Getting to Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky is easy and most visitors arrive by car. There is no public transportation into the park, but larger cities like Louisville, Kentucky, or Nashville, Tennessee, may offer ride sharing. The closest major airports are in Louisville, Ky (89 miles from Park Headquarters) and Nashville, TN (99 miles). Car rentals are available at both airports.

A road through Mammoth Cave National Park / NPS file

Feel like eschewing four-wheel transportation and getting to the park by the greener alternative of two wheels? Several park roads are included within the U.S. Bicycle Route System, and the 9-mile (14.5-km) Mammoth Cave Railroad Hike and Bike Trail offers a scenic thoroughfare between Mammoth Cave National Park and Park City, Kentucky.

Area map around Mammoth Cave National Park / Google Maps screenshot

Mammoth Cave National Park is divided by the Green River that flows from east to west through the center of the park. The cave tours and most visitor services are found on the south side of the river, but the north side of the park offers backcountry camping, hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking opportunities.

Mammoth Cave National Park map / NPS graphic

The Mammoth Cave Visitor Center is the best place to start your adventure:

Arriving From The North

1. Take Interstate 65 to Exit 53 (Cave City Exit) 
2. Turn right onto KY-70. Follow 70/255 as it becomes the Mammoth Cave Parkway in the park  
3. Follow the Mammoth Cave Parkway to the visitor center

Arriving From The South

1. Take Interstate 65 to Exit 48 (Park City Exit)  
2. Turn left onto KY-255 and follow 255 as it becomes the Park City Road into the park 
3. Follow Park City Road until it joins the Mammoth Cave Parkway 
4. Turn left; follow the Mammoth Cave Parkway to the visitor center 

Arriving From The West

1. Take KY-70E/Mammoth Cave Road out of Brownsville, KY into park 
2. Follow KY-70E/Mammoth Cave Road until intersection with Mammoth Cave Entrance Road 
3. Turn left onto Mammoth Cave Entrance Road  
4. Follow the Mammoth Entrance Road to the visitor center 

Green River ferry, Mammoth Cave National Park / NPS file

Once you are within the park, you can get from one end of the park to the other via ferry, since there are no bridges connecting the north and south sides of the park. The Green River Ferry is an alternative to highways outside the park. Ferry operations are subject to closures due to fluctuating water levels. Call ahead to make sure the ferry is operating when you visit: 270-758-2166. Green River Ferry operates year-round with the exception of Christmas Day (December 25). Starting June 16, 2024 the ferry will operate under temporary hours until further notice:

• 6:00 am - 4:00 pm: Monday to Friday
• 8:00 am - 4:00 pm: Saturday and Sunday

There are no gas stations within the park itself, but you can refuel your vehicle in andn around the nearby towns of Park City, Cave City, Horse Cave, Munfordville, and Brownsville, Kentucky. According to plugshare.com, you can charge up your electric vehicle (EV) near the towns of Park City, Horse Cave, and there’s a charger at the Serenity Hill Bed & Breakfast just outside of Brownsville, Kentucky.