Photo courtesy Greater Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau

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A visitor (bottom right) admires the Frozen Niagara formation at Mammoth Cave National Park.

Photo courtesy Mammoth Cave National Park

Mammoth Cave National Park, Mammoth Cave, KY

Spend a fall getaway discovering the longest known cave system in the world

by Carrie Daut | September 12, 2011

Ninety minutes south of Louisville, nestled among the rolling Kentucky hills, sits a 52,000-acre U.S. national park. Year-round, visitors flock here for the picturesque camping, canoeing and hiking. And they also come for one other gargantuan draw: Mammoth Cave, the longest underground cave system on the planet.

Mammoth Cave is one of the oldest tourist attractions in the country (the first tour was given in 1816!), and its network of tunnels, labyrinths and underground canyons stretches over 390 miles.

This fall season, Mammoth Cave offers 10 different tours, ranging from easy to strenuous and lasting from 1 hour to nearly 7 hours.

If new to Mammoth Cave, sign up for the Historic Tour ($12 per adult). Spend 2 hours traveling the cave’s history and visiting favorite spots like Bottomless Pit and Fat Man’s Misery. Or, reserve your place on the Frozen Niagara Tour ($10), an easy 1 hour 15 minute route that leads you to the beautiful Frozen Niagara flowstone.

For adventurous cavers, the physically demanding Grand Avenue Tour ($24) and Wild Cave Tour ($48) will have you hiking steep underground hills, free-climbing cave walls and crawling through narrow underground passageways.

Tours are offered every day except Christmas and vary by season. For prices, scheduling and to book reservations, see the park’s complete list of tours.

Above ground, Mammoth Cave National Park offers 3 developed campgrounds (paved parking, picnic tables, fire rings, restrooms, fresh water, pay showers, dump station), 12 remote backcountry sites and several riverside sites.

Over 30 miles of the Green and Nolin Rivers flow through the park, perfect for peaceful fishing, canoeing and kayaking. And there are more than 70 miles of lush forest trails for guests to hike, bike and horseback ride.

Mammoth Cave National Park is located 1.5 hours south of Louisville. To get there, take Interstate 65 South. At Exit 53 (Cave City), turn right and follow the signs to the Mammoth Cave National Park Visitor Center.

Insider Note: Mammoth Cave National Park is on Central Standard Time. The city of Louisville is on Eastern Standard Time. Note the time difference when planning your trip!

Admission to the park is free, while cave tours and camping require fees. When exploring the caves, bring a sweater and good walking shoes. For more information on Mammoth Cave National Park, as well as a park map, visit nps.gov/maca.