National Park Week Begins With Wildflower Day and Free Discovery Cave Tours at Mammoth Cave

Saturday, April 20th

A display of local wildflowers on display inside the Mammoth Cave National Park Visitor Center for the annual Wildflower Day celebration. (MCNP)

MAMMOTH CAVE, KY – Mammoth Cave National Park will kick off National Park Week with the annual Wildflower Day celebration and a day of free self-guided Discovery cave tours on Saturday, Apr. 20. The Wildflower Day activities begin at 8:30 a.m. CDT and the Discovery Tour will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public with no tickets or reservations required.
 
Naturalists and park rangers will guide Wildflower Day guests on hikes along several park trails and provide kid's crafts and Junior Ranger activities throughout the day. There will also be a display of native wildflowers that have been harvested from outside the park by the Warren County Garden Club at the visitor center.  Wildflower experts will be on hand to answer questions about the plants and provide suggestions on the best trails to see what is currently in bloom. Visitors can also view locally made quilts at a quilting demonstration that showcase textile artistry, creativity, dedication, and regional cultural heritage.
 
The free Discovery tour is a self-guided experience through some of the cave’s largest passageways. Visitors will explore the history and geologic origins of the Mammoth Cave system. The tour begins at the Historic Entrance of Mammoth Cave and is approximately 3/4-mile in length. The route requires participants to walk down and up a steep hill as well as navigate 160 steps. For more information about the Discovery tour or other cave tours offered during your visit, visit the Cave Tours page.
 
The National Park Service welcomes and encourages everyone to form connections to important places that protect and preserve our shared landscapes, history, and culture and that reflect the diversity of our country’s shared heritage. National Park Week is an annual national celebration for people to discover and enjoy this remarkable network of natural, cultural, and recreational sites including Mammoth Cave National Park.
 
Mammoth Cave’s annual Wildflower Day falls on the first day of National Park Week and focuses on the wildflowers and blooming trees that treat park visitors to colorful displays along park trails, roadways, and forests each spring. The annual event highlights the importance of wildflowers for our human history and environmental health.
 
For a complete list of Wildflower Day events, activity descriptions, and times, please visit our Wildflower Day 2024 website. See what other special events are happening at Mammoth Cave National Park on our Special Events website or by calling 270-758-2180.