Cave tour ticket at Mammoth Cave: what applies in 2026?

Exact conditions

Status

Required under the listed conditions

Applies to

specific activity

Place or corridor

All cave entrances; every ranger-led and self-guided cave route departs from the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center

Effective dates

January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026

Release model

rolling window

Release detail: Recreation.gov states Mammoth Cave tours are available year-round, up to 6 months in advance, but that the park may not publish the complete schedule or variety of tours until 1 to 3 months prior to the tour date. No daily release clock time is published.

Fee detail: Price varies by tour, so no single number applies. Adult examples quoted on the park fees page: Mammoth Passage Tour $15, Discovery Tour $12, Historic Tour $24, Wild Cave Tour $79 (ages 16+). Interagency Senior and Access pass holders get 50% off, cardholder only.

Exceptions and limits

• No ticket is needed to stay on the surface — trails, the visitor center, the Green River and the campground are free.
• Walk-up tickets sometimes exist but NPS states availability is not guaranteed and tours sell out weeks in advance.