News Release

Green River Ferry Road South will temporarily close for transport of ferry vessel

The Green River Ferry at Mammoth Cave National Park will undergo an inspection from the U.S. Coast Guard and receive maintenance work while it is drydocked.

NPS Photo

News Release Date: May 5, 2025

Contact: Molly Schroer, 270-758-2192

MAMMOTH CAVE, Ky. – Green River Ferry Road South in Mammoth Cave National Park will close from its intersection with Mammoth Cave Parkway to the Green River Ferry parking area on Tuesday, May 6 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. CDT. The temporary closure will allow for the safe removal and transportation of the ferry from the boat ramp to a storage area where it will receive a five-year United States Coast Guard (USCG) inspection and maintenance work. Joppa Ridge Road, Echo River Spring Trail, and the Green River canoe and kayak access ramp will not be accessible during the closure.
 
The USCG certifies ferry operations and sets standards for operator experience and training, vessel specifications, and inspection schedules. The ferry is on a five-year cycle for drydock hull inspection which ensures the vessel maintains a safe operational condition. While it is out of the water, the park will also sandblast and repaint the ferry and perform maintenance to the engine and operating systems. The last time the vessel removed from the water for maintenance, inspection, and repainting was in 2020.
 
The removal is planned during a time when ferry operations are suspended due to extensive flood damage to the ferry’s navigational cables. The park is working with the National Park Service’s Washington and Southeast Region offices on a project to design and repair the navigational system in the fastest means possible. It is expected to take several months to fully complete the work.
 
Green River Ferry Road North will be unaffected by the road closure and will remain open to all vehicles to Maple Springs Campground, including recreational vehicles and vehicles with trailers. Only passenger vehicles are permitted past Maple Springs Campground.
 
For directions to Mammoth Cave National Park or for information on how to reach park areas on the opposite side of the Green River without using the ferry, please visit the Directions and Transportation page.
 

www.nps.gov/maca