Mammoth Cave National Park
Old Guides Trail
easy History BuffsCave VisitorsCompletionists
0.1 mi Distance
Varies Estimated Time
Out & Back Trail Type
What to Expect
Here's the honest truth: you're not hiking Old Guides Trail right now. This tiny connector — barely a hundred yards — links the Heritage Trail to the historic cave entrance area, and it's currently closed to foot traffic. When it was open, it served as a brief wooded passage through the karst landscape above the cave system, offering a glimpse of the sinkholes and mature hardwoods that define Mammoth Cave's surface terrain. The trail itself is more of a sidewalk-length transition than a proper hike, but its location near the historic entrance gives it a certain old-timey charm — this is the same ground that 19th-century cave guides walked. If and when it reopens, it's best suited for visitors already exploring the Heritage Trail who want to loop past the original cave entrance rather than doubling back.
Trail Details
Distance 0.1 miles round-trip
Difficulty easy
Estimated Time Varies
Trail Type Out & Back
Pets Not allowed
Season Year-round
Trailhead Old Guides Trail
Pro Tips
Trail Tip
Check the NPS Mammoth Cave alerts page before your visit — trail closures here change seasonally, and this one has been shut down for restoration work with no firm reopening date posted.
Trail Tip
If you're in the area for the Heritage Trail, take the longer Mammoth Dome Sink Trail loop instead — it covers similar terrain with better payoff and is reliably open.
Trail Tip
The historic entrance area nearby is worth a stop regardless; you can view it from other open trails and interpretive signs explain the cave's discovery and early tourism history.
