Mammoth Cave National Park

Kentucky · KY

Ways in

Historic TourOfficial
Guided Historic Tour cave route · Mammoth Cave
One dated, timed tour; 2 hours
$24Book
Domes and Dripstones TourOfficial
Guided Domes and Dripstones cave route · Frozen Niagara · Mammoth Cave
One dated, timed tour; 2 hours
$30Book
Grand Avenue TourOfficial
Guided Grand Avenue cave route · Mammoth Cave
One dated, timed tour; 4 hours
$42Book
Broadway TourOfficial
Guided Broadway Tour historic main passage · Mammoth Cave
One dated, timed tour; 2 hours
$22Book
Frozen Niagara TourOfficial
Guided Frozen Niagara cave route · Mammoth Cave
One dated, timed tour; 1.25 hours
$26Book
Mammoth Passage TourOfficial
Guided Mammoth Passage route via Historic Entrance · Mammoth Cave
One dated, timed tour; 1.25 hours
$15Book

NPS publishes complete future cave-tour schedules about one to three months ahead; book the dated, timed tour on Recreation.gov as soon as your date appears. Summer tours can sell out weeks ahead, and spring/fall school groups also increase demand.

Free entry: Mammoth Cave National Park grounds, trails, river-access sites, visitor center, and parking are free for everyone; no entrance reservation or National Park pass is required. Cave tours require a dated, timed ticket, and NPS lists no generally free cave-tour category. Senior and Access passholders may receive 50% off a cave tour for the cardholder only; ask the park for implementation details.

Sold out? Search Recreation.gov for a different tour or departure time on the same date, then keep checking the specific tour for cancellations. On arrival, ask Mammoth Cave Visitor Center about walk-up availability, but do not rely on it: walk-up tickets are not guaranteed. If the cave tour remains unavailable, visit the free visitor center, surface trails, and river-access areas instead.

Permits & reservations

No park-entry reservation, entrance fee, or National Park pass is required for park grounds, trails, river-access sites, visitor center, or parking. Cave entry requires a dated, timed NPS cave-tour ticket: book directly through Recreation.gov or the Recreation.gov call center as soon as the desired date appears, generally 1–3 months ahead. Summer tours can sell out weeks ahead; if sold out, search other tour times that day, monitor Recreation.gov for cancellations, and ask at the visitor center about unguaranteed walk-up availability. Backcountry and riverside camping require permits; permit applicants need a driver's-license photo ID plus vehicle make/model and plate number. Reserved shelters also carry separate NPS charges.

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