Mammoth Cave National Park to Commemorate the Life of Floyd Collins

The Floyd Collins History Tour will visit Crystal Cave which includes steep hill climbs and stairs.

NPS Photo/ J. Cooper

Mammoth Cave National Park will commemorate the 100th anniversary of famed cave explorer Floyd Collins' life, entrapment, and death with a special Floyd Collins History Tour in February 2025. The history tour will visit key locations in Collins' life, including Crystal Cave. Tickets for the history tour will be distributed by a lottery process through Recreation.gov beginning Thursday, December 5.

Additional programs chronicling the history of exploration at Mammoth Cave National Park will be offered throughout the month.

The Floyd Collins History Tour

The Tour Experience

This 3 ½ hour tour will include visits to the Collins’s family homesite, Sand Cave overlook, and Mammoth Cave Baptist Church where Collins is buried. The tour will also venture into Floyd’s famous show cave, Crystal Cave, which boasts beautiful and unique cave formations and large canyon passageways. The tour offers a unique opportunity to experience a section of Mammoth Cave not publicly toured since the 1960s.

The Crystal Cave portion of the tour will last approximately 1 ½ hours. The route will follow historic trails that are uneven and rocky, but no crawling or climbing is required. There are a few slick areas in the cave and there are no usable handrails. Tour participants will be provided a caving helmet and headlamp but must provide hiking shoes that cover their ankle and have sufficient bottom tread. Individuals who do not have the proper footwear will not be allowed to participate in the tour.

 

The Floyd Collins History Tour will include visits to the Collins family homesite, Sand Cave Overlook, and Mammoth Cave Baptist Church where Collins is buried.

NPS Graphic

 

Tickets

Tickets were distributed via a lottery system to provide an equitable opportunity for those interested in this limited, high-demand event. Winners were notified via email on December 20. Visit Recreation.gov for more information.

• Each tour has a capacity of 20 individuals and is limited to those aged 16 and older. Participants under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.

• Tickets are not transferable. All commercial use is prohibited. There are no refunds, rain checks, or changes to the assigned tour time permitted.

• Lottery winners must present photo identification which matches the name of the lottery winner to validate tickets before entry into the event.

 

Visit Recreation.gov To

Apply to Ticket Lottery

 

A century-old signature etched into rock by Floyd Collins himself now serves as a timeless greeting to all who enter Crystal Cave.

NPS Photo/ J. Cooper

Schedule

The Floyd Collins History Tour will be available on select dates in February 2025:

Saturday, February 1	9:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 2	9:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 8	9:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 9	9:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 15	9:00 a.m.
Sunday, February 16	9:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.
Friday, February 21	2:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 22	9:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 23	9:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.

 

A caver explores the unique features of Crystal Cave.

NPS Photo/ J. Wheet

Preparing for Your Visit

The tour will begin at the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center. Participants will be transported by bus to the Sand Cave Trailhead, Mammoth Cave Baptist Church, and the Floyd Collins Family Homesite and Crystal Cave entrance. After the tour, the group will be brought back to the visitor center by bus.

February daytime temperatures at Mammoth Cave averages around 58 ºF (14ºC). Winter can bring mild to moderate snow and ice to the area, but winter storms are possible. Participants should be prepared for the possibility of inclement weather. Please check the current weather in the park area before your visit.

The Floyd Collins History Tour may be cancelled if hazardous weather seems likely to create a safety concern for accessing park roads, facilities, trails, or the cave. In the event of an unexpected weather cancellation, the total tour cost, minus the $1.00 Recreation.gov application fee, will be refunded.

There is limited access to portable restrooms along the tour’s location stops. There are no restrooms inside Crystal Cave.

Camera tripods, monopods, and selfie sticks are prohibited on this tour. Flash photography is not permitted inside the cave. Firearms, pepper spray, mace, knives, or weapons of any type are not permitted inside the cave or in the visitor center.

Mammoth Cave National Park is located in the central time zone.

 

Other Commemorative Events & Programs

Additional events and programs that highlight the Floyd Collins story, history of pre-park communities, and over 200 years’ worth of cave exploration at Mammoth Cave will also take place in February for the 100-year commemoration event. No advanced reservations are required for these free ranger-led programs.

Evening Programs

The park will host special evening programs in the Rotunda Room at the Lodge at Mammoth Cave to discuss the life of Floyd Collins. Available dates:

• Friday, Feb. 21 at 6:45 p.m. – The Life and Tragic Death of Floyd Collins

• Saturday, Feb. 22 at 6:45 p.m. – Floyd Collins Discussion Panel with Subject Matter Experts

Ranger-led Programs

Join rangers at the park visitor center for Flat Hat Chat programs featuring a variety of topics centered on exploration and history in Mammoth Cave National Park. Offered on the following dates:

Saturday, Feb. 1	9:30 a.m.
Sunday, Feb. 2	9:30 a.m.
Saturday, Feb. 8	9:30 a.m.
Sunday, Feb. 9	9:30 a.m.
Saturday, Feb. 15	9:30 a.m. & 3:30 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 16	9:30 a.m. & 3:30 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 17	9:30 a.m. & 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 22	9:30 a.m. & 3:30 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 23	9:30 a.m. & 3:30 p.m.

Special Exhibit Displays

Commemorative displays celebrating the life of Floyd Collins will be available throughout February 2025. Visit the exhibit area at the park's visitor center to browse artifacts and learn more about the life and death of the worlds' greatest cave explorer.

 

Floyd Collins is known as one of the greatest cave explorers of all time despite his tragic death in Sand Cave in 1925.

A Legacy of Discovery

William Floyd Collins, better known as “Floyd”, showed a strong interest in caves from a young age and was fascinated by the hidden beauty and secrets of their mysterious underground passageways. His passion for discovery led him to explore several caves near his family’s farm in what is now Mammoth Cave National Park. Collins discovered Great Crystal Cave, which was later developed into a tour destination by the Collins family. Crystal Cave was located off the main roads and proved difficult for visitors to find so Floyd continued to explore area caves in hopes of finding a show cave that would provide a more profitable business for his family.

On January 30, 1925, Floyd entered the underground passageways of nearby Sand Cave. During this expedition, a 27-pound rock fell on Floyd’s ankle and trapped him in place deep underground. A complicated rescue effort began, and word of his entrapment quickly spread through the local community and beyond. National media outlets from across the country covered the rescue efforts with sensational newspaper and radio updates prompting thousands of concerned citizens to make their way to the Sand Cave area hoping to witness a successful rescue. Despite the tireless dedication of rescue workers, Floyd Collins passed away from exposure after seventeen days in the cold, damp depths of Sand Cave.

Floyd Collins legacy, however, did not end with his underground demise. His death spurred a chain of events that would have widespread impact to the community he called home. The national sensation stirred by his entrapment and tragic death led to renewed interest in the creation of a national park dedicated to protecting the area’s many cave systems. This idea became reality with the establishment of Mammoth Cave National Park on July 1, 1941.