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At Maple Springs, visitors can enjoy the serenity of the campground and surrounding backcountry trails, or spend their days exploring Mammoth Cave. Campers can explore up to ten miles of the cave through a variety of tours available at the Visitor Center. With more than 400 miles (644 km) of mapped passageways, Mammoth Cave ranks as the world's longest known cave system. Mammoth Cave is named for its grand size and scale. Visit the Rotunda for an idea of just how large this underground world is. The World Heritage Site was explored by Native Americans more than 2,000 years ago, and Europeans discovered its existence at the turn of the 19th century.
Avid horseback riders head to Maple Springs to explore the lush backcountry trails. Hikers will also find these trails enjoyable.
Access to the primitive campground is best by ferry. The ferry is six miles from the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center and fits three cars. Ferry rides are free and take only a few minutes. It is closer to take the ferry to the campground. If the ferry is down, you will drive around which takes about 45 minutes. Call (270) 758-2166 for information, ferry schedules and standards for trailers.
Horse ties are behind the campsites. A small amphitheater is on site and a large fire pit is available for groups on a first come, first served basis.
This campground is part of Mammoth Cave National Park, a 52,800-acre park that includes the Green River Valley, rolling Kentucky hillsides, and the expansive Mammoth Cave with grand-scale chambers and long, winding passageways. This remote campsite is quiet, peaceful and ideal for those who want to be immersed in nature. Wildlife includes deer, turkey, and coyotes.
Take a tour of Mammoth Cave and see landmark cave areas like the Cathedral Domes and Mammoth's famous formation, Frozen Niagara. Or hike above the caverns to explore sinkholes like Cedar Sink.
**For rules and reservation policies please follow the link below:**
**https://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policies**
* Directions from the North: Take Interstate 65 to Exit 53 (Cave City Exit). Turn right onto KY-70. Follow 70/255 as it becomes the Mammoth Cave Parkway in the park. Follow the Mammoth Cave Parkway towards the Visitor Center. Turn left on the Green River Ferry Road. Cross the ferry and follow the signs to Maple Springs. Turn left onto Maple Springs Loop. Maple Spring Campground will be on the left. For trailers or large vehicles, use alternate directions. Vehicles boarding the ferry must not exceed 8 tons and have a length no more than 16 feet.
* Alternate Directions from the North:Take Interstate 65 to Exit 53 (Cave City Exit). Turn right onto KY-70. Follow 70/255 as it becomes the Mammoth Cave Parkway in the park. Turn left on HWY 70 to Brownsville. Make a right on HWY 259. Turn right onto HWY 728 which becomes HWY 1827. Then turn right onto HWY 1352 and follow signs to Maple Springs Group Campground. Turn right onto Maple Springs Loop. Maple Spring Campground will be on the left.
* Directions from the South: Take Interstate 65 to Exit 48 (Park City Exit). Turn left onto KY-255 and follow 255 as it becomes the Park City Road into the park. Follow Park City Road until it joins the Mammoth Cave Parkway; turn left. Follow the Mammoth Cave Parkway towards the Visitor Center. Turn left on the Green River Ferry Road. Cross the ferry and follow the signs to Maple Springs. Turn left onto Maple Springs Loop. Maple Spring Campground will be on the left. For trailers or large vehicles, use alternate directions. Vehicles boarding the ferry must not exceed 8 tons and have a length no more than 16 feet.
* Alternate Directions from the South: Take Interstate 65 to Exit 48 (Park City Exit). Turn left onto KY-255 and follow 255 as it becomes the Park City Road into the park. Follow Park City Road until it joins the Mammoth Cave Parkway; turn left. Turn left on HWY 70 to Brownsville. Make a right on HWY 259. Turn right onto HWY 728 which becomes HWY 1827. Then turn right onto HWY 1352 and follow signs to Maple Springs Group Campground. Turn right onto Maple Springs Loop. Maple Spring Campground will be on the left.
Nice camping but no showers have to drive several miles to shower and then have to pay with quarters and several times the machines were jammed and once had to use men's showers
Nice LITTLE isolated campground. MAKE SURE YOU ROUTE YOUR GPS TO BROWNSVILLE FIRST THEN THE CAMPGROUND, AS CAMPERS DON'T FIT ON THE FERRY AND IT'S OFTEN NOT WORKING! Our site was #7, someone has moved the concrete picnic tables and placed them where the camper should go, but I was able to get in enough to make it work by pulling in the wrong direction. Scout out your site on google maps before you go! Electric was great, Water pressure was meh, and no other services. Verizon got good reception there but not at the guest center for the cave. 45 Minute drive from the campground to the cave. NO Artificial light, and extremely quiet. I felt bad running my a/c because it sounded so loud in the extreme quiet!
The area is quiet and beautiful, and the campsites are huge because they are for multiple groups. We went in November, knowing it would be cold, but we were still surprised there was no heat in the vault toilet spaces. There is also no sink of any kind so bring a portable one if you are tent camping, like we did. There was water and electricity at each site. The sites aren't marked very well, so it's tricky figuring out which is which.
And if you are tent camping, and want to shower, you have to go to the service building near the hotel which is for campers. It's about 10 minutes away, taking the ferry bridge, which is fun.
The showers are coin operated, and at the time, the women's only had one out of three working. The men's showers seemed to be in better shape, and you'll need at least $3 in quarters to have a decent shower. There are quarter-change machines, and there is a laundry room as well, all in that same spot. I was a little annoyed to have to pay for the shower, seeing as that we were paying $50/night to camp, but I can see how it conserves water.
It was a good experience overall, and we really enjoyed the cave tour we took.
Located in the "backwoods" of Mammoth Cave, this little campground is absolutely beautiful! We visited in late September and literally had the entire site to ourselves. The campsites are large and spacious for those with large families or horses. Very little effort needed in setting up the camper as the pad was level left to right. Water and electric hookups available. There are vault toilet within a short walk which were nice and handicap accessible, especially with the Green River Ferry being closed due to low water level. The dump station is at the main entrance, which is about a 45-50 minute drive around the park with the Ferry closed, maybe a 20 minute ride with the Ferry open. It was remote and secluded with numerous well-groomed hiking trails do explore. Would definitely visit again. Wild turkeys visited us one morning. We were fearful of a truly rustic campsite with 5 young children (12 and under), but the reality was merely simplistic. We had an enjoyable time, spent a day at the main entrance, and the rest was spent in the back-forty campsite. There are a couple country stores nearby for supplies (cash is still king) and a Dollar General Market not far away if something more substantial is needed.
