Does Mammoth Cave National Park have an entrance fee?

No. NPS lists Mammoth Cave as a fee-free park with no entrance fee.

What are the hours at Mammoth Cave National Park?

NPS says the park is open 24 hours a day. After hours, the visitor center and cave tours offer fewer services.

When is the busiest time to visit Mammoth Cave?

In 2025 the busiest month was July with 102,778 recreation visits. October was the quietest month with 12,646.

Are dogs allowed at Mammoth Cave National Park?

Pets must be leashed (six feet maximum), crated or caged in any area that permits them. NPS lists pets as permitted on 15 of 17 things to do in the park.

How much does camping cost at Mammoth Cave?

NPS lists nightly individual-site fees from $10 to $50 across the park's campgrounds. Mammoth Cave Campground is the largest, with 111 sites.

All parks › Mammoth Cave National Park

Mammoth Cave National Park: fees, hours, camping and when to visit

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on National Park Service data. Published by Humblebee.

Entrance fee: None^[1]
Busiest month (2025): July^[2]
Recreation visits, 2025: 660,734^[3]
Campgrounds: 5^[4]

Mammoth Cave National Park is a national park in Kentucky run by the National Park Service^[5]. NPS lists it as a fee-free park, so there is no entrance fee^[1], and the park grounds stay open around the clock^[6].

Entrance fees and passes

The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for Mammoth Cave National Park^[1]. Some tours, campgrounds or permits inside a park can still have their own fees.

When to visit and hours

The park is open 24 hours a day, but cave tours and the visitor center offer limited services outside regular hours^[6]. No gate stands at the entrance^[6]. In 2025 the busiest month was July with 102,778 recreation visits, and the quietest was October with 12,646^[2]. NPS describes summers averaging in the high 80s and winters in the low 40s^[7]. Rain falls mostly in spring, and winter can bring some snow and ice^[7]. Deep inside the cave the temperature holds at 54°F (12°C) all year^[7].

Recreation visits counted by the National Park Service in each month of 2025. The busiest month, July, is highlighted^[2].

Show visits by month

Month, 2025	Recreation visits
January	16,250
February	21,056
March	74,221
April	64,740
May	68,430
June	96,793
July	102,778
August	79,800
September	57,890
October	12,646
November	20,588
December	45,542

Show visits by year

Year	Recreation visits
2021^[3]	515,774
2022^[3]	663,147
2023^[3]	654,450
2024^[3]	747,042
2025^[3]	660,734

Camping

NPS and Recreation.gov list 5 campgrounds in the park^[4]. The largest is Mammoth Cave Campground with 111 sites, followed by Mammoth Cave Backcountry Camping with 94 sites^[4]. Smaller options include Houchin Ferry Campground with 12 sites and Maple Springs with 7 sites^[4]. NPS lists nightly individual-site fees from $10 to $50^[4], and camping is allowed only in designated campgrounds or backcountry sites with a reservation or permit^[6].

Mammoth Cave Campground, 111 sites^[4]
Mammoth Cave Backcountry Camping, 94 sites
Houchin Ferry Campground, 12 sites
Maple Springs, 7 sites
Mammoth Picnic Shelters, 2 sites

Pets and dogs

Under the national rule, pets must be crated, caged or kept on a leash of six feet or less wherever they are allowed^[8]. They cannot enter public buildings, and the park may close more areas to pets^[8]. NPS lists pets as permitted on 15 of its 17 things to do here, including Viewing Park Wildlife and Explore Wildflowers at Cedar Sink^[9].

Before you go

There is no entrance fee at this park, according to NPS^[1].
Cave tours and the visitor center have limited services after hours^[6].
Bring a layer for the cave, which NPS says stays at 54°F (12°C)^[7].
Overnight stays need a designated campground or a backcountry site with a reservation or permit^[6].
Fees and hours change, so check the official NPS park page before you go.

Questions people ask

Does Mammoth Cave National Park have an entrance fee?: No. NPS lists Mammoth Cave as a fee-free park with no entrance fee^[1].
What are the hours at Mammoth Cave National Park?: NPS says the park is open 24 hours a day^[6]. After hours, the visitor center and cave tours offer fewer services^[6].
When is the busiest time to visit Mammoth Cave?: In 2025 the busiest month was July with 102,778 recreation visits^[2]. October was the quietest month with 12,646^[2].
Are dogs allowed at Mammoth Cave National Park?: Pets must be leashed (six feet maximum), crated or caged in any area that permits them^[8]. NPS lists pets as permitted on 15 of 17 things to do in the park^[9].
How much does camping cost at Mammoth Cave?: NPS lists nightly individual-site fees from $10 to $50 across the park's campgrounds^[4]. Mammoth Cave Campground is the largest, with 111 sites^[4].

Facts and sources

NPS lists Mammoth Cave National Park as a fee-free park: there is no entrance fee. National Park Service
NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 515,774, 2022: 663,147, 2023: 654,450, 2024: 747,042, 2025: 660,734. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
Campgrounds in Mammoth Cave National Park (list on this page). National Park Service
Mammoth Cave National Park is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: National Park) in Kentucky. National Park Service
Operating hours, Park Hours: Mammoth Cave National Park is open 24-hours a day, although services such as cave tours and the visitor center are limited after-hours. There is no gate at the park entrance. Please note that camping is only possible either in... National Park Service
NPS weather and seasons overview for Mammoth Cave National Park. National Park Service
National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15
NPS lists 17 things to do at Mammoth Cave National Park: Cave Tours, Become a Mammoth Cave Junior Ranger, Explore Wildflowers at Cedar Sink, Viewing Park Wildlife, Attend a Ranger-led Program, Houchin Ferry to Brownsville, Nolin River Dam to Houchin Ferry,... National Park Service

Fees and hours are what NPS lists in its data at the snapshot date. They change: tell readers to confirm on the official park page before a trip. Visits are NPS recreation visits (counted entries, not unique people). Use them only for this park's own months and years, never to rank parks. Campground list and site counts come from NPS and Recreation.gov records. Count fields can differ slightly between the two. The pet rule is the national baseline (36 CFR 2.15). The park may close more areas to pets. Do not claim specific trails allow dogs unless a fact says so.