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Welcome to Mammoth Cave – the longest cave in the world and one of the first tourist attractions in America (second only to Niagara Falls).   The cave boasts an incredible 350 miles of explored and mapped passageways, though geologists estimate there could be more than 600 miles in all.  Mammoth Cave National Park achieved official park status from Congress on July 1, 1941, was designated a World Heritage Site in 1981, and became an International Biosphere Reserve in 1990.  Since then, millions of visitors have journeyed to south-central Kentucky to experience the grandeur of this awe-inspiring sight.

From the beginning, underground explorers doubted that they would ever find the end of Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave.  Currently measuring 350 miles long and 379 feet deep, Mammoth Cave is known as the longest cave in the world – the Ukrainian cave Optimisticeskaya comes in a distant second as just a quarter of Mammoth’s length – and exploration continues today.

In Mammoth’s vast subterranean world, there are giant vertical shafts, from towering 192-foot-high Mammoth Dome to the 105-foot-deep Botomless Pit.  Some passages and rooms are decorated with sparkling white gypsum crystals, while others are filled with the colorful, sculpted shapes of stalactites, stalagmites and other cave formations.  Underground rivers, including Echo River and the River Styx, flow through Mammoth’s deepest chambers.  And in the cave’s absolute blackness dwell many rare and unusual animals, including eyeless fish, ghostly white spiders and blind beetles.

You will also encounter Big Woods – a 300-acre old-growth forest – with massive trees that are over 100 feet tall.  Keep your eyes out for common woodland creatures like deer, raccoon, opossum, gray squirrel, rabbit, woodchuck, muskrat, beaver, red fox, coyote, owls and wild turkey, but be careful not to disturb some of Mammoth Cave’s most precious endangered animals, that include the Kentucky Cave Shrimp, the Indiana Brown Bat, and seven species of fresh water mussels.

Take a canoe trip on the Green River for a close-up view of dramatic bluffs, majestic trees, curious wildlife, and the plants that ancient explorers used as torches to explore the cave.  The river, dotted with sandbars, islands and subsurface springs, supports one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in North America.  Among the creatures that call it home include over 50 species of freshwater mussels and two species of cave fish.

Along with its stunning natural splendor, the Mammoth Cave area boasts a rich and colorful human tale that began 2,000 to 4,000 years ago.  It’s a fascinating story that features ancient miners, the first underground tuberculosis hospital in history, trapped cavers, clever guides, the birth of modern tourism and the creation of America’s 26^th national park.

The park’s 53,000 acres offers many opportunities for recreation.  Cave tours are available throughout the year for everyone – young and old – regardless of physical ability.  They range from 1.5-hour strolls to six-hour adventures.  On the surface, park rangers lead walks to remarkable features like River Bluffs and the River Styx Spring.
More than 70 miles of hiking trails cross the park, ranging from easy jaunts around the visitor center to intense treks along the Green River.  Other recreational activities include horseback riding, hiking, canoeing, biking, bird watching and fishing.

Throughout your visit, please respect the delicate nature of the park’s diverse ecosystem and its astounding geology.  Carry out what you carry in, treat wildlife with compassion, and follow all park regulations so that future generations will have the opportunity to enjoy this geologic wonder of the world as much as you.

Enjoy your visit!