Fees & Passes

Free

No entrance pass required

An entrance pass is not required to access Mammoth Cave National Park.

Other National Park Service sites may require an entrance pass or fee. Depending on your trip plans, an interagency pass may save you money.

The park accepts the America the Beautiful Interagency Senior LIfetime and Senior Annual Passes, as well as, the Access Pass. These passes will provide a 50% discount on cave tour tickets for the cardholder only. The passes will also provide a 50% discount for camping provided the reservation is in the cardholder's name. No discounts are provided for shelters.

There is no fee to enter Mammoth Cave National Park. However, there are fees associated with cave tours, camping, and shelter rentals. For detailed information related to the fees for these activities, please visit our Fees and Passes webpage.

2025 Free Entrance Days in the National Parks

Come experience the national parks! All National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone (other fees, including timed entry or reservation fees, may apply). Mark your calendar for these entrance fee-free dates:

• Thursday, January 9 — National Day of Mourning for President James Earl Carter Jr.
• Monday, January 20 — Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Saturday, April 19 — First Day of National Park Week
• Thursday, June 19 — Juneteenth National Independence Day
• Monday, August 4 — Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
• Saturday, September 27 — National Public Lands Day
• Tuesday, November 11 — Veterans Day

 

Mammoth Cave National Park does not charge an entrance fee. Tickets are required for cave tours. On free entrance days either the Mammoth Passage tour or Self-guided Discovery tour may be offered. These tours are subject to availability as tour schedules and staffing allow and are not guaranteed.

For more information on entrance fee free days in the national parks, visit the Free Entrance Days website.

 

 

Mammoth Cave National Park participates in the congressionally authorized Federal Recreation Lands Enhancement Act. Under this program, parks keep 80% of all fees collected; the remaining 20% is deposited in a special account to be used in parks where fees are not collected. Funds generated by the fees are used to accomplish projects the parks have been unable to fund through annual Congressional allocations. Entrance fees help support projects in the park to improve the experience for visitors. For more information, call [phone].

 

Cave Tour Fees

Cave tour offerings change by season. Before arriving to the park for a cave tour, check the current cave program schedule. Advanced reservations are recommended and can be made at Recreation.gov or by calling [phone].

Children and youth under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult, 18 years or older.
An America the Beautiful Interagency Senior or Access Pass ♿ provides a 50% discount on cave tour tickets for the cardholder only.

Frozen Niagara Tour	$26.00	$22.00	$6.50	$13.00
Gothic Avenue Tour	$23.00	$19.00	———	$11.50
Grand Avenue Tour	$42.00	$34.00	———	$21.00
Great Onyx Lantern Tour	$31.00	$26.00	———	$15.50
Historic Tour	$24.00	$18.00	$6.00	$12.00
Introduction to Caving Tour	$49.00	$42.00	———	$24.50
Mammoth Passage Tour	$15.00	$13.00	$3.75	$7.50
River Styx Cave Tour	$26.00	$20.00	———	$13.00
Star Chamber Lantern Tour	$30.00	$25.00	———	$15.00
Trog Tour	N/A	$25.00	———	N/A
Violet City Lantern Tour	$32.00	$27.00	———	$16.00
Wild Cave Tour	$79.00 (Age 16+)	———	———	$39.50
Wondering Woods Tour	$26.00	$22.00	———	$13.00
Cave Tour	Adult (ages 13+)	Youth (ages 6-12)	Children (ages 3-5)	Senior Pass & Access Pass ♿
Accessible Tour ♿	$27.00	$21.00	$6.75	$13.50
Broadway Tour	$22.00	$17.00	$5.50	$11.00
Cleaveland Avenue Tour	$30.00	$24.00	$7.50	$15.00
Discovery Tour	$12.00	$9.00	$3.00	$6.00
Domes & Dripstones Tour	$30.00	$25.00	$7.50	$15.00
Extended Discovery Tour	$15.00	$13.00	$4.00	$7.50
Extended Historic Tour	$27.00	$21.00	$6.75	$13.50
Focus Photo Tour	$25.00	$21.00	$6.25	$12.50

 

Picnic Shelter Reservation Fees

There are two picnic shelters located in the picnic area near the visitor center. Each picnic shelter has ten picnic tables and the open shelter includes a working fireplace. The picnic area also has fire grates, restrooms, fresh water, and a garbage dumpster. Reservations for the picnic shelters can be made on Recreation.gov.

Picnic Shelter
Open Picnic Shelter	$55.00/day (includes ten picnic tables and a working fireplace)
Enclosed Picnic Shelter	$85.00/day (includes ten tables with chairs and heat and air conditioning)

 

Camping Fees

There are three developed campgrounds within the park. Camping fees vary depending on the site. Reservations are recommended and can be made through Recreation.gov.

Backcountry camping permits are $10 and available online through Recreation.gov or in person at the Mammoth Cave Campground Kiosk.

 

Mammoth Cave Campground

Mammoth Cave Campground is located on Mammoth Cave Parkway, 1/4 mile from the visitor center.

Site Type	Fee	Access ♿ or Senior Pass Holders
Regular Site (No hookups)	$25.00/night	$12.50/night
Group Site (No hookups/Tent Only)	$40.00/night	$40.00/night

Maple Springs Group Campground

Maple Springs Group Campground is located on the park's north side on Maple Springs Loop, six miles from the visitor center and three miles north of Green River Ferry. All sites are group sites.pe

Site Type	Fee	Access ♿ or Senior Pass Holders
Group Site (Hookups)	$50.00/night	$50.00/night
Horseback Group Site (Hookups)	$50.00/night	$50.00/night

Houchin Ferry Campground

Houchin Ferry Campground is located on the park's west side on Houchin Ferry Road, 15 miles from the visitor center and one and a half miles from the town of Brownsville, Kentucky.

Site Type	New Fee	Access ♿ or Senior Pass Holder Fee
Regular Site (No hookups)	$20.00/night	$10.00/night

 

Credit cards currently accepted by the National Park Service for payment of fees.

Forms of Payment

Acceptable forms of payment for Mammoth Cave National Park’s fees and passes include cash, all major credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, personal checks, business checks, and traveler checks.

 

Educational Group Fees

Educational programs are eligible for discounted group rates on cave tours. Contact the park at [phone] for more information.

 

Commercial Use Authorization

A Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) is a business permit with the National Park Service. It authorizes you to conduct commercial activities and to provide specific visitor services within a national park. For more information about CUAs, visit our Commercial Use Authorization page.

 

Cave Tour Cancelation Policy

All changes of tour reservation will be considered a cancellation and charged $1.00 per ticket. Cancellations made fewer than 24 hours in advance of the tour will not receive a refund.

For Wild Cave, Introduction to Caving, and Trog tours:

• Cancellations made 10 or more days prior to the Tour Date will be no charge.
• Cancellation made 10 days or less prior to the Tour Date will be charged the following amount per ticket:
  • Wild Cave Tour: $12.00
  • Introduction to Caving Tour: $6.00
  • Trog Tour: $4.00