Park Statistics

Important Dates

• May 25, 1926 – Mammoth Cave National Park is authorized by Congress.
• July 1, 1941 – Mammoth Cave National Park is officially established by Congress.
• September 9, 1972 – Mammoth Cave is discovered to be the worlds longest cave system.
• October 27, 1981 – Mammoth Cave National Park is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• September 26, 1990 – Mammoth Cave Biosphere Region is designated an International Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
• October 28, 2021 – Mammoth Cave National Park is certified an International Dark Sky Park.

A detailed timeline of historical events can be found in the History & Culture section of the web site.

 

Geographic Figures

All elevations are listed as Height above mean sea level (AMSL)

• Total Area: 52,830 acres (21,380 hectares)
• Lowest Surface Elevation: 411 feet (125 meters) Green River near Brownsville
• Highest Surface Elevation: 852 feet (260 meters) Brooks Knob
• Elevation at Visitor Center: 741 feet (226 meters)
• Total Length of Mammoth Cave (to date): 426 miles (685 kilometers)
• Lowest Cave Elevation: 412 feet (126 meters) Echo River
• Highest Cave Elevation: 810 feet (247 meters) Top of Elevator Shaft
• Total Cave Relief: 398 feet (121 meters)

 

Visitation Statistics

Visitation to Mammoth Cave National Park has changes over the years. The National Park Service records monthly visitor use statistics and publishes them online. View the interactive NPS Visitor Use Statistics page to explore numbers and information from 1939 to present.

 

Your Fee Dollars at Work

The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA) allows the NPS to collect and retain revenue and requires that fee revenue be used to enhance the visitor experience. At least 80 percent of the money stays in the park where it is collected, and the other 20 percent is used to benefit parks that do not collect fees. Discover how your fee dollars are used throughout the national park system.

 

Budget

The National Park Service budget is developed each February for the next fiscal year, which starts October 1. The budget defines the NPS’ goals and objectives and the funding necessary to accomplish them. The NPS budget is rolled up into the budget for the Department of the Interior and then with the rest of the Executive Branch and submitted to Congress for its review and approval.