Caves
Lost River Cave and Valley
2818 Nashville Road (Map & Directions)
Bowling Green, KY 42104
270-393-0077 / 866-274-2283
Kentucky's only Underground Boat Tour and the enchanting Butterfly Habitat await you at Lost River Cave and Valley. Daylight disappears from view as you board the boat on the river that Ripley's Believe It or Not claims is the shortest, deepest in the world. A comfortable 57 degrees year round, the boat tour offers a visit into the timeless world of a Kentucky Natural wonder. The walking tour along the river's edge will bring alive stories of Native Americans, Early European settlers, Civil War troops and the notorious Jesse James. Enjoy Treetop Bridge, nature trails, bird watching stations, picnic area, gemstone sluice, and Old Mill Gifts.
Hours: Open 7 days 9am-5pm except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. Boat tours subject to weather, please call ahead.
Mammoth Cave National Park
1 Mammoth Cave Parkway (Map & Directions)
Mammoth Cave, KY 42259
270-758-2180 (Information) / 877-444-6777 (Reservations)
With over 365 known miles of cave passageways, Mammoth Cave is the world's longest cave. Besides its spectacular size, Mammoth Cave has an almost surreal beauty. Remarkable stories of human history, 350 million-year-old rocks and its fascinating animals adapted to life in the dark, make Mammoth Cave a place you won't want to miss. Ranger-led activities are offered daily, except Christmas Day. Join rangers for trips in the cave and on the surface, ranging from 1-1/4 hours to 6 1/2 hours. Designed with all visitors in mind, you'll find activities suiting a wide variety of needs and interests including cave trips, nature walks, campfire programs and slide presentations. Most tours are designed for a mixed audience. Some are easy, others are strenuous, several are designed exclusively for children, and one is designed for people seeking a wild cave adventure off the beaten path. All tours begin and end at the Visitor Center. Children under six are admitted free.
Hours: Open year-round except Christmas day.
Cub Run Cave
15101 Cub Run Highway (Map & Directions)
Cub Run, KY 42729
270-524-1444
Re-opened to the public after 56 years, Cub Run features rare boxwork speleotherms, highlighted by modern electric lighting and easily accessed by renovated paths and wooden walkways. Otter Spring runs through the cave where visitors can view blind crawfish and minnows.
Hours: Open daily. Visit website for tour times.
Diamond Caverns
1900 Mammoth Cave Parkway (Map & Directions)
Park City, KY 42160
270-749-2233
For over 147 years Historic Diamond Caverns has offered tours of Kentucky's most beautiful cave. Conveniently located on the southern entrance to Mammoth Cave National Park, this privately owned attraction is a must-see natural wonder that compliments a visit to Mammoth Cave. Presented by state-of-the-art lighting, Diamond Caverns features intricate drapery deposits lining the halls in cascades of naturally colorful calcite. Thousands of stalactites, stalagmites and flowstone formations decorate the cathedral-like chambers.
Hours: Open 9am-5pm (peak) and 10am-4pm (off-season)
Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum
119 East Main Street (Map & Directions)
Horse Cave, KY 42749
270-786-1466
Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum was described by naturalist John Muir as a "noble gateway to the birthplace of springs and fountains and the dark treasuries of the mineral kingdom." The cave is part of the American Cave and Karst Center, a nonprofit educational center. Featured on Discovery Channel's "Dirty Jobs" series, the cave boasts Kentucky's largest show cave entrance, a subterranean river and a historic hydroelectric generating system. Visitors can also tour the American Cave Museum.
Hours: Open daily, 9am-7pm (peak), 9am-5pm (off-season)
Kentucky Caverns
3700 L & N Turnpike Road (Map & Directions)
Horse Cave, KY 42749
270-786-2634 / 800-762-2869
Kentucky Caverns offers a close-up view of both intricate and massive onyx formations created by the powerful combination of water and time. Knowledgeable guides will bring the geological and historical stories alive for visitors while they are surrounded by unrivalled beauty. One price ticket includes admission to Kentucky Down Under.
Hours: Open 8am-6pm (peak season) and 9am-4pm (off season).
Onyx Cave
101 Huckleberry Knob Road (Map & Directions)
Cave City, KY 42127
270-773-3530
Located high above the surrounding limestone sinkhole plain, Onyx Cave is a system of vertical shafts uncovered during construction of the Guntown Mountain parking lot on Huckleberry Knob. The pits and domes of Onyx Cave were protected from weathering by the knob's sandstone cap rock and after their formation have slowly became coated by calcite crystal flowstone. The combination of crystals and seeping water makes the walls of this most unusual cave shimmer. The 30 minute tour is conveniently located at Guntown Mountain and is perfect for those travelers who are on a limited time schedule.
Hours: Open March through November.
