Cave Trail Rehabilitation Project: New Entrance to Frozen Niagara

Project at a Glance

START DATE: November 2022 

COMPLETION: Fall 2023 

PROJECT COST: Estimated $6.5 Million 

FUNDING SOURCE: Legacy Restoration Fund established by the Great American Outdoors Act 

IMPACTS: During construction several cave tours will be CLOSED to public touring. This closure will include the Domes & Dripstones Tour, Frozen Niagara Tour, and Grand Avenue Tour.  

The packed dirt surface and steep switchback trail leading up Big Break can be challenging for most tour participants.

NPS Photo/ Thomas DiGiovannangelo

About the Cave Trail

Discovered in 1921, the New Entrance section of Mammoth Cave was first developed by entrepreneur George Morrison as part of a private cave tourism business. The earliest trails in this area were crude stone walking paths. The last major investment in trails along this tour route occurred during the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) period in the 1930s in preparation for the establishment of Mammoth Cave National Park.

The cave trail that will be under construction is normally utilized on several cave tours including the Grand Avenue, Domes and Dripstones, Frozen Niagara, Introduction to Caving, and Wild Cave Tours. These tours will be closed for the duration of the construction project.

The dirt trail and wooden benches in Fairy Ceiling will be replaced with paver stones and a new seating area.

NPS Photo/ Tegan Sorensen

Investing in Public Lands

The project to Rehabilitate Cave Trails from New Entrance to Frozen Niagara is funded through the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) and is a significant investment that will address backlogged maintenance needs, visitor safety and tour experience, and natural and cultural resource protection in a popular section of a key park resource: Mammoth Cave. 

In 2020, the GAOA established the National Parks and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) which provides money for projects that reduce the maintenance backlog on Federal lands. The total funded project cost includes construction compliance, design, project construction, National Park Service project management, construction management, and contingency funds which is roughly $10 million.

Project Plan

The planned project includes several elements to improve the cave trail including:

• Replacing and upgrading deteriorated cave trail on approximately 1-mile of cave trail that runs from the New Entrance to the Frozen Niagara entrance.

• The construction of hardened trail surfaces, replacement of existing handrails with stainless steel handrails, and the reconstruction and upgrade of several sets of steps along the tour route.

• The project also includes the hardening of trail surfaces and installment of benches at a gathering called Fairy Ceiling.

• Electrical and communication conduits will be installed under the trail for existing and future electrical and communications cables.

• Improvements will also be made in the overlook of Crystal Lake, a section of cave with a small pool of water in the Frozen Niagara section. This area was historically toured in the early 1900’s and will again become visible to the public after this project.

When this project is completed, the park expects to alleviate most of the existing resource impact issues and help to ensure a safe and high-quality visitor experience for at least the next 50 years.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who will be doing the trail design and construction work?

The park has worked with Denver Service Center on the planning, design, and construction management for this project. Work is expected to begin in late October 2022.

Will other cave trails be open during construction?

While the Frozen Niagara section of cave will be closed, there are many other cave tour options for visitors to choose from. The tour descriptions and current schedule are provided on our Cave Tour website.