Mammoth Cave National Park ⓘ

Museum collections have been kept at Mammoth Cave National Park since its founding in 1941; at that time the collection consisted of biological, geologic, historical and archaeological artifacts/specimens. Today the collections held at the park consist of 1,202,691 items and includes a diverse array of artifacts, specimens and documents. In addition, to the items housed from Mammoth Cave, the park museum collections also houses items from Abraham Lincon Birthplace National Historical Park and seven parks associated with the Cumberland Piedmont Inventory and Monitoring Network . The collections today are the result of scientific research projects, compliance projects, gifts from donors and visitors, documents related to park history and the daily activities of the park, the original collections from the 1930s and the occasional artifact found and turned in to the staff by park visitors. Of particular interest are artifacts and documents from the early formation of the park including a barrow that belonged to Floyd Collins , photographs taken by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) building the infrastructure of the park in the 1930’s, plant specimens collected from the same time period, saltpetre mining artifacts and an early map drawn in 1908 by Max Käemper.

Open Parks Network - The Open Parks Network is a digital archive maintained by Clemson University and the National Park Service. The database has more than 350,000 cultural heritage objects and 1.5 million texts, including photographs, drawings, and reports. Materials were drawn from more than 20 national parks, 2 state park systems and 3 university libraries.

Research requests and educational tours may be scheduled upon request by contacting the curator's office at (270) 758-2153 or e-mail us .

The human history of the Mammoth Cave area began by 12,000 years ago with the exploration of Mammoth Cave itself dating back between 5,000 to 4,000 years ago. Prehistoric people from the Late Archaic and Early Woodland period once inhabited the forests and plains of Kentucky, with a focus on the river valleys and their abundant resources. Their hunter-gatherer lifestyle eventually led them to discover Mammoth Cave thousands of years before the arrival of European settlers.

By 1200 BCE (before common era) prehistoric people mined gypsum, mirabilite, epsomite, and other related minerals from the passageways of Mammoth Cave and other caves found in the region. They used mussel shells gathered from the Green River to scrape the relatively soft mineral crusts off the walls into containers they carried with them. Evidence of this activity can still be seen in thousands of artifacts that are found littered throughout the cave passages. Torches made from river cane were used to light their way. Unused caches of these artifacts can still be seen near the tour trails. Other artifacts, such as woven fiber sandals, gourd bowls, and even prehistoric cave art such as petroglyphs (carved line glyphs) and pictographs (charcoal pigment drawn glyphs) are visible on the underground routes used for their gypsum mining.

These prehistoric explorers visited the upper three levels of Mammoth Cave and discovered over 19 miles of cave passageways within Mammoth Cave National Park. The minerals collected from the cave were obviously important resources to Early Woodland people. Yet, there is no direct evidence to explain what they were using these minerals for. The minerals are highly soluble and do not preserve outside of the dry cave environment. Archeologists that study cave artifacts and preserved paleofeces have determined that the minerals could have been used in medicine, agriculture, trade, and ritual activity. After 200 BCE, the mining and exploration of the cave declined. This may have been a result of changing beliefs and traditions.

In the last 220 years, burials and the remains of desiccated (naturally “mummified”) bodies have been identified in the caves. The funerary objects associated with the burials indicate a careful attention and respect for the dead. The tools and clothing found on the remains proved that prehistoric people were experienced in cave exploration. Today, the park has consulted with tribal partners so that the deceased have a safe and secure resting place in locations away from cave tours.

Today’s modern tribal organizations are composed of Native Americans that have indigenous ties to the Southeastern Woodlands that include Kentucky and the Mammoth Cave area. Park staff continue to consult with members of seven nations that have been shown to be traditionally affiliated with the park lands: the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Cherokee Nation, United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, Shawnee Tribe, Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, Absentee Shawnee Tribe, and the Chickasaw Nation.

Explore the links below to visit and learn more on the official websites of the tribes associated with the park.

From the beginning of the Mammoth Cave’s re-discovery by modern man, African Americans played a vital role in every era of its rich history. Their work and contributions helped to shape the cave to what we experience today.

Starting in the 18th century, enslaved African Americans worked to produce saltpeter in the depths of the cave. Saltpeter was a main ingredient in the production of black gunpowder, which proved to be vital during the War of 1812 . The working conditions at the mining operation were poor. Workers were in the cave for long hours sometimes entering before sunrise and leaving after dark. Smoke from oil lanterns and fires filled the cave making it difficult to breathe, and see. They also worked in ever present cold and darkness that consistently surrounded them. These men were working towards the goal of preserving American independence and freedom — a freedom that they themselves did not enjoy.

After the war ended, Mammoth Cave transitioned from a saltpeter production facility into a world-renowned tourist destination that African Americans also helped to create. Enslaved men and women worked in the Historic Mammoth Cave Hotel to clean rooms, change linens, and prepare meals. In the cave, some of the early guides were young enslaved men such as Stephen Bishop , Mat Bransford , Nick Bransford , and Alfred Croghan. These men, along with many others, discovered and helped develop cave tour routes that enhanced the visitor experience throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. Each enslaved guide eventually saw his freedom, but their life was fraught with hardship in a time where the country was divided on their place in society. During their life they may have never realized the importance of their existence. However, today they are not viewed as slaves or lower class citizens but as legends. Their stories and discoveries continue to live on within the avenues of Mammoth Cave and in the words you will hear on our cave tours of today.

While the original enslaved guides in 1838 were, Stephen, Mat, Nick, and Alfred, many black guides would follow in their footsteps over the course of the next century. After the Civil War, Mat’s son - Henry, also became a cave guide, as well as Mat’s nephew, Will Bransford. Will served as the lead guide to both black and white guides during the early 1900s and represented Mammoth Cave at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. Mat’s grandsons, Louis and Matt Bransford, worked as guides into the 1930s. Matt retired from guiding tours in 1937 and Louis in 1939. The National Park Service officially assumed operations of Mammoth Cave in 1941. When the guide staff was assembled none of the black guides were asked to stay on as cave guides, including the 4th generation Bransfords Clifton, Arthur, Eddie, Elzie, and George. This ended a century of both black and white cave guides working alongside each other and the legacy of Bransfords guiding at Mammoth Cave.

It wasn’t until 2004 that the Bransford family once again officially returned to the cave. Jerry Bransford, Mat’s great-great-grandson, began working as a cave guide for the National Park Service at Mammoth Cave, continuing the family tradition. Jerry often shares stories of his ancestors experiences as enslaved and free guides with his tour groups in the very places those stories were made. Jerry has said “[I] owed myself and my ancestors my assignment at Mammoth Cave as a tour guide. I wanted to bring the Bransfords back.”

Tourism has occurred throughout the history of Mammoth Cave, but it wasn’t until after emancipation and the end of the Civil War that many businesses started to realize the potential of marketing to African Americans. This meant marketing products, services, and also vacation destinations for places such as Mammoth Cave. When visiting Mammoth Cave in the early 1900s, European Americans had several options of hotels nearby, but black travelers were limited in places they could stay on their vacations due to segregation laws . One such place that provided food and lodging was the Bransford Summer Resort: a two-story, 14-room hotel for African Americans, owned by Cave Guide Matt (Mat’s grandson) and his wife Zemmie Bransford. The Bransford Summer Resort flourished in the community during the early 1900s. It was the first location in Mammoth Cave history where the African American community could experience the same comforts and fascination of the cave white visitors had experienced for over a century. The resort was eventually sold in 1934 to make way for the establishment of Mammoth Cave National Park.

From 1933 to 1942, more than 2,500,000 men across the country were enrolled in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) , a program designed to put jobless young men to work on public land projects during the Great Depression. One of the largest CCC projects in the state of Kentucky was the development of the national park at Mammoth Cave. Mammoth Cave hosted four CCC camps including, Company 510 or “Camp #1” which was made up solely of African American men and included former tour guides Arthur and Clifton Bransford. All of the CCC crews at Mammoth Cave completed work projects that helped to form the groundwork for the national park to begin to welcome visitors. Hundreds of thousands of trees were planted, and miles of roads and trails were built. Camp #1 performed a great deal of work within the cave itself. They worked to develop and improve the tourist trail routes which are still utilized today. In 1942, all CCC camps including Camp #1, were disbanded when Congress diverted funds to the effort to win World War II.

Mother, wife, sister, daughter, aunt… These are the most common names describing women in the narratives of history. All titles with immeasurable significance and impact, but what names did they inscribe on other parts of their stories? Threads of their identities can sometimes be pulled from the fabric of the past—letters, publications, or even artifacts. It is then we realize that stories of women were hidden not only in the shadows of society, but were obscured in the periphery of hindsight. The marks that women left on Mammoth Cave’s history are as obvious as the writing on the walls. We just have to shift our focus and look beneath the surface.

The story of women's role at Mammoth Cave dates back to time immemorial when early Native Americans began venturing into the cave systems found in the area. The little that we know of these people comes from the archaeological evidence left behind and preserved in the caves for thousands of years. Recent archeological studies have tested ancient human feces, or paleofeces, samples found within the cave. These samples identify hormone levels associated with men. This evidence, however, is not conclusive. It cannot tell us much about what different activities men and women were performing while actively exploring the cave, or even if one sex explored the cave more than the other. Could it be possible that cave exploration was a community activity? Park archeologists believe that women of these early societies were the innovators and authors of plant domestication and developing technologies for improved methods of plant tending that would eventually lead to plant cultivation and full-on agriculture. Artifacts found in the cave such as woven rattlesnake master fibers and grass twine, cane reed and false foxglove torches, gourd fragments, and even sticks that were often used as digging tools, reinforce this belief. These were all materials and technologies that women would have worked with directly and with such regularity, that it leads archeologists to believe that women were directly experimenting with these resources and finding the best examples of the plants to collect and propagate.

In 1812 the remains of a Native American woman were found in the entrance of Short Cave after having been preserved in the cave environment for over 1000 years. The burial site of the ancient woman was described in a letter by Charles Wilkins, owner of Mammoth Cave during the early 1800’s. He wrote,

“… found at a depth of 10 feet from the surface of the cave in a sitting posture, encased in broadstones, standing on their edges, with a flat stone covering the hole. It was enveloped in coarse clothes, wrapped in deer skins, enclosed in the stone coffin where the working utensils, beads, feathers, and other ornaments of dress, which belonged to her.”

While there is little known about the origins or passing of the woman, it is thought that she was likely an older, respected member of her society. Many Native American tribes, especially in the southeast of the United States, have matrilineal societies — kinship determined by the female line of descent. Moreover, it means that women are included in decision-making processes for the greater good of the tribe. Some Native American tribes associated with the national park today, such as the Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Choctaw, follow matrilineal lines.

For many events in history women were often involved but seldom mentioned. For Mammoth Cave’s history, reminders of these women are recorded in their professional achievements, published accounts, or literally written on the walls.

The Gatewood family was one of the first owners of Mammoth Cave, several members of this family guided tours during the 1820s and 1830s. The name “George Slaughter Gatewood” can be seen over a dozen times throughout Gothic Avenue, an indication of the many trips he made into the area while guiding tours. Nearby his name, though, his mother’s name, “Elizabeth Gatewood” can also be viewed in the very same passage. While societal conventions of the time may have prevented Elizabeth from being called a “cave guide”, accounts refer to her familiarity within the twisting passages of Mammoth Cave. Within a decade after Elizabeth’s time at the cave, a new era in cave guides began with the arrival of several young enslaved Black guides. Signatures and accounts from the mid 19th century indicate that the wives of these guides sometimes accompanied their husbands on tours and perhaps explorations. Charlotte Bishop was one of these women. Her name can be seen on cave walls alongside her husband, Stephen Bishop. Their signatures are often found miles from a cave entrance and even in passages where she would have had to crawl lying flat on the ground. A visitor’s account from 1855 recalls that on their tour with enslaved guide Alfred:

“our suite was completed by his wife Helena, a brown woman, cheerful, neat and rather good looking.”

While any first-hand accounts from Charlotte or Helena have been lost to time, their signatures and names remain as a testament to their intrepid spirits.

Today, the primary way people experience Mammoth Cave is as a visitor on a tour rather than working as a cave guide. In the early 1800s, most visitors to the cave were wealthy, and their visit was not a day trip but rather a multi-week journey. Once visitors reached their destination, they would commonly take multiple cave tours lasting as long as 10-16 hours for one single trip. These long cave tours often involved walking over loose and shifting rocks, and occasionally crawling and climbing through treacherous passages, there are many accounts from these early tours. In one such 1837 account, a Miss Harriet Martineau wrote:

“The guides [two brothers] reported that ladies hold on in the cave better than gentlemen. One of the party supposed this was because they were lighter; but the guide believed it was owing to their having more curiosity…”

Writing a record of a visit was also not uncommon. Many 1800s accounts were published in newspapers, magazines, or stand-alone books. One such book was written by Lady Emmeline Stuart-Wortley who visited in 1849 with her then-twelve-year-old daughter, Victoria Welby. In her account, Emmeline wrote about her journey including the silence found within the underground passages:

“Ours being almost entirely a female party, it will readily be imagined, we did little to disturb the stillness of the place! One English and one American gentleman, however, were also there; and I can not [sic] answer equally for them…”

Many people have sought fame or fortune in the Mammoth Cave area. Entrepreneurs such as George Morrison and Lucy Cox found success operating competing cave tours during the Kentucky Cave Wars era. Others briefly visited Mammoth Cave but still left a lasting impression. Jenny Lind , a world-renowned singer in the 1800s, visited in the 1850s while on a North American Tour with P.T. Barnum. While her name was not left on the cave itself, several features and formations were named in honor of her visit. In the late 1800s, photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston visited Mammoth Cave and became the first woman to publish a series of photos of the cave. This feat of photography was noteworthy especially during a time before electric lighting or battery-operated flashlights.

Ranger lore tells of visitors to the cave being dressed to the nines, but depending upon the time period, to wear less than 2 or 3 layers of undergarments or petticoats would have been out of the question for the mostly upper-class visitors. In the early 1800s, with the start of cave tourism, men might enter the cave in their three-piece suit and slick sole leather boots. But the women were not to be outdone, many would wear a nice dress with a corset and don leather lace-up heeled boots. Evidence of this can be seen in historic photographs of tour groups and by the clothing items that were left behind. Leather heels or soles of shoes that were broken off, and even a corset that was removed and discarded at the side of the trail are found as artifacts in the cave today. Many believe that these first tourists were overdressed for their adventure, but that didn’t hold the women back. In 1837, Harriet Martineau described her journey into Mammoth Cave in her book, Society in America.

“The ladies tied handkerchiefs over their heads, and tucked up their gowns for the scramble over the loose limestone; looking thereby very picturesque, and not totally unlike the witches in Macbeth…”

Over time, as fashion trends changed and visitation grew, and many cave visitors started utilizing what is described as a ‘cave costume’ making them better equipped for cave exploration. These cave costumes were provided for a fee at the Mammoth Cave Hotel, the women’s costume included “bloomers”, a style closer to pants, in the mid-1800s bloomers were controversial in many circles. For many upper-class women this may have been the first time they wore bloomers, and the first time many men would have seen women in anything other than long constricting skirts.

The contributions of women at Mammoth Cave continue to make lasting impressions on the national park and the countless visitors who travel the cave passageways today.

Measured at over 400 miles, Mammoth Cave is the longest cave system in the world. Mapping the cave and reaching that monumental length has only been possible due to the contribution of the many female cave explorers who have walked, crawled, and climbed through the maze-like passageways beneath our feet. Women like Pat Crowther, stand out among the rest. Pat was a member of the famed “gang of six” who, in 1972, found the long sought-after connection between the Mammoth Cave system and the Flint Ridge cave system. This one connection earned Mammoth Cave the title of world’s longest cave.

As a world-renowned archeologist, Dr. Patty Jo Watson literally wrote the book on archeology of Mammoth Cave. The palaeobotanical research she conducted in Salts Cave, Kentucky forever changed the way we defined agriculture in Eastern North America and set a standard for future research in the New and Old Worlds.

The first woman who was officially employed as a cave guide at Mammoth Cave National Park was Barbara Catlin in 1965. Catlin was not only the first woman with that job title, but she was also the first African American woman to be hired by the park. Catlin worked for a summer as a part of an equal opportunity program sponsored by the federal government. While Catlin was allowed to guide tours during her brief stint at Mammoth Cave, guiding was not considered a profession suitable for women. In 1966, when a permanent cave guide position became open, Rachel Wilson set out to apply. Wilson had already worked at the park for nine years as a park guide who provided information to the public in the visitor center. Wilson had her application in hand and was on her way to the personnel office when a supervisor told her not to bother applying because it was not a “woman’s job”, and they did not want a woman guiding cave tours. A year later, when another cave guide position became available, Rachel Wilson applied and was hired as the park’s first female cave guide in a permanent position. Wilson had not been scheduled to guide a tour for the first two months after accepting the position when Superintendent, John Aubuchon, inquired to her supervisors as to why she hadn’t been guiding during that time. Aubuchon subsequently informed the person responsible for scheduling that Wilson would guide the first tour the very next morning. Even without any training, Wilson proved herself on that first tour and successfully began her guiding career. Her pioneering efforts led to four more women being hired as cave guides within the next two years.

Women remain essential to the operations of Mammoth Cave National Park, significantly contributing across various fields and disciplines. Their leadership and expertise help ensure the park functions smoothly and safely. By assuming these vital roles, they are instrumental in sharing the park's story with visitors while also protecting its natural and cultural resources for future generations. Learn more about Women of the National Park Service.

After the stock market crash of 1929, an economic panic and the Great Depression took over the country, which caused almost 15 million Americans to be out of work, homeless, and starving.

At the same time, there was a lack of effective conservation policies. Farmers often plowed under healthy topsoil and replaced it with non-drought resistant crops which, along with overplanting, lack of crop rotation, and a severe drought, exhausted the soil and exacerbated the economic miseries that already gripped the county. The sum of all these factors inadvertently created a massive dust storm known as the Dust Bowl. In response to the economic and agricultural crisis, President Franklin Roosevelt created the New Deal, a series of economy boosting programs which included the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).

On April 5, 1933 the CCC called on young men between the ages of 18 and 25, who were willing to work hard on long and laborious tasks. They were a peace time army and pioneers of conservation, rebuilding our nation from the soil up and creating jobs and a sense of pride along the way. The CCC lasted for nine years. During that time more than three million enrollees signed up to live and work in 4,500 camps that stretched across the United States. For each day that a young man would work, he received $1 dollar. Within a month’s time, he earned $30, five of which he could keep, and the rest was sent to his family to help put food on the table and a keep a roof over their heads. This program addressed two distinct problems facing America; it provided employment for needy young men while also working to solve ecological challenges of conservation. The CCC boys were responsible for much of the major infrastructure projects across the nation such as the Golden Gate Bridge, the Hoover Dam, and Mount Rushmore. Many state and national parks benefitted from the CCC whose work included building roads, fire towers, public campgrounds, improving streams, and fighting fires. Soil erosion was a larger issue so a lot of time was spent on reforestation. More than three billion trees were planted across the United States by the CCC.

In 1926 Congress passed an Act to accept lands donated to the government to form a brand new national park at Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. At the time the Mammoth Cave region was full of farmland and homesteads and needed to be prepared for it’s future park service status. Construction and improvements took place on both the surface and in the cave itself. This included destroying undesirable structures and reducing fire hazards, and building trails, a park amphitheater, as well as many other park structures to support the park’s mission.

Four CCC camps were established in the park with each of the camps housing 200-250 young men. The CCC often sent workers far from home to work on projects, yet several men from the local communities were part of the Mammoth Cave camps.

Former cave guides, Arthur and Clifton Bransford, were part of “Camp #1”, an all black CCC camp . While segregation remained within the camps, the CCC program was a notable instance of black and white men being paid the same wages during the Depression Era.

Evidence of the CCC can still be seen throughout Mammoth Cave National Park. Many structures that were built by the CCC are still standing today. These include recently remodeled employee housing and other buildings in the park’s administration area. The famous CCC stonework can be seen on the Three Springs pump house and chlorination house, around the park’s amphitheater, and along the banks of the Green River Ferry crossing where rocks were stacked to keep the banks from eroding.

Many of the trees that are seen today are from the CCC era. With much of the area being barren of trees when the park was created, the CCC took over 9,000 man hours to plant more than 1 million trees in what is now Mammoth Cave National Park.

The largest transformation that occurred was inside the cave itself. Many of the cave’s trails were single-file and made up of flat rocks stacked end to end. The CCC worked to improve and create what would be 24 miles of trail through the cave passageways. Another structure that you can still see today that the CCC constructed is the Frozen Niagara entrance and the rock landscaping around it.

View an online photo library containing a collection of over 5,000 nitrite negatives that document the work and life of the CCC during the 1930’s at Mammoth Cave. This historical collection is made possible by the National Park Service, the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Clemson University.

Mammoth Cave National Park is much more than just the sum of its caves! A nearly 53,000-acre park and portion of an International Biosphere Reserve, Mammoth Cave has some of the largest tracts of undeveloped forest remaining in south-central Kentucky. The park is home to a vast array of summer songbirds and other avian species. More than 170 species have been reported, but the variety you see will depend upon both the habitat type and the season in which you are visiting.

Often, the most familiar birds are the species residing here more or less year-round. Some American Robins, for instance, may fly south for warmer weather, leaving their summer territories, but other robins will move in from colder regions to replace them. Wild turkeys can also be commonly spotted stalking the open woodlands and forest edges twelve months a year. American crows, blue jays, and northern cardinals – are denizens of our woods and fields throughout the year. The same goes for tufted titmice, Carolina chickadees, Carolina wrens, American goldfinches, and most of our woodpeckers, each in their own respective habitats. Where birds of prey are concerned, the populations of our native owls may ebb and flow seasonally, but red-tailed hawks remain abundant. Bald eagles will also eke out a winter livelihood if a total freeze does not make their fishy mainstays unavailable. Turkey vultures, those dedicated scavengers, always seem to find enough deceased prey to suit them.

Late spring and summer are a time for songbirds! A huge assortment of insect-eaters such as New World warblers, vireos, and flycatchers will be readily heard (if not seen) as they relocate to the Northern Hemisphere from the tropics to take advantage of the bountiful supply of prey and nesting sites to raise a new generation of young.

Come fall, more than the foliage will be turning, as many of the park bird species “bulk up” in preparation for their return flights via the great Mississippi Flyway en route to their respective wintering grounds. This migration means autumn is good time to see a larger numbers than usual of some birds. Occasionally the less common northern ‘cousins’ of our local birds, such as black-throated green warblers, American redstarts, and rose-breasted grosbeaks, may be spotted passing through on their travels to warmer climates.

Late fall and winter bring their own unique assembles of avian life: red-breasted nuthatches, typically a resident of northern climates, move into the treetops alongside a more common local cousin, the larger white-breasted nuthatch. White-throated and song sparrows suddenly increase in abundance; and it is a sure sign of winter when the dark-eyed junco, another sparrow of the northern forests, settles in. The yellow-rumped warbler is also accustomed to our Kentucky winters, with a specialized digestive system allowing it to survive on berries until the insects awaken in the spring. Regardless of season, Mammoth Cave National Park welcomes a large assortment of feathered folk! Make sure to take a hike in the park to see who may be at home.

Mammoth Cave National Park is home to a great diversity of tree species. As you climb over ridges inhabited by drought hardy trees like cedars and pines and descend into wet valleys full of towering beeches and tulip poplars, you could encounter dozens of different tree species. Explore some of the most abundant tree species found in the park below.

While you may encounter many different species of oaks during your time in the park, one of the most abundant species is the white oak. These large trees can grow over 100 feet tall, with stout limbs branching from trunks up to four feet in diameter. The leaves of the white oak are four to eight inches long with a series of rounded lobes. While this tree is appreciated for its stout growth form, it is also highly important to wildlife species in the park. The acorns of the white oak provide an important food source for deer, wild turkeys, and squirrels, to name a few.

Holding the title of State Tree of Kentucky, the tulip poplar is commonly found within the park. Reaching heights near 200 feet tall, these trees made for excellent pipes during the saltpetre mining operations in the early 1800s. You can still see remnants of this old pipe system down inside of Mammoth Cave. On the surface, tulip poplars are easily recognized by their leaves that are nearly square in shape with 4 distinct tips. While these trees don’t grow tulips and are not a member of the poplar family, they got their name from their orange flowers resembling tulips that decorate the branches in the month of May.

Characterized by smooth gray bark and spreading flattened branches, American beeches can be found on many trails around the park. The leaves grow alternate from one another on the branch, displaying strong veins punctuated by sharp points on the leaf margin. These trees can be easily spotted in the fall as they are one of the last to lose their leaves. During the early days of November, as the browning leaves of oaks and maples decorate the forest floor, leaves of a brilliant golden hue make the presence of the American beech known throughout the park.

Mammoth Cave is also home to several evergreen species. The red cedar can be identified by its peeling bark and scale-like leaves. On younger plants or new branches, you might find stiff sharp-pointed needles. Red cedars prefer high sunlight area which makes them a good pioneer species, meaning they tend to thrive on land that has recently been cleared of other, taller, tree species. For that reason, you have a good chance of seeing cedars alongside the roads as you drive into the park.

Prior to the establishment of Mammoth Cave National Park, the landscape looked quite different. The forest cover seen today was once cleared for open fields and farmland around many homesteads. In the 1930’s, in anticipation of a national park designation, the Civilian Conservation Corps came into the park and completed several public works projects, including planting over one million trees. These newly planted trees transformed the once open landscape to a second growth forest.

Mammoth Cave National Park is home to a variety of birds, crustaceans, fish, insects, mammals, mussels, plants and reptiles. These animals thrive in the lush forests, waterways, and cave systems found throughout the park. This includes over 70 species that are classified as threatened, endangered , or state listed such as the Kentucky cave shrimp and sheepnose mussel. Park visitors may safely observe animals such as eastern gray squirrels, songbirds, snakes, salamanders, beetles, freshwater fish, and many more as they hike, bike, or paddle along the surface trails and waterways. Both wild turkey and white-tailed deer are common sights along roadways in the park, so make sure to keep an eye out as you drive through. Meanwhile, hundreds of feet below the Earth’s surface, nearly 160 animal species live as regular inhabitants within the cave system itself. Animals such as cave crickets, Allegheny woodrats, and Rafinesque big-eared bats have developed special qualities and senses to use the dark and damp cave passageways for their survival. Some of these animals, like the eyeless cave fish and crayfish, may never experience the light of day. Learn more about the myriad of animals that call Mammoth Cave National Park home by exploring the pages below.

Many mammal species of the park are rarely seen except by very lucky or frequent visitors, but a keen eye and patience may allow for a sighting of one of the many mammals that call Mammoth Cave National Park.

One of the most common mammals seen in the park are white-tailed deer. They are herbivores that predominantly feed on grasses and shrubs. Male deer, known as bucks, will begin to grow antlers in late spring that are covered with a blood vessel filled tissue known as velvet. After the fall rut, bucks will shed their antlers, typically from late December to February. The next set of alters will begin to grow in the spring. Female deer, known as does, give birth to one to three offspring, called fawns, in the late spring, typically form May to June. Young fawns are born with spots covering much of their body that act as camouflage from predators when their mothers leave them hidden in tall vegetation. At about a month of age, the fawns are strong enough to join their mothers on foraging trips. White-tailed deer are often viewed in the park near the visitor center area or along roadsides. Unfortunately, every year deer in the park are the victims of vehicle collisions making it an important reminder to watch for wildlife on roadways and obey the posted speed limits.

Seen scurrying up a tree or heard rustling through the leaves on the forest floor, the Eastern grey squirrel is one of the most seen animals in the park. As a prolific and adaptable species, the Eastern grey squirrel is a tree squirrel that can be found throughout Eastern North America. In the nearby town of Bowling Green, Kentucky, there is a population of Eastern grey squirrels that are white in color rather than the typical grey. This white coloration is due to a condition called leucism.

Leucism is an abnormal condition of reduced pigmentation affecting various animals. Easily differentiated from albinism by the coloration in the animal's eyes. Albino animals will have red eyes while animals with leucism will have normal eye color.

Bats make up a wide range of species around the world and it's no different at Mammoth Cave. The park is home to 13 species of bats, three of which are listed as threated or endangered on the federal endangered species list. Learn more about the incredibly diverse species of bats in the park .

While this versatile species usually keeps well hidden, coyotes have been spotted across North America in both rural and urban areas. Often seen darting across roadways in the evening throughout the park, coyotes can either be solitary or have a complex social system. Coyotes are opportunistic feeders known as omnivores, eating both animal protein and plant material such as fruits and vegetables.

Kentucky legend tells a story of a young pioneer boy named John Houchin, who one day while out hunting, shot and wounded a black bear. The bear took shelter in the wide natural entrance of Mammoth Cave now known as the Historic Entrance, and young Houchin went in after it. In doing so, Houchin has been credited with the discovery on Mammoth Cave. While this legend has been shared and reshared for decades, the first written account of the story happened nearly 20 years after the fact. American black bears, which were once commonly seen in the area, are now rarely found in the park. This localized population decline was predominantly due to large increases in agricultural development and urbanization in the late 19th and early 20th century. Today, with increased conservation, reports and sightings of black bears in the counties surrounding the park may spark a sign of the return of black bears to the park in the near future.

Commonly referred to simply as a packrat, the Allegheny woodrat is a trogloxene, meaning that it makes use of both cave and surface habitats. As the name “packrat” implies, this rodent will gather a collection of items to be used in part of its nest called the midden. Woodrats will use whatever supplies are easily found to build its midden, this may mean leaves, twigs, and pine needles, or it may mean ticket stubs, caution tape, and candy wrappers. The Allegheny woodrat has gone locally extinct in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland. In the park, packrat nests and middens can be seen just inside the Frozen Niagara entrance to Mammoth Cave. These timid mammals are occasionally spotted in and near other entrances and caves.

Mammoth Cave National Park was established in 1941 to not only protect the underground labyrinth of caves, but also the rolling hills of the surface, the vast deciduous forests, and the Green River Valley. Delicate interactions between the surface and subsurface help to sustain wildlife both above and below ground through the expansive karst topography and limestone layers . Thousands of plants and tree species have created a sprawling landscape stretching almost 53,000 acres, while the karst channels nutrients and water from the surface down into the cave depths. Studies and exploration have helped us understand that the relationship between the surface and the subsurface is more complex than we ever could have imagined. Specialized and interconnected ecosystems are home to a broad diversity of species, ranging from bright green saddleback caterpillars and white tailed deer, to eyeless fish that survive in the deepest, darkest recesses of the cave system. Our interactions with the surface no doubt have impacts on wildlife and plants in the park. Wildland fire control, and other environmental factors like nonnative species, and water quality can change the delicate balance of the surface and subterranean ecosystems at Mammoth Cave National Park. The park's challenge is to balance these remarkable and sometimes fragile living networks with the public's enjoyment of them. The key to that balance is knowledge, and the park's ongoing environmental monitoring programs and scientific research help provide that understanding. With rich biodiversity both on and under the surface, you may see the occasional slithering of a copperhead warming up on the pavement, a slimy cave salamander, fluttering hummingbirds and perhaps even a mussel buried deep into the bed of the Green River. If you are lucky, maybe you’ll come across a blind cave fish, Kentucky cave shrimp, or a small resting brown bat.

Mammoth Cave National Park offers a variety of camping options. NPS Photo/ J. Cooper Mammoth Cave National Park has three frontcountry campgrounds that offer common camping amenities and close proximity to the park’s visitor center area and cave tours. Goods & Services , such as laundry machines, shower facilities, and camping supplies, are also available in the park.

Campground Dates Nightly Fee Senior/Access Pass Sites Mammoth 3/1 – 11/30 $25 $12.50 111 ● ● ● 0 ● ● 38 Houchin Ferry Year Round $20 $10.00 12 ● ● No RV or Trailers Maple Springs 3/1 - 11/30 $50 No Discounts for Group Sites 7 ● ● 7 - No Sewer ● 40 Accessible sites Flush toilets Full hookups Generators allowed 8am to 8pm RV max length (ft.) Pay Showers/Laundry Vault toilets

FIREWOOD QUARANTINE: Firewood from a number of states is quarantined due to an insect infestation by one or more insect pests (e.g. the Emerald Ash Borer) that is devastating certain tree species. To prevent infestation of trees in the park, transport of firewood into the park is prohibited. You may pick up any dead or downed wood inside the park or purchase wood from the Caver's Camp Store located near the park Visitor Center. Store hours vary with season; check bulletin board at kiosk for current hours. Please help protect our forests from these destructive pests and do not bring firewood into the Park.

Contact Recreation.gov By Phone: (877) 444-6777 TDD (hearing impaired): (877) 833-6777 Online: www.recreation.gov Call Center Hours: 9:00 am - 9:00 pm Central Time

Mammoth Cave National Park has three frontcountry campgrounds that offer common camping amenities and close proximity to the park’s visitor center area and cave tours. Goods & Services , such as laundry machines, shower facilities, and camping supplies, are also available in the park. The park's designated backcountry campsites and riverside camping options offer campers the opportunity to find solitude in the park’s rugged hills and majestic woodlands. Reaching these remote sites requires hiking, riding a horse, or paddling on the river for several miles. All camping in the park requires a permit and most sites are available by reservation. Reserving a campsite in advance is highly recommended, especially around holidays and weekends. Book directly from our website to the Recreation.gov reservation system. Explore the various campgrounds listed below for more information including prices and seasonal availability. Make sure to check out our Camping Regulations before your visit. Provide an excellent example to all visitors by following the Seven Leave No Trace Principles .

Tent campsites, group campsites, RV campsites, and accessible campsites just a short walk from the visitor center.

Group campsites, horseback group campsites, and RV campsites just a 10 minute drive from the visitor center.

Take time to learn how you can protect Mammoth Cave's campsites while staying in the park.