How I’d Redo my Trip to Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky

I was floored by the beauty found underground at Mammoth Cave National Park. I was planning on going and doing one tour but after being blown away by what we found we quickly bought a second ticket for another tour. At the time there was an age limit for my youngest daughter so there were some tours that were unavailable to us, but now that she is older we would be free to go. That being said I would love to plan another weekend trip to Mammoth Cave National Park, and here are some of the tours I would take if I could do it all over again. 

It is in the name, but Mammoth Cave is huge, in fact, it is the longest cave in the world. So even though I have been on two different tours there are still miles and miles of underground beauty to explore. I would highly recommend taking both the Historic Tour and the Domes and Dripstones Tour. Have those wonderful experiences behind me here is what I would do if (or should I say when) I go back. 

High on my list is an experience as much as it is seeing more of the cave I love. The Violet City Lantern Tour has piqued my interest. A friend of mine recently recommended it and so I decided to take a quick peek at what it would be like. Wandering the halls of the cave yielding nothing but a lantern makes for a wholly different approach to caving. Cave tourism started off this way and walking in their footsteps seems like a fitting way to explore this historical park and certainly a unique approach to underground adventures. 

Three other places of the cave I have not seen would be Cleveland Avenue, Grand Avenue, and Gothic Avenue. Each one has a dedicated tour and each one has its own appeal. Cleveland Ave takes a historical approach with a tour that has brought in crowds for nearly two centuries. The tube-shaped passages and gypsum walls are especially interesting as well as evidence to early visitors. The Gothic Avenue Tour is aptly named due to its fascinating rock formations that resemble Gothic architecture. When I left Mammoth Cave I didn’t want to leave and just wanted more. So if you are like me and looking for a longer time in the cave then the Grand Avenue Tour is perfect. This four-hour tour would take me past everything I had seen in the Domes and Dripstones Tour but so much more. I don’t even know which one I would pick because they all sound amazing. 

Then I am also tempted to do something a tad bit crazy…The Wild Cave Tour takes guests on an extreme caving adventure which will involve a full day of tight spaces, climbing, and maneuvering hard-to-reach places. Since the first time I went into Mammoth Cave, I had wondered what it would be like to do some epic spelunking, so this tour is very tempting, even if it makes me a little bit nervous.  

With so many tours I want to take in Mammoth Cave National Park, I am going to have to stretch this into a couple-day trip. So for a place to stay, I would pick a cool covered wagon as a unique place to sleep. That way I can spend the most amount of my time underground in this fantastic national park. To find out what tour is best for you please visit the Mammoth Cave National Park website. 

Have you ever wondered which cave is the best in the nation? Check out Mammoth Cave vs Carlsbad Cavern and see which one is better.