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Maelstrom in Mammoth Cave, Illustrated London News, 1859.

Mammoth Cave

Field review by the editors.

Mammoth Cave, Kentucky

Mammoth Cave claims to be "the second-oldest tourist attraction in the United States," offering tours since 1816, and it became a National Park in 1941. Mammoth Cave is also the longest cave in the world -- over 400 miles of painstakingly explored and mapped passages thus far -- which is a meaningless statistic to the average visitor, who only sees an hour's worth on the tour, as with most other caves. But if you're going to visit a cave, you'll want to go to the biggest one -- just to say you've been there.

Mammoth Cave pioneered the art of naming its formations with colorful titles such as "Frozen Niagara" and "Fat Man's Misery" -- names that have been copied by countless other subterranean attractions. In fact, Mammoth Cave has pretty much everything -- except the bones of Woolly Mammoths, which is a popular misconception.

Mammoth Cave

Mammoth Cave National Park

Address:
1 Mammoth Cave Pkwy, Mammoth Cave, KY
Directions:
Mammoth Cave National Park. I-65 exit 48. Drive north 7.5 miles on Mammoth Cave Pkwy to the Cave.
Hours:
Opens daily 8 am, off-season 8:30 am. (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
Phone:
270-758-2180
Admission:
Adults basic tour $7.
RA Rates:
Worth a Detour
Save to My Sights

Nearby Offbeat Places

Itty-Bitty River FerryItty-Bitty River Ferry, Mammoth Cave, KY - < 1 mi.
Floyd Collins GraveFloyd Collins Grave, Cave City, KY - 2 mi.
Trail to Sand Cave, Where Floyd Collins DiedTrail to Sand Cave, Where Floyd Collins Died, Cave City, KY - 4 mi.
In the region:
Wigwam Village Motel No. 2, Cave City, KY - 9 mi.

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