Warning
GeneralRoad construction near our facility may limit parking or cause traffic delays. Please consider these conditions when planning your travel.
Featured amenities
About Mammoth Cave Backcountry Camping
Number of accommodations: 94
Campground Amenities
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Pet Friendly
Nearby Activities & Attractions
Hiking
Mountain Biking
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Open year round
This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.
Sites & Availability
94 Sites Available
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Site Details
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94 Sites Available
No available sites
All sites are booked for your selected dates. Try showing all sites to see booked options, create an alert to be notified when something opens up, or adjust your dates.
Reviews (129)
What Guests Are Saying
Mammoth Cave Backcountry Camping offers clean and scenic campsites, with many having reliable water sources and beautiful views. Popular spots like Collie Ridge and the Bluffs provide a peaceful experience, although some trails can be muddy or overgrown, requiring careful navigation. While there are occasional challenges such as pests and downed trees, many visitors found the overall experience rewarding and enjoyable, making it a great destination for outdoor enthusiasts.
What Guests Are Saying
Mammoth Cave Backcountry Camping offers clean and scenic campsites, with many having reliable water sources and beautiful views. Popular spots like Collie Ridge and the Bluffs provide a peaceful experience, although some trails can be muddy or overgrown, requiring careful navigation. While there are occasional challenges such as pests and downed trees, many visitors found the overall experience rewarding and enjoyable, making it a great destination for outdoor enthusiasts.
Review Summary
Margaret S
VerifiedJune 28, 2022 • Stayed at: Bluffs, Loop: Bluffs
Extremely well-marked trails.
Jacob S
VerifiedJune 26, 2022 • Stayed at: White Oak, Loop: White Oak
Couldn’t find no Rangers during the day went to go to the campsite at night Apple Maps didn’t show it Road for it google maps had a road but you have to take a ferry which only runs during the day so I couldn’t stay there because you have to cross the river
Ben F
VerifiedMay 26, 2022 • Stayed at: Collie Ridge, Loop: Collie Ridge
Great campsite, with a nice spring close
James G
VerifiedMay 26, 2022 • Stayed at: Turnhole Bend, Loop: Turnhole Bend
We hiked out to the Turnhole Bend campsite. The hike is relatively flat and fairly easy. Much of the hike is on old roads that are also used by horses, so there are a few muddy spots in places. There is no drinking water available at this site, so you have to pack in water. Site was flat and had a good tent pad. Site and trail were well maintained. The campsite is located at the end of a ridge so it is high and dry with good drainage. This would be a good first backpacking trip for beginners and children.
Austin T
VerifiedApril 10, 2022 • Stayed at: First Creek 2, Loop: First Creek 2
It was great! It was defiantly a horse trail as well but it made it a fun challange to navigate the muddy parts of the trail.
Excited to explore more trails!
Jonathan L
VerifiedApril 10, 2022 • Stayed at: Second Creek, Loop: Second Creek
The Second Creek campsite was a great spot which was the only reason we did not give this a one star review. Be careful to check the weather as the site is on a ridge facing west, so any approaching storms will be felt. Site was clean, and we even found some "trail magic" when we arrived on Friday night.
The First Creek "hiking" trail was terrible. I know this is shared with horses, but they have destroyed not only the trail, but the vegetation off the trail. It is clear where people on horses have gone off trail, leaving no place for humans to navigate through the muck. Be aware if you want to hike to this site, that you will get muddy regardless of weather, and it will be a little more difficult hike because of the mud and not the terrain.
Henry S
VerifiedFebruary 27, 2022 • Stayed at: First Creek 1, Loop: First Creek 1
Love Mammoth Cave. I wish you would separate the human trails from the horse trails. Several of the hiking trails had been destroyed by the horses. Otherwise, everything was great.
Jonathan B
VerifiedFebruary 10, 2022 • Stayed at: Bluffs, Loop: Bluffs
Great campsite, enjoyed the hike and the views. Only one tent pad and the area was very rocky and had a lot of roots. If we had to set up multiple tents, it would not have been a good spot for those off the tent pad.
John M
VerifiedJanuary 11, 2022 • Stayed at: McCoy Hollow, Loop: McCoy Hollow
I enjoyed hiking the McCoy Hollow trail. It's one of the last still in a primitive condition that hasn't been graveled over to accommodate the horse traffic.
I went on a solo overnight and it did seem that I was alone in the wilderness. Pure enjoyment of the outdoors.
Most remarkable on this trip is the amount of debris that now litters the woods from a recent tornado that struck miles away.
I recommend taking an extra trash bag whenever you go to haul out the equestrians' water bottles and Bud Light cans and now the tattered building materials that rained down throughout the woods.
Frances N
VerifiedDecember 2, 2021 • Stayed at: Bluffs, Loop: Bluffs
Hiked from the Maple Springs parking lot on Buffalo Creek Trail to The Bluffs campsite...camped...then hiked back to the car in the cold rain as planned. Great for a quick overnight backcountry backpacking trip.
Location Mammoth Cave Backcountry Camping
Address:
Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth Cave, KY, 42259
United States
- Please click the link for "Driving Directions" under the addition links tab on the right hand side of the page for detailed directions.
Policies & Rules
| Category | About |
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| General |
***During the closed season December 1 through February 28 please go to the Visitor Center for all camping permits. All permits must be registered as walk-ups at the Visitor Center during this time.*** |
| General |
Permits Required. Mammoth Cave Backcountry permits are required for overnight camping at designated campsites and floodplain. Permits can be obtained online up to 6 months in advance or in person at the Mammoth Cave Campground kiosk or Visitor Center. |
| General |
Your Camping Permit must be downloaded and printed by accessing your Recreation.gov account up to 14 days prior to arrival. You can not modify your reservation after it is printed. If you cannot print your permit or save to your phone, you may visit Mammoth Cave Campground Kiosk during March 1st through November 30th. During the closed season December 1 through February 28 please go to the Visitor Center for all camping permits. |
| General |
Green River Ferry is subject to last minute closings. Please check the NPS website or call (270) 758-2166 for current Ferry Conditions. When the Ferry is down it can take 45 minutes to get from the Visitor Center to the Maple Springs Campground and Backcountry trail heads. |
| General |
WILDLIFEDo not disturb or kill any wildlife, including snakes. All plants and animals in Mammoth Cave National Park are protected. Collection of any portion of a plant is prohibited unless specifically authorized by regulation. Pets are permitted, but must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet and under physical restraint at all times. Do not leave pets unattended.Ticks are common in the park and their bites can spread diseases. Learn steps to prevent tick-borne illness. |
| General |
CAMPING
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| General |
LEAVE NO TRACE
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| General |
TRAILS
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| General |
REGULATIONS
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Warnings & Advisories
Warning
GeneralRoad construction near our facility may limit parking or cause traffic delays. Please consider these conditions when planning your travel.
