Mammoth Cave National Park is a unique place in a beautiful area of Kentucky. Home to the longest cave system in the world, this seemingly endless American wonder makes jaws drop daily. But where to stay near Mammoth Cave for the best experience?
There’s a rustic place to stay inside Mammoth Cave National Park. In addition, you find several comfy hotels near Mammoth Cave in the neighboring towns of Park City, Cave City and Horse Cave.
For those who prefer bigger hubs, other options for where to stay when visiting Mammoth Cave are Glasgow and Bowling Green.
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Where to stay overview
- Mammoth Cave NP – Within park
- Park City, Cave City & Horse Cave – Nearest cities
- Glasgow – Slightly further away
- Bowling Green – A bigger city
Inside Mammoth Cave National Park, KY – Stay with the cave on your doorstep
A top option for where to stay near Mammoth Cave is to base yourself inside the national park itself. You can do so at the one and only place to stay within Mammoth Cave National Park.
At the Lodge at Mammoth Cave, you start and end your days in the heart of Mammoth Cave National Park. No other Mammoth Cave place to stay sits as near the cave entrance.
When staying inside Mammoth Cave National Park, you can book the early or late cave tour and without any inconvenience walk to the expedition in minutes. And, if the park is your only priority, you don’t have to think about driving during your visit.
Sure, this is a rustic option for where to stay when visiting Mammoth Cave. Yet, peacefully sitting in the front row, the appeal of the Mammoth Cave cabins and rooms at the Lodge at Mammoth Cave is evident.
In short, the Lodge at Mammoth Cave gives you the ultimate cave access. At the only lodge within Mammoth Cave National Park, you’re only a short walk from the cave adventure. But for more options and amenities, you find more Mammoth Cave lodging in the nearby towns.
- Distance: 0 mi
- Driving time: 0 min
- Stay in Mammoth Cave NP for: Best possible cave access.
Park City, Cave City & Horse Cave, KY – Hotels near Mammoth Cave in the closest cities
From north to south, Horse Cave, Cave City and Park City are great alternatives for where to stay near Mammoth Cave. These small cities near Mammoth Cave offer an appreciated combo of access and amenities.
It’s just 9 to 15 miles (14-24 km) from Mammoth Cave National Park hotels in Horse Cave, Cave City and Park City to the park. Considering the rural location of Mammoth Cave, the convenience is surprisingly good.
Horse Cave and Cave City are the bigger of the three small cities, with more Mammoth Cave lodging opportunities.
The northernmost gateway town is Horse Cave. A popular Horse Cave attraction to add to the Mammoth Cave itinerary is Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo, bringing the Australian outback to the USA.
Cave City is centrally located, south of Horse Cave but north of Park City. Making kids thrilled, Cave City presents the family highlight Dinosaur World with dinosaur sculptures in authentic sizes.
Park City is the tiniest of the three cities, but it’s also the outpost nearest the Mammoth Cave entrance. So of the three neighboring cities, Park City provides the Mammoth Cave accommodations very closest to the cave.
In conclusion, Horse Cave, Cave City and Park City are excellent options for where to stay when visiting Mammoth Cave National Park. Although these three cities near Mammoth Cave are small, they together offer all the Mammoth Cave National Park lodging you need; here you find all from big hotel chains to cozy Mammoth Cave cabins.
- Distance: ≈ 9-15 mi / 14-24 km
- Driving time: ≈ 15-25 min
- Pick Horse Cave, Cave City & Park City for: Mammoth Cave hotels in the nearest cities.
Favorite location. The small cities Horse Cave, Cave City and Park City are appreciated options for where to stay near Mammoth Cave National Park. In a rural Kentucky area, these towns offer both convenient park access and the Mammoth Cave lodging you need for a great time.
Recommended Mammoth Cave hotels in Horse Cave, Cave City & Park City
Holiday Inn Express – Mammoth Cave lodging with pool and hot tub in Horse Cave
Holiday Inn in Horse Cave is for good reasons a popular option for where to stay near Mammoth Cave National Park. Not only is its Horse Cave location convenient, but it’s also one of few hotels near Mammoth Cave with indoor pool and hot tub. So when staying at the Mammoth Cave hotel, you can go from all the cave action to fun and relaxing water activities in just 20 minutes.
Historic Wigwam Village No 2 – A unique place to stay near Mammoth Cave in Cave City
In Cave City, the Historic Wigwam Village No 2 provides 15 wigwams in pure Americana style. Radiating nostalgia, these are equipped with private bathrooms, TV, wifi and, for those balmy summer days, air conditioning. Before you tuck yourself in, check out the friendly property featuring two fire pits — perfect to get to know fellow travelers.
Hampton Inn – Mammoth Cave accommodation with swimming pool in Cave City
From Cave City’s Hampton Inn, it’s as little as 10 miles (16 km) to Mammoth Cave. Additionally, Dinosaur World sits just a stone’s throw down the street from the Mammoth Cave accommodation. And for quality time off Mammoth Cave National Park, the hotel also offers a swimming pool for its guests to use. Ticking off every box, this Hampton Inn is a top place to stay near Mammoth Cave for families.
Grand Victorian Inn – Romantic lodging near Mammoth Cave in Park City
Grand Victorian is something else than the big hotel chains. The Mammoth Cave inn offers elegant and unique Victorian guest rooms not far from the cave adventure. Additionally, the hotel near Mammoth Cave has a beautiful garden that’s a nice bonus to enjoy for the time you’re not exploring the cave. It’s easy to fall in love with Grand Victorian Inn, and guests keep coming back to this romantic Mammoth Cave place to stay.
Glasgow, KY – More hotels near Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth Cave hotels in Horse Cave, Cave City and Park City tend to book up very quickly. An alternative to the three neighboring cities is to stay in the larger but still small and charming Glasgow.
Glasgow doesn’t offer as superb proximity as Mammoth Cave lodging in Horse Cave, Cave City and Park City. So if you want the place to stay closest to Mammoth Cave, look away.
But even though Glasgow isn’t the location nearest Mammoth Cave, it’s still close. The 21 miles (34 km) from the Mammoth Cave hotels in Glasgow is an easy drive to make.
The Kentucky city’s location is especially convenient if you drive to Mammoth Cave from east to west. Then Glasgow is right on the way to Mammoth Cave.
To sum up, without being the very closest option, Glasgow offers more hotels near Mammoth Cave. Just a short drive takes you from Mammoth Cave hotels in Glasgow to the endless wonder.
- Distance: 21 mi / 34 km
- Driving time: ≈ 30 min
- Pick Glasgow for: Convenient eastern Mammoth Cave hotels.
Bowling Green, KY – A bigger city with Mammoth Cave lodging
Mammoth Cave is hidden in a rural area of Kentucky. But if you want the comforts of a bigger city, Bowling Green is your best option for where to stay near Mammoth Cave National Park.
From Bowling Green, it’s roughly 30 miles (48 km) up to Mammoth Cave. That’s an easy day trip to take.
A much larger city than the gateway towns, Bowling Green has more on its plate. Here you find all the additional Mammoth Cave hotels and dining options you might need.
Bowling Green is also home to the popular Corvette Museum. The Corvette Museum is a tribute to America’s sport car and a must for sports car enthusiasts to visit.
Or, if you have the cave bug, check out Lost River Cave in Bowling Green. Although not as huge as Mammoth Cave, it invites you to a unique underground boat tour.
All in all, Bowling Green is located further away than the other options for where to stay near Mammoth Cave National Park. Yet, Bowling Green is the best place to stay near Mammoth Cave if you want to avoid those really small cities. In Bowling Green, you find a bigger selection of Mammoth Cave hotels and entertainment.
- Distance: 30 mi / 48 km
- Driving time: ≈ 40 min
- Pick Bowling Green for: Bigger-city Mammoth Cave lodging.
Recommended Mammoth Cave hotels in Bowling Green
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott – A Marriott near Mammoth Cave National Park
If you want to stay at a Marriott near Mammoth Cave, don’t look further. Bowling Green’s Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott is a delightful option for where to stay when visiting the Mammoth Cave area. This Marriott near Mammoth Cave National Park has comfy rooms and appreciated facilities, including a swimming pool, for guests to take advantage of.
Tips for your Mammoth Cave stay
With rustic Mammoth Cave lodging inside the park and a wide range of Mammoth Cave hotels in the neighboring cities, there’s a place to stay near Mammoth Cave for every visitor. However, these tips can make your Mammoth Cave stay even better.
- Cave tours sell out – When visiting Mammoth Cave National Park, you of course want to enter the cave. But have in mind that cave tours often sell out, especially during summer and early fall. Therefore, it’s strongly recommended that you book your Mammoth Cave tour in advance.
- Hotels sell out too – Summer is the busiest time for Mammoth Cave National Park. In June, July and August, Mammoth Cave hotels constantly sell out. So secure your place to stay near Mammoth Cave sooner rather than later, especially if you plan a summer visit.
- Allow overground time – Don’t forget the national park above the surface. Fine trails showcasing the rolling hills of Kentucky, which you don’t need a tour guide to explore, complete your epic Mammoth Cave experience.
- Every month is good – Many first-timers don’t know it, but Mammoth Cave keeps a constant temperature of 54°F (12°C). This means that a Mammoth Cave visit is as good in freezing January as in balmy July.
- Consider other attractions – Although Mammoth Cave is located in a rural area of Kentucky, there are other attractions not too far away. A top experience for families is Dinosaur World in Cave City. Further away, but still within easy reach, the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green is a dream for car lovers.
Final words about where to stay near Mammoth Cave
For its rural location, the lodging you find near Mammoth Cave is quite impressive. With so much to choose from, there are places to stay near Mammoth Cave for every visitor.
But to really get to know Mammoth Cave, stay either inside the park or in one of the neighboring towns. Horse Cave, Cave City and Park City are all great options for where to stay when visiting Mammoth Cave.
Where to stay near Mammoth Cave FAQ
Here you find the answers to some frequently asked questions about where to stay near Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky.
The Lodge at Mammoth Cave is the only accommodation within the national park. But Horse Cave, Cave City and Park City are nearby towns and also popular options for where to stay when visiting Mammoth Cave. If you prefer a bigger selection of Mammoth Cave hotels, dining and things to do, you need to look towards Bowling Green.
The neighboring cities Horse Cave, Cave City and Park City are located closest to Mammoth Cave. They are situated only 9 to 15 miles (14-24 km) and 15 to 25 minutes away from the unique cave experience.
Mammoth Cave hotels in Cave City puts you close to both the cave and other family-friendly attractions, including Dinosaur World. With such convenience, Cave City and its comfy Hampton Inn is a favorite option for where to stay near Mammoth Cave with family.
The Lodge at Mammoth Cave offers cabins inside Mammoth Cave National Park. From these, you can walk to the deep Kentucky cave in minutes. In addition, you also find vacation homes and cabins near Mammoth Cave in the surrounding towns and areas.
What’s more unique than a pointy wigwam village? Cave City’s Historic Wigwam Village No 2 is accommodation and experience in one. If a romantic inn suits the occasion better, consider the adorable Grand Victorian Inn in Park City.
Hampton Inn in Cave City and Holiday Inn in Horse Cave are top hotels near Mammoth Cave with indoor pool. Both these put you less than a 25-minute drive from the cave action.
One full day exploring Mammoth Cave allows for one or two cave tours as well as some hiking on the overground trails in the national park. Add more time for more tours and the area’s other attractions, such as Dinosaur World.
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