Mammoth Cave is the centerpiece of one of the greatest cave regions in the world. The area, with its multitude of limestone caves, underground rivers, springs, and sinkholes, is known as a karst landscape.

A tight squeeze on the Wild Cave Tour

Water has been the guiding force in the creation of this landscape, including the intricate labyrinth of Mammoth. Underground water working in cracks and between rock layers has carved out Mammoth Cave's long, horizontal passageways over the past several million years. The upper passages, dry today, were hollowed out thousands of years ago; the lower passages are still being enlarged by the flowing waters of Echo River and other underground streams. Mammoth's huge vertical shafts, called pits and domes, have been created by groundwater seeping downward through sinkholes or cracks located beyond the edge of the protective hard layer of sandstone that overlies much of the cave.

Water has also been essential in decorating parts of the cave with gypsum formations, stalactites, stalagmites, draperies, and flowstone. The delicate gypsum formations occur on the walls, ceilings, and floors of some of the cave's drier chambers; the rest of the formations appear in some of the wetter chambers.

Cave Tours

To explore Mammoth Cave, you'll want to go on one of the multitude of ranger-guided tours the park offers. The Discovery Tour is a self-guided introductory tour to Mammoth Cave and is impressive in its own right, but it doesn't give you the same chance to comb the caves in-depth that you'll get when you go with a ranger (the Discovery Tour is only available during peak visitation periods in the warmer months).

There are two main categories of ranger-guided tours. Underground tours are a great way to learn about the cave's geology and history. Descend into the cave's deepest reaches to find out how the forces of erosion have conspired over hundreds of millions of years to create Mammoth's massive network of tunnels, chambers, and wondrous rock formations. On the Gothic Lantern Tour, see the cave as nineteenth century cavers saw it and discover the marks of passage they left along the way. These tours range from easy to moderately strenuous.

For those who don't mind a few tight squeezes, the park also offers three spelunking adventures. These trips give visitors the chance to experience the true darkness that engulfs a cave when you turn out the lights, yet in which a variety of wildlife manages to survive. Participants on spelunking adventures see parts of Mammoth Cave otherwise inaccessible to the general public.

How to Get Tickets

Please be aware that all cave tours require tickets, which you can purchase from the National Park Service. It's best to reserve tickets in advance, since most everyone who visits the park wants to go on at least one cave tour while they're there, and tours regularly sell out. You may reserve tickets in advance for cave tours by calling the National Park Reservation Service at (800)967-2283. On the 15th of each month, you may purchase tickets for an additional month of cave tours. For instance, on April 15 you will have the choice of tours on any date through July 15. Ask the Park Service for the latest ticket prices.

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