripAdvisor The part that’s most accessible and easy to tour is almost a dozen miles long.
While it’s free to enter and enjoy Mammoth Cave National Park, there’s a nominal fee for the cave tours.
Stanislav Vitebskiy / Flickr Tours cost $8 for adults and $6 for youth.
Depending on which tour you sign up for, you can expect to spend between one and six (yes, six) hours underground.
Stanislav Vitebskiy / Flickr The most popular tour is the Mammoth Passage Tour, which lasts just over an hour and takes you nearly a mile into the cave.
Humans have been utilizing these caves for a very long time.
Stanislav Vitebskiy / Flickr Several sets of Native American remains have been recovered from Mammoth Cave, most dating back to the 18th century. The remains of cane torches used by Native Americans, as well as other artifacts like drawings and woven grass moccasin slippers, have been found here.
The cave is incredibly stable (good news, we know) thanks to its thick Mississippian-aged limestone strata and layer of sandstone.
Stacy / TripAdvisor Learning about the geology cave is fascinating. What is equally as interesting is learning about all its secrets. For example, Mammoth Cave is home to the endangered Kentucky cave shrimp, a sightless albino shrimp.
Needless to say, Mammoth Cave is a popular place for locals and tourists alike.
Chris K / TripAdvisor This year’s spring schedule is from March 28 - May 22, and spring is a fantastic time to go.
Retreating into a massive cave may not seem like an ideal sunny day activity, but remember, Mammoth Cave National Park also has hiking trails and campgrounds. Check out the tour schedule here.
Al / Flickr
It’s located in central Kentucky near Cave City.
ttmt2 / TripAdvisor
The part that’s most accessible and easy to tour is almost a dozen miles long.
Stanislav Vitebskiy / Flickr
Tours cost $8 for adults and $6 for youth.
The most popular tour is the Mammoth Passage Tour, which lasts just over an hour and takes you nearly a mile into the cave.
Several sets of Native American remains have been recovered from Mammoth Cave, most dating back to the 18th century. The remains of cane torches used by Native Americans, as well as other artifacts like drawings and woven grass moccasin slippers, have been found here.
Stacy / TripAdvisor
Learning about the geology cave is fascinating. What is equally as interesting is learning about all its secrets. For example, Mammoth Cave is home to the endangered Kentucky cave shrimp, a sightless albino shrimp.
Chris K / TripAdvisor
This year’s spring schedule is from March 28 - May 22, and spring is a fantastic time to go.
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Address: Mammoth Cave, KY 42259, USA
