Big Hollow Trail South Loop

Big Hollow South Loop is one of Mammoth Cave's quieter backcountry routes, and that's exactly the point. This nearly four-mile loop winds through dense hardwood forest along the rolling karst terrain that defines the park above ground. You'll cross seasonal creek beds, navigate modest ups and downs through hollows carved by centuries of water dissolving limestone beneath your feet, and pass through corridors of oak, hickory, and tulip poplar that turn the trail into a green tunnel in summer. The path is generally well-defined but can get overgrown in spots — this isn't a paved cave tour. Sinkholes dot the landscape, quiet reminders that the real action here is underground. This loop rewards hikers who want to see what Mammoth Cave National Park looks like when you leave the crowds at the visitor center behind.