Tag: Kentucky

Mammoth Cave Short Hikes, Kentucky

These short hikes offer great views of Mammoth Cave while catering to the hiker with the shortest legs. Hiking with junior adventurers can be a lot of fun, but the distance can get to them, especially when they’ve been losing sleep and are out of routine. Shorter hikes can help ease the pressure on them and still have a great time in the woods.

If you’re struggling to keep a little hiker engaged, check out 7 Fun Hiking Games to Keep Kids Engaged on the Trail.

We hit Mammoth Cave in late September of 2023, it was still hot! We Minnesota hikers don’t do so well in the heat, our northern blood is too thick for the southern heat. We chose some of the shorter hikes in Mammoth Cave to adventure on. We also had to take into consideration that our son, Killian (3), broke his foot over the summer. It hardly slowed him down! The boot came off the week of our trip, we wanted to be careful not to put too much strain on the recovering foot.

Sand Cave Trail

Distance: .3 miles one way (out and back trail)

Level: Easy, boardwalk

Dog Friendly: Yes, on leash

Fees: No Entrance Fee

This is possibly the shortest trail in the park. It’s all boardwalk and has a unique trail ending. At the end of this mini-hike, there is a cave entrance. This cave entrance has a bit of dark history.

History Story from our Tour Guide: Cave explorer, Floyd Collins, entered this cave and managed to get a distance inside. The area was tight, he accidentally kicked the wrong spot causing a cave in, trapping himself in the cave.

Fortunately, he had a habit of leaving his coat hanging on a tree branch near cave entrances, family knew where to start looking. He was located, still alive, but the extraction process proved quite difficult as rescuers couldn’t risk any further damage to the cave. It might crush Floyd. They were able to talk with him and send down food and water.

Unfortunately, after 14 days, Floyd succumbed to the elements and passed away in the cave. They recovered his body shortly after. The rescue mission gained much media attention, paving the way for Mammoth Cave to finally be declared a National Park.

Sloan’s Crossing Pond

Distance: .4 mile loop

Level: Easy, boardwalk

Dog Friendly: Yes, on leash

Fees: No Entrance Fee

Sloan’s Crossing Pond is the perfect trail for hikers who love amphibians and reptiles. The snapping turtles and snakes were very entertaining here and abundant. We spent a decent amount of time observing the wildlife here with the kids. It’s pretty obvious the visitors have fed the turtles, please don’t, it’s not good for them. We also heard a lot of frogs singing and birds chirping. Such a neat place for the kids to explore.

Doyel Valley Overlook

Distance: 0 miles

Level: Easy

Dog Friendly: Yes, on leash

Fees: No Entrance Fee

This overlook is about 2 miles south of the visitor’s center on Mammoth Cave Parkway. The overlook is right at the parking area, no hiking necessary. This site has two informational signs, a rock wall and wooden fence, trash/recycling bins, and a picnic table. We found it to be the perfect location to whip up some BLTs and have a picnic lunch with a view.

Turnhole Bend Nature Trail

Distance: .5 miles, Loop

Level: Easy

Dog Friendly: Yes, on leash

Fees: No Entrance Fee

This peaceful stroll through the woods leads to an amazing overlook over the Green River. There is a small viewing area on the way to the overlook, this area overlooks a sink hole and the cliffs surrounding it. This loop views a few different sink holes, it’s a really neat area and a great prelude for the Cedar Sink Trail.

We hit one snag on this trail with an easy fix, a downed tree lay over a small portion of the trail. It made for a fun experience to maneuver under it with the kids.

Cedar Sink Trail

Distance: 1.5 miles, Needle out & back

Level: Moderate, steps

Dog Friendly: Yes, on leash

Fees: No Entrance Fee

This needle loop is such a unique hike in Mammoth Cave NP. The stroll to the sink hole is a pleasant walk in the woods with wildflowers and ferns. Some passing streams, too, depending on the time of year. The drastic landscape change near the sink hole is neat! The path leads around the sink hole with an option to venture down into the sink. Of course, we ventured into the sink hole!

For more details on this trail go to Cedar Sink Trail in Mammoth Cave NP.

Cave City Creamery

Bonus Restaurant! After a hot day of hiking, we hit up the local ice cream shop. This is a great little treat after a day at Mammoth Cave. Double bonus; they have an assortment of caffeinated beverages.

Cedar Sink Trail in Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

This short trail through Mammoth Cave’s forest features one of the parks most intriguing features (aside from the caves), the sink holes! There are sink holes throughout the park, but this short trail places hikers up close to the action.

Distance: 1.5 miles

Level: Moderate, steps

Dog Friendly: Yes

Fees: No Entrance Fees at Mammoth Cave NP

Location & Parking

From the Visitor’s Center, head south on Mammoth Cave Parkway. Take a right on Brownsville Road and watch for signs for Cedar Sink Road. Take a left onto Cedar Sink Road. The parking area will be on the left, hard to miss. At the parking area, there is an informational sign about the area. The parking area isn’t large, but we didn’t have any issues finding a parking space.

Needle Trail

A needle trail starts with a trail that leads out on a single path then splits into a loop. The loop leads back to the original path to be followed back to the beginning to complete the hike. Simple enough.

Terrain: The trail is well maintained and the path is smooth. The gravel and packed dirt path is pretty easy. The reason for the moderate rating is due to the steps involved around the sink hole. There is a great deal of steps both descending and ascending 150 feet one way in and out of the sink hole.

Straight: The straight portion of this trail is very pleasant with a mild incline. Check out the streams flowing under the trail during times of higher water.

Loop: The loop is where things get interesting. We went to the left, per our 3 year old’s request, and were met with a steep incline. The loop goes around the sink hole and meets back at the main trail for the return hike.

Wildflowers

Cedar Sink Trail is one of the best places in Mammoth Cave NP to view wildflowers. Take time to admire the wildflowers in the area along the trail. My little photographer made many stops to snap photos of the flora along the way. This trail truly did have the most wildflowers that we saw in the park.

Above the Sink Hole

The ridge above the sink hole offers views of the Cedar Sink hole from above, revealing it’s vast size. There is a look out area on the south side of the sink hole. It’s a small deck leaning over a small section. Hikers can make a loop around the hole and venture inside.

Inside the Sink Hole

On both the south side and north side of the sink hole, there are steps giving access to the lower sections of this massive sink hole. What’s wild is that there are overlooks inside of the sink hole, it’s that deep.

Shelf: Upon descending the steps on the south side of the loop, hikers are brought to an overlook trail along a rocky cliff. At the end of this cliff overlook, hikers can see across the sink hole to the other side and have a view of the slop below while standing below the shelf.

Sink hole Bottom: After viewing the shelf, the trail leads further into the sink hole. It’s very cool how much life is inside the sink hole. Trees are growing, critters are roaming. Its a whole ecosystem. There is an informational sign explaining about Cedar Sink Hole and Cedar Creek at the bottom, just before ascending the steps on the other side.

Dogs on Trail

Bringing dogs on our adventures makes the experience that much more memorable! There are a few things to be aware of at Mammoth Cave National Park when traveling with your dog.

Leash: Dogs must be on leash

Ticks: Be aware, ticks are abundant in Mammoth Cave NP.

Heat: The temperatures can be brutal much of the year in Kentucky. Brutal from a Northerner standpoint. Be sure to bring water along for your canine hiking partner.

Follow Trail Etiquette: Follow trail etiquette with your adventure dog to keep everyone having a great time. For more on trail etiquette see Trail Etiquette for Adventure Dogs.