It had been many years since we visited Mammoth Cave and we were eager to visit and see if anything had changed. First of all, you have to know your travel dates. This is because not all tours are available all of the time. For example, we had chosen a tour before we knew our travel dates and once we knew our travel dates, we discovered that the tour was not available- not because it was sold out- but because it was simply not being offered during our travel dates. The next thing is for your to read the descriptions of the tour to determine which ones sound good to you. Then, you need to keep in mind the people in your party. Can they walk the distance listed in the description? Can they climb multiple flights of stairs? Can they walk fast? In our party, we had someone under seven years of age and someone over the age of seventy with us. Because of this, we had to choose a tour based on their physical abilities. In the end, we opted for the Historic Tour, which was a two hour tour with a walking distance of two miles. We secured our reservation, paid online, and printed out our tour passes, which our guide did look at to ensure that we were where we were supposed to be. Our guides kept the group moving the entire time while answering questions, making jokes, teaching us about the history of Mammoth Cave, etc. Everyone from the young to the old was entertained. They gave just the right amount of breaks too. Before going on any of the tours, be sure to use the restroom because there are no restrooms in the cave. If you get thirsty easily, bring a water bottle. Also, the cave will be cold. Even if you do not get cold easily, prepare a jacket of some sort. On the day that we were at Mammoth Cave, it was 88 degrees outside and 50 degrees inside the cave.

We so enjoyed Mammoth Cave. Highly recommend purchasing tour tickets before your arrival. Historic Tour on Sunday afternoon, sold out & crowded. The cave is very large & dry, easy walking with a couple of tight and/or low spots with fire tower steps to exit. Anyone that can walk the trail to the cave from the visitors center can manage fine, at least physically. Monday we did the Gothic Tour which is a different route in the Historic Cave I saw nothing that looked like a Gothic building, but the guide was fun, the group was smaller and it was an easy tour. That afternoon we did the Domes and Dripstones tour which was absolutely the best. Entrance is winding stairs down into a sinkhole, trail winds through the cave with lots of interesting formations. Do take the optional side tour to see the most amazing formations. They make a big deal about the number of stairs in this tour, but most of them are down hill and there are plenty of rest stops to hear stories from the guide. All the tours make a big issue about difficulty because rescue situations need to be avoided, but the reality is that folks utilizing canes, wearing leg braces, etc., managed fine in all the tours we took. Closed toe shoes are recommended, but I saw people wearing backless sandals, shorts, tanks and even one sundress. Why you'd do that in a 54 degree cave is beyond me, but to each his/her own. All the lodgings in the park were booked, so we stayed in Cave City, which is just a short drive with more food options.

Beneath the lush canopy of a hardwood forest lies a tantalizing secret: Mammoth Cave, the world’s longest surveyed cave system, boasting over 400 miles of explored passages. Imagine stepping into this subterranean wonderland—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—right in your Tennessee backyard. With my two adventurous kids (ages 9 and 12), I embarked on a journey to this hidden gem. Summer tours fill up fast, so securing online reservations is a must. Our choice? The Domes and Dripstones Tour, labeled as a “difficult” 2-hour expedition covering just 0.75 miles of caves but conquering 640 stairs. In hindsight, it felt more like a moderately sporty hike, accessible to folks of all ages and reasonable fitness level. A 10-minute bus ride transports you to the cave entrance, a metal door nestled in the middle of a sinkhole, surrounded by trees. Surreal, right? For a little over an hour, we wandered through the cool, 52°F cavern. I recommend a sweatshirt or light jacket and long pants for comfort and to shield against occasional water droplets. Our park ranger, a delightful font of knowledge, regaled us with tales of early explorers who braved these narrow passages and low ceilings. At 5’5" and 115 lbs, I squeezed through some tight spots, shimmying sideways and occasionally crouching low. I guess that’s the “difficult” part of this thrilling adventure. The tour showcased awe-inspiring formations: stalactites, stalagmites, and the breathtaking highlight — the Frozen Niagara. Verdict? Mammoth Cave deserves a top spot on your bucket list. It’s not just a cave; it’s a journey into Earth’s ancient heart. 🌎♥️

I highly recommend this national park. The cave system is majestic, way beyond my expectations. I suggest first timers take the historical tour as you gain so much information regarding the entire history of the park. Don’t be intimidated if you feel claustrophobic as it is actually quite large rooms you go through. They warn you ahead of time that you will have to crouch down a bit and go a bit sideways in places and I almost chickened out. Those sections were very short and not uncomfortable for my 5’7” height. My husband 6’2” was also ok. You should also hike the trails outside the cave for beautiful views. We were there early March and crowds were small. I loved it.

We enjoyed the Domes & Dripstones tour because we visited some wet areas of the cave where there were many active formations. The Frozen Niagara was really amazing. Our tour guide shared interesting facts and showed us some formations we’d never seen in other caves. Domes & Dripstones is a 2 hour tour with a lot of walking and steps, but people of all ages were able to do it without difficulty. It’s worth the effort. We took 2 other tours in Mammoth Cave, the Historic and Cleaveland Avenue tours, and this one was our favorite. Be sure to reserve your tickets ahead of time because this tour is popular and often sells out.

We first visited this park 15 years ago and were blown away by how amazing the cave was. We had to bring our daughter to experience it. We left home early in the morning and drove 6 hours to get there. I should know better now than to do this, as we never enjoy something as much after a long day of travel..but we're on a short time frame so we made the best of it. We purchased tickets for the historic tour online 2 nights before. I hesitated to do this because I wasn't sure when we would arrive. I got tickets for the last slot at 3:15. I'm very glad I did, as pretty much all the tours were sold out when we arrived around noon. We had plenty of time for my daughter to work on her junior ranger badge. There were lots of friendly park rangers around the visitors center to answer questions. We grabbed a quick coffee at a cute cafe and walked around outside by the new family cabins being built. Those are going to be beautiful! Our tour began promptly and had about 100 people. The ranger advised not to stop to take pictures and no flash photography. I get that he can't have 100 people stopping every 3 feet to take pictures, but it was disappointing to not be able to capture some of the awe inspiring scenery inside. They have paved a lot more paths inside the cave since last time. More convenient for my middle aged body, but not as exciting or rustic of an experience. I recall crawling through some tight areas 15 years ago, and it wasn't exactly like that this time. I guess nothing stays the same...not even a cave that formed thousands of years ago! Still absolutely worth a visit if you've never been.

I don’t understand the low ratings, this is a great park. There is something for everyone…1 hour tours up to 4 hour tours and even a 5-6 hour caving tour. We did the grand avenue tour which is approximately 4 miles/4 hours and is a moderately aggressive hike especially if you stay in the back were the pace is faster. Not for beginners but the scenery is straight out of a movie. This tour includes a section (can’t recall the name) that is nearly identical to the slot canyons in Utah. It’s mesmerizing. Also included on this tour is the spot everyone goes to mammoth cave to see…frozen Niagara…it is epic. The cave gets all the attention but don’t sleep on the trails here…a fine selection of easy to aggressive trails with some fantastic views of the bluffs and the river. Easily spent 8 hours on site. Very nice gift shop as well. (P.s.-yes, there are bathroom stops on the grand avenue tour).

I have been to Mammoth Cave many times over the years and always enjoyed the tours. They are all good and have different levels from very easy to strenuous. Just read the descriptions of the tours before you sign up for certain tour. I would highly recommend buying your tickets ahead of time online as the tours do fill up quickly. If you are adventurous try the wild cave tour if you are able to crawl, climb etc and are not afraid of tight areas, especially when crawling, and you are in good health as it can be very strenuous. I very much recommend Mammoth Cave.

Our trip to Mammoth Cave was a little bit last minute and the first thing I will put in this review is that you need to reserve your tours early! We were able to get one just a few days ahead of our arrival, but most were sold out. You can do a Self-Discovery tour but I would recommend a tour. I came to Mammoth Cave nearly a decade ago and did one of the wild tours, and if you are into adventure I highly recommend the wild tour. In my opinion it can't be beat, but there is an age limit. With three kids in tow we did the Drips and Domes tour and had a really good time. The tour group size was very large (more than 100 people) but we stuck close to the guide and felt like it was a good experience. That particular tour had far fewer beautiful formations than other caves we visited in the area but the sheer size of the cave rooms was pretty impressive! While this wasn't our favorite cave experience of the caves we visited we still had a good time. The facilities for the park are well maintained and our kids enjoyed completing the Junior Ranger workbook. Overall, I feel like Mammoth Cave is what draws people to the area so it doesn't make sense to skip it, but I would reserve a tour early and get one you are excited about. Drips and Domes was fine, but not exceptional.

Like most National Parks, Mammoth Cave is a great experience. You can stay in the park in a variety of options ‐ camping, cabins or lodge - or stay nearby at a variety of hotels. The park offers miles of hiking trails through the rolling hills of Kentucky along the Green River. The visitors center is very nice, ample parking, several gift and snack shops, a camping store, a nice restaurant and of course a small museum about the cave. There are several cave tours available. Read the reviews. We did Domes and Dripstones and enjoyed it. There were about 100 people on the tour, and we took a bus to and from the cave. So a 2 hour tour is about an hour in a dry cave, with a lot of very tight stairs. There were beautiful wet formations at the end of the tour. If I returned I would try the Historic Tour, the entrance is right by the visitor center, no bus.