Mammoth Cave National Park announced phased re-opening

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Mammoth Cave National Park has announced that they are planning a phased re-opening plan for increasing recreational access and services in accordance with guidelines from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state and local public health authorities.

Beginning June 1, the park will reopen access to self-guided tours inside the cave, the visitor’s center, food and beverage opportunities, and retail sales locations. All park campgrounds will be accessible on June 11. Roadways, hiking trails, biking and equestrian trails will continue to be available as well as the Green and Nolin rivers for boating, paddling, and fishing.

“We reviewed our cave tour and visitor center operations and made changes that will allow us to once again provide access into Mammoth Cave,” said Superintendent Barclay Trimble. He continued, “We will offer a self-guided tour of the upper Historic section of the cave where visitors will experience large open passageways that allow for effective social distancing. Tour participants will learn about the cave’s history and geology from rangers stationed at key points along the trail. Cave tour tickets will be limited in number, so we encourage everyone to plan ahead and purchase their tickets through Recreation.gov before arriving to the park.”

Health and safety continues to be a concern of the park, cave personnel state that their operational approach will be to evaluate each facility function and service to ensure that their operation and use complies with safety guidelines from the CDC and other health authorities. They ask the public to continue to observe health procedures, and to follow good practices with regard to litter and use of the park. They remind the public that utilizing Leave No trace principles ensures that the park remains a safe and enjoyable experience for generations to come.
Details and updates on park operations will be posted on the park website here as well as social media channels. Updates about the National Parks Service operations will be posted here.

More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 419 national parks and work with their surrounding communities to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. To learn more, go to the National Park Service website here.