Mammoth Cave Campground, near [Mammoth Cave National Park](https://thedyrt.com/camping/kentucky/near/mammoth-cave-national-park), is a fantastic spot for those looking to immerse themselves in nature while enjoying some essential comforts. The campground offers a mix of tent sites, RV spots, and even cabins, making it suitable for various camping styles.

You’ll find clean facilities, including restrooms with flush toilets and a camp store that provides food and souvenirs. Many visitors have praised the friendly atmosphere, with one camper noting, “Campsites appear close at first but actually felt comfortably private.” The campground is also pet-friendly, so you can bring your furry friends along for the adventure.

For outdoor enthusiasts, the campground is a stone's throw from the park's famous cave tours and a network of hiking and biking trails. Reviewers have highlighted the easy access to the visitor center, making it a breeze to join guided tours. As one camper put it, “Great location walkable to the camp store, lodge, visitor center, and cave tours.” 

With its wooded surroundings and a peaceful vibe, Mammoth Cave Campground is a solid choice for families and nature lovers alike. Whether you're roasting marshmallows by the fire or exploring the depths of the cave, this campground has plenty to offer for a memorable getaway.

## Overview

 Mammoth Cave Campground offers campers a prime location to explore both the depths and surface treasures of Mammoth Cave National Park. Clicking on the site link will provide more details about the site's conditions. Be sure to check the 'Need to Know' section for each site to gather additional information on specific conditions. All wheels must remain on the pavement within the campground, as varying conditions can cause muddy ruts and erosion. Mammoth Cave is an underground passageway with over 400 miles of naturally sculpted limestone and sandstone, making it the longest recorded cave system in the world. The grand-scale chambers and winding passageways were the inspiration for the parks name. The campground also serves as an entry point to 14 miles of hiking and biking trails, and is just a five-minute walk to the Visitor Center, where cave tours begin 
## Recreation

 A must-do activity in the park is exploring Mammoth Cave. Walking tours of the caverns leave from the visitor center daily. There are also miles of bike trails and hiking trails within the park.
## Facilities

 The 109 primitive campsites are arranged around 4 paved loops, surrounded by fragrant trees. Water and restrooms are conveniently located inside each loop, with the parks Visitor Center just a short five-minute walk away. Restroom Locations: Restrooms are situated within each loop. Loop A: Restroom near the main road. Loop B: Two restrooms located near Site 12 and Site 51. Loop C: One restroom located near Site 82. Loop D: One restroom located near Site 108. Additional amenities; coin-operated showers are available adjacent to the campground, behind the Caver's Camp Store, next to the Post Office. Please inquire at the Camp Store for current shower fees. 
## Natural Features

 The campground is tucked inside Mammoth Cave National Park, which boasts scenic valleys along the Green River. The river is within walking distance of the camp, and the hilly Kentucky countryside expands beyond the valley. Deer and turkeys commonly stroll around the campground, so visitors are likely to see them grazing in the early morning and at dusk. 
## Contact Info

 For local information, please call (270) 758-2424 or call (270) 758-2180 for general information. 
## Nearby Attractions

 Nearly 30 miles of the Green and Nolin rivers offer canoeing and boating through the park. Commercial outfitters outside the park rent canoes, kayaks and safety equipment.Most trails north of the Green River are open for horseback riding. Commercial liveries outside the park rent horses and some may provide organized excursions. 
## Charges & Cancellations

 For rules and reservation policies please follow the link below: https://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policies

Mammoth Cave Campground — Mammoth Cave National Park

Mammoth Cave, KY is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Discover secluded campsites where you can reconnect with nature. Or maybe you like to bring your family and friends along. Either way, there are Mammoth Cave campgrounds just for you. Discover great camping spots near Mammoth Cave, reviewed by campers like you.

Mammoth Cave

The Best Camping Near Mammoth Cave, Kentucky

The campground is not anything special, actually quite sub par if anything.  It is a 5 min walk to the cave.  Do the twilight tour!   It is also a dry county, so the only alcohol are some $5 beers near the visitor center.  

Huge Cave

Mammoth cave

site: wooded. good space from neighbors.  quiet. large site. 
amenities: clean. well maintained. 
attractions: Mammoth Cave. Hiking. biking. 
I would go camping here if we visit again..


very nice

Mammoth is currently renovating and things are a little crowded but the staff is still awesome. Not only can you explore the miles of challenging trails above ground but there are also cool under ground challenges awaiting . 
Update: everything is back up and running as usual. COME VISIT! :)

The great under woods!

Campground is good sized and clean but difficult to get in to. The cave itself is spectacular, however outside of that there really isn't anything else to do around this campground. It's busy pretty much every weekend but week days aren't too bad. Definitely worth staying at fir at least one night just to check out the cave.

Spectacular place with little to do around it

Mammoth is the first cave I remember visiting as a kid! Take the longest cave tour you think you can handle and enjoy escaping the summer heat. Lush green areas to explore by foot, horse, bike, or kayak. Lots of wildlife like hellbender salamanders, bats, turkeys, and beavers. None of the trails are too difficult but are worth exploring. Nearby towns are pretty charming too. 


Within the National Park there are three different campgrounds. Mammoth Cave is the largest, check out the others if you want something more rustic and less crowded. This is a National Park so the facilities are very nice and everything is pretty close (you won't have to move your car during your visit). Lots of shade! 

Camp near an incredible cave

This campsite is nothing spectacular.  It is very close to the cave tour visitor center which is great.  You are also in a dry county outside of a town with really nothing in it.  So if you want to eat at a decent restaurant you are looking at a solid half hour drive away.  Plenty of ticks at this campsite too, so keep an eye out.  

Walking distance to cave tours

So nice having the caves close, but I would highly recommend this site as a one-nighter for visiting the park.  There's just not much else to do in the area.  Campsites were clean and well cared for in the summer when we went.  But it's the cave that is the highlight around here.  There's also a fun zipline course for people of all ages - even smaller courses for little ones.  Good to be up in the trees after being down in the caves all morning!

Great as a stop through site 

The cave is the longest known cave system in the WORLD with more than 390 miles have been explored!  I also found out that it is the second oldest tourist attraction in the US...Niagara Falls is the oldest.  Tours have been led in Mammoth Cave since 1816.   

Love this SP

What a cool park!  Having been spelunking at small caves near home I wasn’t expecting this to be SO massive!  The tour was impressive and informative.  The park had more to offer than just caves though; there are many short hiking trails in the park as well.  We stayed in one of the Woodland Cottages in a wooded area near the visitor center.  Cabin was well maintained and nice.  We checked out the campgrounds for family that was going to visit a couple months after us.  Mammoth Cave campground was nice!  Lots of trees seemed to give some seclusion to the large sites even though it was very busy.  If we visit again, we will camp.


great cave, great camping

I love this place and have camped here numerous times never had a bad experience. The best time to go is fall because its less crowded but really any time is fine because the cave is always the same temperature. There are numerous cave tours to explore I still have not been on all of them which makes each visit a little unique. Also countless trails and just hanging out around the fire.

Awesome place to camp even in early spring!

Nice sites nestled into the trees with lots of amenities that you typically don't see (but are seeing more and more often)... Showers, flush toilets, camp store...  Problem is that because this is a large campground there are lots of people coming in and out at all hours of the day and night.  Can't fault them, you're off exploring and it takes longer to get back or you want to get out and start hiking as the sun rises.  The cave system is awesome, but there are also a lot of nice hikes in this National Park as well. Don't skip out!

Busy, Busy, Busy

Great waterways for canoeing and of course the amazing Mammoth Cave(s) nearby. If you aren't afraid of cramped dark spaces, squeezing through tight spots and darkness, try the wild cave tour. Otherwise go with the easier historic tour.

Campground itself is close to at least a dozen trails and less than a mile from the visitor center. Vault toilets and nice shady campsites.

Be careful and don't bring white-nose bat fungus to any new caves! There is a protocol to follow to prevent it. Read the literature provided at caves.

Take a walk on the wild side

if you like walking through caves and the occasional bats, then here you go.

cave and bats

Nice, well maintained, centrally located primitive campsite. There are two RV sites but one is for the camp host and the other is first come first use, no reservation. There is a privately owned RV campground nearby , across from Diamond Caverns. Caving, hiking, canoeing, bike riding and more. 

One drawback..

This place was amazing, the views, the campground and wildlife were so perfect !
  The caves were spectacular. Hiking trails,  Biking , fishing. You name it and we did it. 
Zip line was the second best next to the caves.  
 Perfect family campgrounds

Amazing !!

WOW we loved this park and caves and hikes, the kids could not stop talking and talking about the caves. This campground is close to the visitor center and you’ll need site reservations in summer. Showers are wonderfully hot but there’s no RV hookups. Our sites were pretty close to another but I think some of them had some more privacy. We met someone camping here with their horse which sounded like so much fun (but don’t worry the horse sites are farther away so no barn smells). 


Mammoth Cave National Park 

Never a Dull Moment at Mammoth!

**Campground/Park Review**:

We first entered the park via the "secret" entrance, byway of a narrow road at the very north of the park, in which we had to take a single car automated ferry across the green river, which was enjoyed by all, and we appreciated avoiding the main entrance besieged by spring break campers!

The Campground itself's best feature is its proximity to the main park attractions. It's a few minute walk to the visitor's center, from which you can catch daily tours of all types ranging from themed cave tours to botony forest walks and guided history walks. Our normally restless kids were so taken by the 2 hr cave tour that they remained in near total silence and awe as we tunneled through this slow moving guided cave walk. You've got to make a reservation for tours - be warned, they fill up quickly. I recommend making a [reservation](http://www.recreation.gov) at least a week before in the busy season (March-Sept), although up to a couple days before, you can usually get in, albeit not at your ideal time, most likely. Adjoining the campground is a more than adequate camp store, with all the common items and a few groceries you may need while there. Across a short walkway from the visitors center is also 2 restaurants, if roasting dogs on the fire isn't you thing, one cafe style with an ice cream shop, and another more formal table service in the historical Lodge.

We went in April, one of the area's wetter months, and found the campsites to be well maintained, drained and free from debris. While no one enjoys wet camping, the great thing about this park is that the main attraction is always the same comforatable temp and weather year round - and you can spend a dry several hours while you avoid the rain spurts outside. The camping was quiet although crowded for spring break, sites were averagely spread apart (those near the front and the store had a bit more room) and included hook ups for campers. There's even a place to park your horse if horsecamping is something that interests you, very Kentucky, indeed. Bath houses are average but well maintained as all the park is.

**Product Review**:

Being a Dyrt Ranger, I sometimes have the chance to try out new products on our adventures. This time I was able to test out the Birler Axe by #CRTK.

As anyone who's ever had to camp in moist conditions will tell you, it's no fun having to cut through a damp piece of kindling or wood. While we could purchase dry firewood at the campground, we had to chop our own kindling, which we found dry on the inside and wet on the bark...the [Birler](https://www.crkt.com/birler.html) cut threw it like butter.

It's compact size was easy to pack, and while I'd guess it weighs in at about just over a pound, and wouldn't be ideal for most backpackers, it was perfect for some average campsite wear. The quality was high, and it split a log like no body's business. There's enough heft behind it to make chopping easy, yet a short enough handle to maneuver. Balance was great. A leather sheath is sold separately, and while the axe comes with a rubber blade guard, is highly recommend a sheath for it as it's extremely sharp, unlike our old axe which had a hard time cutting through a carrot. We were the envy of the campground.

Ranger Review: CRKT Birler Axe at Mammoth Cave Campground, KY

The campground was well maintained, but the sites are a little cramped. This is made up for, however, by it's proximity to everything. You're only a short walk from the visitor center, trails, and your departures. There is also a restaurant and camp store nearby.

Very good location.

We stayed here a few nights while exploring the National Park in mid-summer. Surprisingly the campground was not crowded despite there being a large number of visitors. The sites are spaced out nicely which is nice since they are relatively open and provide little privacy. One drawback of the sites here is that they are primarily dirt and fine sand on the surface, causing quite a mess when it rains. Alas....it is camping after all!

One thing some may not know about this facility is that there is an actual dog kennel located on site (near the visitor's center). Why is this such an amazing amenity? Well because you can't take your pooch into the cave but you can still have them camping with you! So if you and your fido(s) are inseparable, fear not! The system is super easy and inexpensive.

The campground offers coin (well token) operated showers which are decent and nice at the end of a day of cave exploring. If you're looking for a spot that's convenient to the park, it doesn't get better than this place.

Convenient, clean and cool!

Nice hiking trails, nice tent site, bathrooms were clean. The shower is coin operated. Three campground is on the grounds with the national park so you can walk to your tour. The ranger was friendly and helpful.

Delightful stay

Well, Mammoth! Located only 1/4 of a mile from the park's Visitor's Center, this campground sets you up well for enjoying the amazing cave that stretches over 600+ miles under ground (probably under the campground even)!

The campground is operated by the National Park Service and there aren't any frills, something I appreciate. There are bathrooms (sinks and toilets only) located in the campground and coin operated showers can be found near the campground store. Laundry facilities are also located here, too. All of these services are seasonal so be sure to check the website for more information. https://www.nps.gov/maca/index.htm

The sites here are simple but offer everything you need for a pleasant stay. Fire rings and picnic tables accompany flat ground and plenty of trees for hammocks (or hammock tents for that matter). You can explore the cave as well as the Green River that runs through the park (as long as it isn't too high). This truly is one of the best parks I've visited and the campground provides the perfect spot for making the most of a visit.

Mammoth Cave is....

Mammoth Cave and the surrounding area offer many activities to suit anyone's desires. There are several competitive runs (5K and up) almost every weekend in the surrounding communities, and several are hosted in Mammoth Cave park itself. There is also the opportunity to go "caving", and you can walk through the caverns, and there are numerous hiking trails. Mammoth Cave offers tent, RV, and cabin camping - just be aware the cabins have running water, but no kitchens or air conditioning.

Hidden Gem in south central Kentucky

The campground is within walking distance to the Visitor Center and cave tours, as well as the camp store. Clean washrooms. The only firewood sold is "compressed sawdust," which burns surprisingly well, but looks like Lego blocks.

Great location in the park

This campground is a walking distance to the visitors center. It's a well established campground and geared towards folks visiting mammoth caves. You will find a clean campground as well clean facilities. The sites are relatively close but plenty of space for familiy party's.

Theres many activities to be had here but obviously mammoth cave is what it's all about. After driving past mammoth caves for years we finally decided to stop camp and explore. It was worth every penny. The cave, although geared to tourist is still rediculous. Apparently one of the biggest cave systems in the word. You will enjoy your time here. It's crazy to think your in Kentucky when you in there...we'll except for the accents.

Cheers!

Mammoth caves rules

Excellent! Very family friendly and well maintained. A good variety of trails to hike and access to gentle canoeing/kayaking.

Mammoth Cave Campground

We enjoyed this park so much, we are headed back! We stayed in the cute yellow with green shutter cabins nearly in the parking lot. It got hot during the day...no A/C in the cabins, but we headed underground to keep cool.

I loved the educational talks each night which was a close walk from cabins and campground. Watching the bats fly above us as the sun set during the talks was a plus.

The Visitor's Center is crowded! Tours fill up fast! So, book your tours ahead of time via the website and save yourself that headache. There are restaurants next to the Visitor's Center if you want to dine out.

The caves are mammoth!

**Mammoth Cave Campground** is in the country but centrally located between several nice size cities and right off I65.

No signal once you get in the park except if your lucky at the lodge. We tuned in to WIFI whenever we passed through the Visitors Center/lodge restaurant in the morning.

The campground is primitive, no electric with parking pads, picnic tables and fire rings. There is a restroom in the campground and a shower house, laundry room, post office and store adjacent. The dump station is next to that facility right outside the front “gate”.

There is enough space between camp sites to have some privacy and the trees provide natural noise block and shade. There be critters in the woods so protect your food! You may see deer and turkey, you won’t see the little shit raccoon that runs off with dog toys and any food left out ;)

There are several trail access points directly from the campground. Including two easy trails to the visitors center.

Aside from the obvious, cave tours, there are several other options on how to spend your day and nights.

If your coming for the cave specifically make sure you reserve your preferred cave tour way ahead of time!

If you are coming for the trails, enjoy! There are multiple options. I run the trail near the visitor center year round. It is technical and hilly, not stroller friendly.

The trails on the far side of the Green River ferry have dispersed camping sites and plenty of natural features to discover.

The float down the Green River is enjoyable. If you bring your own water craft several of the companies will drive you to the put in from the ferry parking area for a nominal fee.

Also across the Green River is the Maple Springs group and horse campground, I’m not a horse person but I see plenty of them in the area and they seem to be enjoying the trails and campground.

There is also zip lines in the area, a winery and golfing.

Fast food and Wally World in Brownsville, other touristy attractions one exit up at Cave City. (Ky Down Under and Dinosaur World, plus a Yogi Bear Campground)

We spent the weekend hiking in the rain and avoided Green River, it’s a muddy mess right now.

Base Station

we stayed here the night of the solar eclipse 2017, all lots were full even though not everyone had a reservation tag :( so we paid but then couldn't find a spot because of free loaders. so, i did what any mom would do that had a tired kid he needed to get out of the car and go to sleep- i set up camp at the picnic area. for the record this is NOT allowed but we literally had nowhere else to go and had already paid, and by that time it was around 10:30pm and we had been driving for 5 hours. even though we were in a technically restricted area, soon other campers came to join us and we had a pleasant stay. we were not bothered or asked to move so that's a plus, and we got a full refund the next day when i told them what happened.

campground was full

I went to **Mammoth Cave National Park** the first time as a child with my family in the 70’s. I took my children to Mammoth in the 90’s. And I have lived within 45 minutes of Mammoth for the last 10 years. The only time during the last 10 years I was not at the Park at least monthly was during my deployment and when the government shutdown in 2013.

In all that time I have visited the cave maybe 10 times. Spelunking was the most exhilarating visit. Make sure you check out the tour offerings online [https://www.nps.gov/maca/planyourvisit/gocavetours.htm](https://www.nps.gov/maca/planyourvisit/gocavetours.htm) well before your visit and reserve a place. If you wait until your visit you will probably have a hard time getting past the cathedral.

All the other visits were spent enjoying all the _other_ things there are to do at Mammoth.

First and foremost is the camping. Mammoth has a campground adjacent to the Visitors Center which is basic except for two sites. There are reservable as well as walk up sites. A store, showerhouse, laundry and post office are co-located at the front of the campground and there are toilet facilities in the campground. I used the access points in the campground to hike some of the trails and walk to the visitors center.

An aspect that I have just recently started exploring are the several dispersed camp sites throughout the park. These are free but you must check in at the Lodge before hiking to them. A good , waterproof map is key.

In addition at Maple Springs on the far side of the **Green River Ferry** ( yes, there is a cool little two car ferry) is the **Maple Springs horse and group site camping area**. Nice basic, shaded area with trailheads in the area.

Now that you have found your home for your stay what to do?

Kayaking/watercraft, fishing: several companies work the Green River. If you brought your own craft they will usually meet you at the Green River Ferry parking area and transport you up river for a nominal fee. Check ahead at least a day so they are tracking you and can coordinate.

Hiking, Trail Running, dirtbiking, , horse, Geocaching: My favorite trail run is from the main picnic area to the ferry, with several connectors. Just technical enough to keep you on your toes, definitely not a mountain but the hills and valleys give you good work out.

The **Maple Springs Trailhead** is the major access point for all things backpacking and horse back riding. It even has a handicap accessible horse “loading” area which is wheelchairs friendly.

If your going to geocache pre-save your coordinates and instructions cause there is no signal in the park. If you visit the restaurant at the lodge they have WiFi but it’s slloooowwwww. When we stay over I always try to do my site surfing first thing in the morning.

If you are dirt biking check your trails, some are limited access.

On our most recent visit we explored the new construction on the ferry trailhead. Pictures included.

Not Mammoth related or affiliated but a few things you may want to try while in the area:

[http://www.kentuckywine.com/cave-valley-winery-at-park-mammoth-resort/](http://www.kentuckywine.com/cave-valley-winery-at-park-mammoth-resort/)

Guns and wine, can’t get much more Kentucky then that!

[https://dinosaurworld.com/kentucky/](https://dinosaurworld.com/kentucky/)

Dogs allowed ;)

[http://kentuckydownunder.com/](http://kentuckydownunder.com/)

Educational and fun, who knew!

[http://mammothcave-adventures.com/](http://mammothcave-adventures.com/)

You will drop some green here but it is a lot of fun!

And there’s more ;) Happy Camping

Not just for bat lovers

This is a typical national park campground. Restrooms do not have showers. You must leave the campground and go down near the store to pay for a shower. It amazes me that national parks charge more than national forest campgrounds having showers. Campsites are fairly close together, but adequate. The setting is wooded. The campground is very family oriented with plenty of friendly campers.

Typical National Park Campground 

I was assigned camp lot 95 in Loop D. This stop was one of many on a cross country road trip so I was only spending two nights and one full day at the park. The spot couldn’t have been more perfect for convenience. I was right at the trail head to the visitors center as well as the camp store/showers AND only one lot over from the restrooms. The space was clean and clutter free, a little muddy but we’ve had the RAINIEST summer over here on the east. I give this spot 4 stars simple because with convenience also comes noise (from cars entering and exiting the loop, individuals on the trails, etc.)

Loop D - convenient location to all amenities! 

We were very impressed when we stopped on our road trip to visit Mammoth Caves National Park! They even had a nice area for our dog to stay while we were caving!

Caving In Style!

Loved the scenery here, and all facilities were clean! Lots to do! Hiking trails were well-maintained! Kids loved seeing all the extras!

Very nice and clean!

Quiet and laid back. The bathrooms were very clean and also air conditioned, which was a nice treat for a few minutes to step out of the humid June heat. They were flush toilets. There was potable water right by the bathrooms. There were no showers but if you drove right outside the campground in the park there was coin operated showers and laundry room. There was also a camp store and post office. There were trails that ran through the campground and ones right outside in the park. During the day you could schedule tours to the caves which was a great view.

Quiet and relaxing 

I was impressed by this campground. We love visiting national parks and we usually don't plan out where we're going in advance. This was the first place to camp in a national park that had spots available. The spots were shaded and cozy. There was a fireplace at each one and trees. There was also a bathroom near by. If you like going to restaurants sometimes while camping they had an amazing restaurant located near camp called The Lodge at Mammoth Cave.

Beautiful and cozy 

Beautiful spot very close to the visitor center and cave tours. Access to the old railroad trail in right in the campground.

Great campground

Great place to camp. the area was clean. Visitor Center was conveniently located for a nice walk to visit for information, pics &amp; souvenirs. We had a great time &amp; took advantage of our time there. We walked, hiked, biked, camped, cooked, zip-lined, and of course, went thru the cave!! 

Clean, Convenient & Fun

We stayed one night and arrived late without reservations. We found a spot in the C Loop where there were many other tent campers and several unoccupied sites. The wildlife we saw and heard was enjoyable. The boys also did their running on trails in the area. Close to the Visitor's Center for cave tours and a really nice setting for camping. 

Great Midweek Experience - Loop C

This is a great family campground.  there is no electricity or water at the sites, but they are spacious and close to other activities at Mammoth cave and the surrounding park.

The Green River Ferry, kayaking on the green river, hiking biking and caving are a few of the many fun activities at the park and ziplining and horseback riding are not far away.  The bathhouses and General Store are nice.  You do have to pay at the store to use the showers.

Great Family Campground

Can't speak for RV camping, but this is a great campground for tent campers. Sites aren't to close together, they've got all the basic amenities, and the park has tons to keep you busy. It does look like the prices have been going up....we camped here years ago &amp; the cave tours ranged from $8-$15, which seems to be about half of what they run these days. A little sad to see that, but the caves are of course completely worth it.

Great for Tent Camping

This is a really nice campground, with many sites that had good privacy that were screened with wooded areas. It wasn’t that you couldn’t see the next site through the woods, but they were far enough away that you didn’t feel on top of each other. That being said, there were many sites that had very little privacy, particularly those near the bathrooms. If unsure, I would call the camp office about particular sites depending on what you’re looking for. The bathrooms were clean and well-kept, had toilets and sinks available and were scattered throughout the campground. Potable water through pumps, but there was no dishwashing station. For showers you had to go towards the gated entrance where the showers and laundry room were located. The showers were coin operated so that was a little different for us. But it worked. The camp store was good, and the people who worked at were helpful. It was well located with in the national Park. We had deer and wild turkeys walking through the campsites as well as several species of songbirds.

Natural with amenities 

We love caves as well so we decided to come here after a climbing trip to the Red. We were stunned by the amazing and captivating karst formations! Its like delving down into a deep inside out alien world!

A must visit if youre in kentucky

Nice, clean campground with nice restrooms and general store. The location allows you to see the caves or go on trails near by.

Quaint campground in good location 

Ferguson is two miles into the back country at Mammoth Cave. The last half mile, trail to campsite only, is a bit thick with a stream crossing. At 1.5 miles you’ll hit a nice spot where two streams come together. That’s your water source so load up before the last half mile. Ferguson is extremely secluded, nice tent landing, fire ring and trees for hammocking. Permits are required for all Mammoth Cave Backcountry sites, they can be obtained at the Visitor’s Center.

Ferguson Backcountry Campsite

Plenty of trees for hammock camping. No swimming options close by. Close to attractions. Clean campground over all.

Good hammock camping

We were nervous about our tent fitting on the pad.....but we could have fit 4 tents on the pad. There was a picnic table, tree coverage, and close to the bathrooms. It was muggy outside, but the bathrooms were air conditioned! There were 2 stalls and 2 sinks, but it was clean. Showers, laundry, and post office are located by the store. You have to pay $1.00 for 4 minutes. There was a storm that blew in the night we stayed, but there were plenty of drains under the pad. It was quiet, clean, and spacious. I wanna go back....like today.

Large sites close to Coooool Caves

Close to the store, visitor center, and tours. Great location, clean sites, everything we needed. Bathrooms were exceptional!! Best ones we've stayed in!! Would have been nice to have a utility sink to wash dishes, I hated dumping my wash water down those sparkling toilets!! lol

Best place to stay in the park!

This campground was reasonably priced, but lacked electric &amp; water at each campsite. There was a good fire pit with cooking grill, efficient, clean bathrooms, but showers were at camp store, cost money to use, and generally not very nice. There was a laundromat &amp; a post office connected to camp store. It was pretty there, &amp; closest camping to the caves. But we missed the conveniences of electric, water, &amp; nice, free showers!

Very rustic

This place was great! Very interesting place to visit. Way unexpected divercity. Subterranean beauty on a grand scale! Very knowledgeable guides with interesting facts and stories. Excellent way to spend a day!

Better than expected 

We hiked the First Creek Loop Trail at Mammoth Cave National Park and backcountry camped. The campiste itself was okay. There was a fire pit and log to sit on. There were plenty of trees to hang a hammock. There was a water source, but the park ranger didn't really recommend getting and filtering water from it, and once we arrived, we could see why. You would have a difficult time actually getting down to the water as there was no real clearing or way to it. The also was a very thick, green sludge film on top of the water. So we carried in what we would need for our overnight. The campsite was decent size and away from any others, so it was nice an quiet. We did have to take a very short ferry ride in our car to get across the water.

Just "okay" backcountry camping

Mammoth Cave has several camping options depending on what type of camping you enjoy. I decided to check out several of those to get a full understanding of just what all was out there. Amongst these options are permitted backcountry camps which are hike in camps accessed by free permits.

To get one of the permits you must register with a valid ID and the make and model of your vehicle. This keep unattended vehicles from being towed from parking areas. Camps are as close as half a mile from public use camping areas but scatter over a vast area. They are large enough for groups but also accessed by individuals.

I hiked out to the first of the group camps positioned on my map, which was given to me at the Visitor Center when I registered, no one appeared to be there so I checked it out fully and determined it was perfect for what I needed. There were plenty of trees for coverage or for those wanting to set up a hammock. Fire rings are located at each of the sites and they have been very minimally cleared making for a great area to set up a tent or several small tents.

The first camp is not very deep into the backcountry, yet is still very quiet and perfect for someone who wants a little adventure without a full day of hiking just to get to camp. There was a nearby flow of water and you could use a lifestraw or purification tabs for converting this water, however they do recommend you bring your own water to drink.

All in all, of the backcountry camps I have visited this one was one of the better ones. I didn't check out others on the map on this trip because I didn't want to be as deep into the woods where there was even more chance of encountering bears.

TIPS:

*   Get your permit earlier in the day - They issue permits up to 15 minutes before close but only issue certain amount per day, best to get your permit early.
*   Tie up your food and trash - This area is known for wildlife so you will want to secure your items up high at your camp to not attract animals into your campsite.

Backcountry Camping - Free Permit

Let me just say, it is nice to find a campground that not only welcomes tent campers but seems to be designed for them exclusively. This campground is primarily a tent site. There are a handful of RV sites, but over 3/4 of the camp is set up for tents only which makes for a better overall outdoor feel without the humming of generators, the height of large RVs blocking your tree views and the overall feeling the you are squished in next to someone.

The closest campground to the Visitor Center, this campground has narrow roads through camp, flushing toilets and hot showers. Preparing for tent campers, the amenities are vast enough to not feel like you are stuck waiting for a shower because they have not properly accommodated you. It is a great feeling to have.

Seasonally there is a small camp store which offers ice and firewood along with some basic items. I even picked up an ice cream here on a hot evening.

My site was $20 and was well shaded, almost nestled into the trees.I was in site 46 which was on the bend and seemed a bit closer to other campers, yet I still had plenty of space for my activities as a solo camper. Had I have been in a larger group or even not camping as a single I might have opted for a site a bit further around the loop.

TIPS:

* If you are a senior and have an access pass you can present this when booking and get 1/2 off your site.

* Look at the campground map in advance, you wlll be happy to have done so when looking for larger sites or sites which offer pull through options.

BEST Tent Campground

Only stayed here for one night, but the campsite had a concrete table and a nice fire pit area! We stayed at site 105 per the ranger’s recommendation. It was set right on the edge of a very large wooded area which was fun to explore due to the lack of underbrush. Nice big visitor center and a good sized camp store. Also wonderfully close to the amazing Dinosaur World!!

More than just caves! 

Very clean &amp; quiet! The wildlife are very friendly!

Deer & turkey walk thru ur campsite! 

Loved staying at the mammoth cave state park last weekend. April 26th-28th 2019. 

No reservations are needed until May 1st. It was Walk up First come first serve from March through May. The last weekend of April was perfect and was not over crowded but had a good amount of visitors. 
We had perfect weather as well. The camp grounds are clean and nice looking , bathrooms also very clean and have normal toilets, laundry room had new washers and dryers and very roomy &amp; clean with attached bathrooms &amp; showers for men &amp; women. The camp store was nicely set up and had plenty of foods and stuff Incase you forgot anything. However they do not sell real fire wood. They do sell compressed fire bricks. That Looks-like compressed sawdust bricks. So if you want real fire wood you have to go off trail and find it. Recommend and saw to cut it up but there was plenty of dead branches to be found through out the park and you are allowed to pick it up and burn it. 
The cave tours are fun and educational however if you lack fitness some of them will test your limits. So know your limits before booking. Highly recommend buying your tickets before you arrive as they fill up super fast and they offer more tours during the peak season than they do in spring. 

The lodge is nice has 2 restaurants one is sit down one is fast food snacks like setting. There are 5 gift shops in all between the camp store has 1 the lodge has 2 and the visitors center has 2. 
It’s worth the trip if your in to caving and hiking. 
Unfortunately there is lack of access to the river unless you go backwoods hiking/camping 
But all in all it’s a fun time! 


Best weekend ever 

If you are looking for something cushy, this is not the campground for you.  I happen to love this type of camping, so I'm giving it 5 stars.  Here's what to know: 
No campsite water or electric
The bathrooms are just that, bathrooms. 
Showers are located at the general store which is walkable but it's a small trek.
Bring quarters, ones and/or five dollar bills for the shower.  
Bring something to carry your water to your campsite for dishes and whatnot.  There is a water pump at the bathroom areas.
Easy walking access to visitors center.
The firewood at the store is BioWood.  Good for cooking, burns hot and long. Worth the price.
Campsite 20 had a ton of shade trees which helped when it rained but it's in the back and beside a main road.

In May, before Memorial Day, there are no crowds.  Bonus! We would stay again if in the area.



Great National Park Campground

We took a chance not knowing anything about this campground. It’s beautiful here and they take really good care of the grounds. They were super helpful and we are so happy we stopped here. I highly recommend staying here. 

Awesome

Great campground with only 2 less than ideal factors: 1) it is close to the main road through the park, so there is some occasional road noise. 2) the campsites are relatively close together. 
Otherwise, this is a great campground. It is mostly all shaded with lots of trees, birds and deer interact with the campers, convenient to the camp store with warm showers (.25 cents for 4.5 minutes) and close to the visitor center. 

Very Nice Campground

We love coming here for the cave of course.  If you are not to squeamish to enjoy one of mother earths natural beauties of the underground the. This isn’t for you! They have amazing cave tours of all times of the day some for expert and some amateurs.   This is a very neat place and wonder of the world as it holds the record for largest cave system in the world!!

Wow!  This place is amazing!

I would plan for more time our next visit.   There are so many different cave tours.   We stayed in the cabins.  Nice area and the cabin was very clean with comfortable beds.   The ranger program for the kids is nice and they receive a badge when completed task in the book.  The park area was nice.   We saw deer 🦌 all evening.   No complaints.

Wanderlust 

Great experience all around. Clean, quiet. My sister and I had a wonderful stay and plan to return. She accidentally locked her keys in her car and the kind park rangers helped her get the door unlocked. Can’t wait to go back!

Very nice!

We had a great time at Mammoth Caves! The tour of the cave was one of the coolest activities we’ve done camping. Very unique and memorable! The caves are VERY cold so I was miserable without a sweater. But very much worth doing!

Beautiful and fun park!

Cute little campground with lots of tree cover, not too noisy despite the close proximity of neighbors. Great access to the caves. 

Nice campground, small sites

Fantastic campground with lots of trees. Clean and well maintained this was the best campground I've been to in a long time I went twice in a month. Buy cave tour tickets online before you go as the tours do sell out. If you have kids do the junior ranger program. 

Shady and peaceful

We went in March and it was chilly! But a great spot for backcountry hiking and camping. We did not see anybody on the trails or on our site! If you want privacy, this is it. We camped at First Creek 1 backcountry site. The caves tours are an amazing experience that I recommend you plan in your itinerary. an 11 mile hike near our camp site has a beautiful little creek and waterfall at the end of the trail.

Hidden Gem

I loved this campground. It was in the perfect location for exploring the national park. The spots were very spacious and nice! The bathrooms were well maintained and clean. I would return to this campground. There was a camp store and showers right outside the campground, in walking distance. 

Such a great NP campground 

This park was great and the camping in the park was also very nice. The park had free self guided tour the day we went, which was awesome! They have other guided tours as well, that take you to different parts of the cave. The ice cream at the gift shop was delicious after a hike also!! 

Wonderful park

We arrived after hours and were told we could stay in a site, and in the morning they would find us an open campsite.
Although it rained we still had a great experience at the campsite, hiking and caving. 

Accommodating

Sites are decently leveled. Some are lower and can flood easy with decent rain. They are only doing 50% capacity right now but even with full capacity it would be comfortable camping as the sites are spaced well. We didn’t get to do the cave tour as they were booked and we didn’t think to book in advance. We will be back

Great sites

Nice little tent spaces in the woods offered a lot of tree coverage and nice weather. Bathrooms were kept clean and glad to see they were flushing and not pit toilets! 

Very peaceful

Imagine a giant parking lot with trees. That’s your campground. RV and tent camping are mixed. Restrooms were rough, but useable, when you’re done waiting. 

Huge and lots of people

The park is amazing and definitely worth the stay so you can see the entire park. The campground wasn’t the best I’ve been to, but worth it for the amenities around it. Sites were close together and have a parking lot feel. 
I didn’t stay in the lodge, but I’d imagine that would be a nice stay if you didn’t want to camp. The deli was nice. We saw wild turkeys everywhere and the caves were absolutely amazing 

Great park, okay camping 

My friends and I had a lovely weekend camping! The park rangers gave great recommendations of which trails to go on &amp;  the site was clean and easy to find. Our neighbors were quiet and despite the rain, we had a great time! 

A Peaceful Weekend

This was a beautiful campsite. Very clean and quiet. The restrooms were very well kept. A fire pit and picnic table at the sites and a fairly level parking spot. Will be back when passing through. 

Peace & Quite under the forest canopy!

Cute campground. Dog friendly. Super convenient location to the cave tours. Pretty clean bathrooms. Showers closed due to covid. 

It what it says it is! 

The caves were great but the amenities for tent campers were perfect. Bathrooms were well lit and clean. Water access was nearby. 

Perfect tent amenities

We loved it here!  The spots were spread out and large but the pull through sites all had your camper doors facing the road rather than the fire and your table. Odd set up! The kids loved biking and exploring the woods. It was a bummer there were not trailheads close by! We also had a trek to the garbage. 

Beautiful w an odd set up

The campground is standard run of fair, pretty spacious &amp; woodsy. THE CAVE IS VERY BIG AND COOL. Reserve the all day guided tour with crawling about in small spaces for the best experience. Make sure your boots have enough tread or you won't be allowed to do the tour!

Best access to big cave

Highly recommend this trip and staying in the Mammoth Cave Lodge cottages! Close to the cave tours, Green River, and lots of hiking trails in the area! 

Amazing place with quaint cottages to stay in! 

I enjoy the different cave tour options. Everyone is has always been very informative which makes the experience a great one. We did the Green river boat tour which was cool. We even enjoyed the ferry ride. I went backpacking here in January so there wasn’t many people at all which made it extra peaceful. Still plenty to do at the park so I’ll be back. 

Plenty to explore!

My son and I took a quick weekend trip here with a friend and his son. The campsites were spacious, bathrooms were clean, the cave was great, and there was some awesome hiking spots as well. We’re going to make this an annual trip.

Great weekend

We stayed in sites 102 and 104 with 3 other families, and used a total of five 3-4 person tents. We had plenty of \[level\] room to spread out. Our sites backed up to hundreds of acres of uninhabited forest, while also being within short walking distance of the camp store and visitor center.

  

Sites were non-electric, and there were no receptacles to be found anywhere close, even at the conveniently located (and very clean) bathrooms. Bring Your Own Electricity, but please note the generator quiet hours. (Solar generators and power stations for the win.) Fire rings are very heavy cast iron with with very sturdy, adjustable-height cooking grates. They really put out some heat once you get the fire going, and are very easy to cook on. 

  

They don't want you bringing in outside wood for obvious reasons, and they only sell compressed saw dust wood bricks at the camp store. They work well once you get the hang of them, don't smoke much at all, and keep you warm. However, at ~$7.50 for a case of 6 blocks, they can get expensive quickly if, like my family, you're the kind of campers that like a good fire.

  

Overall, park was clean, quiet, and each site has just enough space for you to ignore the people around you if that's what you're into. We love all of the cheesy tourist traps in Cave City, and love the centralized location between Nashville and Louisville--allows me to easily camp with close friends I have in both cities. Already planning on coming back regularly.

Highly recommended (sites 102/104, D Loop)

Loved  this place.  Less than 10 minute walk to the Visitor Center, restaurant, ice cream shop and camp store.  US Post Office on site will stamp your mail with the Mammoth Cave cancellation stamp.  Many sites are drive through, no electric or water at site, lots of trees so little solar power collection.  Large sites with space between. The caves are not fully open with COVID but the self guided tour was great.  Rangers around to answer questions.  Hiking paths are of every type, easy paved to  high rugged.  Wild life is mostly white tail deer, squirrels, chipmunks and birds.  Easily could spend a week here.

Close to Visitor Center, Trails and food

Stopped here for 2 nights on a long trip from WV to AR. So glad we did! Nice camping, but the cave was so awesome to tour. Fascinating how they mined the salt-petre to manufacture gunpowder. 

Awesome trip

We felt safe, had a great site and a ton of fun. 
Only complaint is that they don’t sell real firewood just this compressed sawdust crap. Hit up the shell station once you get off 65 to save yourself headaches and a ton of time. 

Great family time

This is a very nice campground and very close to Mammoth Cave. The sites were well established and level for the most part. Check in was at 3:00 and I tried to check in early. No Dice! There is limited food available for purchase at the camp store. Their biscuits and gravy is delicious!

Nice Nation Park campground

Great

Very nice sites, clean bathrooms, ranger led talks throughout the day and in the evening at the amphitheater, close to showers, post office, and camp store. I enjoyed staying here!

Full National Park Camping Experience

I love mammoth cave campground a whole lot. It’s not just the caves but I love the camp sites here. The rangers are super helpful and even if the tours are sold out the trails are awesome. Especially if you love snapping photos of the landscape.

My Favorite Campground

Clean restrooms, coin-OP showers, very well-maintained fire pits, and within biking or walking distance of the visitor's center (where the tours run from). 

Definitely book cave tours in advance. When I visited they only had one walk-in tour available due to Covid restrictions. 

It was still worthwhile! 

Also was able to hike most of the trails in the main part of the park in a four-hour morning. 

More trails are accessible via Green River Ferry on the other side of the river. 

Also, check out the kayak/canoeing rentals in the area. 

I have my own kayak and found a service that would drop me off and pick me back up 8 miles down the river for $30!

In the Heart of the Park!

Love this campground. National Park and you could tell. Nice store close, with clean showers. Bathroom clean. Site was secluded. Composite picnic tables which was nice. Nature everywhere. Will be back

Perfect

The campground was well maintained and clean.  Our campsite was fairly private and a lot of flat ground for multiple tents.  The facilities were convenient and clean. 

We camped here for 2 nights with our dogs. 

The campground has 4 loops. We were in the B loop. All the sites come with a stone bench and table and a fire pit with a cooking grate. The campsites provide a lot of shade, which is great in the summer month. They are not very private but spacious. Some sites have poor drainage after it rained. It makes it difficult to set up your tent. 

Just in case you forgot something, there is a camp store at the entrance. Do not buy the manufactured firewood product!! No one was able to get it to burn. 

If there was any disturbance, the rangers really took care of it right away. 

The bathrooms seemed fairly new and were very well maintained. Not so the showers, that were pretty run down and old. They were outside the campground, but within walking distance. In order to take a 4.5 min shower, you need $1.50. We thought it is ridiculous! 

Be cautious around the deer in the campground. They don't fear humans and therefore they could be dangerous. 

To get to the visitor center or the tour starting point, it's about a 10 min walk. The park also offers a lot of short trails and interesting history. It is definitely worth a trip. The cave was spectacular. They offer many different tours. It is the longest cave system in the world and there is a lot to explore.

Nice campground 

Decent facilities, well maintained. Sites are spacious with distance between. Short walk to visitor center/trailheads. Comes in handy if you need to queue up early for same-day cave tickets.

Short walk to visitor center

Hiking near the visitor center was good although we had trouble finding longer trails. We didn't book far enough in advance to do anything but the self guided cave tour. However the outlaw wild cave tour at nearby Jesse James stables was fantastic.

No electric, do dishwashing at the water hydrant was a pain.

Campground was OK.  3 different loops with nicely spaced out shady sites.  Really not much to do unless you're taking cave tours or hiking. 

Mammoth cave area is so beautiful - definitely take the tour through the caves and check out the history and the artists  that are selling things all over the area.

Love this area! 

I love camping in this area! Mammoth caves is so beautiful every time I camp there I see deer running through my camping site. It’s so beautiful I will come back again and again!

Photos of Mammoth Cave Campground — Mammoth Cave National Park

Real photos from real campers