Explore the Mammoth Cave National Park

Did you know Kentucky has the world's longest recorded cave system? Mammoth Cave National Park, which is about 40 miles northeast of Bowling Green and has more than 400 miles of recorded caves, is free to visit (cave tours incur an additional fee). Hiking, biking, camping, scenic drives, horseback riding, and other activities are available aboveground. Nonetheless, the park's cave tours highlight the area's fascinating history and are its main draw.

In the 18th century, enslaved Black Americans mined the caves for saltpeter, and enslaved men and women developed cave tour routes as Mammoth Cave became a tourist destination. Following the Civil War, generations of newly liberated Black tour guides continued to lead tours. Tours are now incredibly accessible, with versions for various levels of mobility and hearing. The routes range in length from a quarter-mile with a dozen stairs to more than two miles with 600 stairs.

Address: One Mammoth Cave Parkway, Mammoth Cave, KY 42259