Where to Stay When Visiting Mammoth Cave?
Mammoth Cave National Park is in our backyard and it becomes often we overlooked destination. This National Park offers visitors the chance to explore the world as it was hundreds and thousands of years ago. I’m glad our timing worked out and our visit to Mammoth Cave was our second RV adventure!
Where to stay when visiting Mammoth Cave?
Visitors have numerous lodging choices when visiting this National Park. Conveniently located between Louisville, KY and Nashville, TN this park can easily accommodate travelers desiring to stay in amazing 5 star accommodations (e.g., The Four Seasons in Nashville or the Omni Hotel in Louisville) or tent campers who pitch a tent in the park’s campground.
Staying in the Big City
Staying in Louisville or Nashville has its advantages. Visitors can walk amongst nature during the day at Mammoth Cave and mingle with the stars into the twilight in the big cities. Of course, the stars in Nashville are the country music performers. While in Louisville the brown liquid known as Fine Kentucky Bourbon takes center stage. Both cities provide ample opportunities to explore new cultures and experience a vibrant nightlife!
Staying Closer to the Action
We love that camping allows us to stay in the heart of the action! Our family, me mostly, prefer a soft and comfy bed. We fixed the rock-hard bed I talked about in our The Shake-Down posting. We fixed it with a Tempur-Pedic Mattress Topper. WOW! Back to Mammoth Cave…
We’ve visited this National Park twice in our RV Camping journey. The first time on our second trip during late October 2020 and for the second time in September 2022.
We visited Thousand Trails Diamond Caverns way back in 2020. The resort was nice as well as conveniently located close to Mammoth Cave’s entrance and the main interstate (I-65). The resort was generally well kept and and was very busy had a nice playground, clean bath-houses, easy access to site-hook-ups (water, electric, sewer, etc.), a basketball court, and even a mini-golf course. The resort . But it was fall in Mammoth Cave, which is a popular time to visit.
On our second visit, we stayed at Cave Country RV Campground. Cave Country is a much smaller campground located in the heart of Cave City, KY. This campground offers both pull through and back in sites and full hook-ups. The bathhouses were very nice, new, modern, and offered endless hot water! There is a small pool and a large meeting pavilion for families or friends to unwind after a day of hiking. We met the campground owners and enjoyed learning about their story.
Long-story short, we had a tire blow-out in route to Cave Country. While I was attending to a replacement tire, I needed our truck. The campground owners drove Sara and the kids to Mammoth Cave so they were on time for their tour. I missed out! Service is alive and well in America!
If Yogi Bear is your speed, Jellystone Park at Mammoth Cave might be a great place for your family. They offer rental cabins so you can enjoy campground life without an RV!
Staying In the Action
If sleeping on the ground, hammock, or tent is your thing, you’re in luck! Mammoth Cave National Park offers 3 campgrounds near the visitor center which are referred to as Frontcountry Camping which offers close access to modern amenities like toilets, showers, laundry, and the visitor center.
For the more adventurous camper there are 13 designated Backcountry Camping sites. As the name may imply these are within park boundaries. You get to use all the amenities you carry in (and out) and those that mother nature provides. Have you ever carried a Tempur-Pedic bed? Well, they are damn heavy. So you probably won’t find me in the Backcountry!
Regardless of site-type you need a permit which can be obtained via Recreation.gov. There are a host of regulations and rules, so make sure to checkout the National Park’s page before you wander into the woods.
