Updates On Green River Ferry Improvements: Scheduled To Reopen Sunday, January 3rd

Edmonson Voice photo of Green River Ferry from July, 2020.

MAMMOTH CAVE, Ky. December 30, 2020– Mammoth Cave National Park is near completion on several construction projects taking place at Green River Ferry. The Green River Ferry serves as a river crossing location, river access for canoes and kayaks, boat ramp for fishing boats, and parking area for trail and river users.  

Green River Ferry Ramp Reopening 
The Green River Ferry will resume vehicle shuttle operations starting on Sunday, January 3. The ferry will be open from 6 am to 10 pm but will be closed daily between 1:45 pm and 2:15 pm for cleaning and disinfection of the operating booth between shifts.  

The ferry service has been closed since early September to complete a vehicle ramp project to extend the access ramp by 30 feet into the Green River. The contractor for the project, Kovilic Construction Company, took advantage of lower than average water levels which allowed them to reach the lowest sections of the ramp where they needed to complete much of the work required for the project. Additional paving on the south ramp and coffer dam removal on the north ramp is still needed, though, so short-term closures can be expected in early spring/summer 2021.  

The ramp extension project is being coordinated by Federal Highway Administration Eastern Lands Highway Division with assistance from the park. For more information on the Green River Ferry operating status, please call the Green River Ferry Hotline at 270-758-2166 or follow MCNPRoadsFerry on Twitter.  

Canoe and Kayak Access Ramp Construction  
Work to install a new canoe and kayak access ramp at the Green River Ferry area has been suspended until late spring 2021 due to high water, but River access at both Green River Ferry and Dennison Ferry, 7.6 miles upstream from Green River Ferry, will reopen on Sunday, January 3. River users are permitted to use the Green River Ferry’s vehicle access ramp to reach the river until the canoe and kayak ramp is completed in mid-2021. 

Much of the project is finished, but the contractor still needs to complete work on the lower railing system. This work is expected to occur when water levels drop in late spring.   

The installation of a ramp dedicated to paddlers will improve river access, safety, and reduce congestion between paddlers and vehicles utilizing the ferry boat. Boaters and paddlers should be aware that winter often brings high fast moving water in the Green River and are advised to be familiar with the park’s river safety and regulations.   

Echo River Springs Accessible Trail and Bridge Installation 
The first half of the Echo River Springs Accessible trail is currently open to the public, and the installation of the pedestrian bridge over the Echo River will be completed on January 12 and 13. The installation will include a temporary closure of the Green River Ferry Road and Green River Ferry Service from 8 am to 4 pm each day.  

The new pedestrian bridge will span approximately 200 feet over the Echo River and will create an accessible loop trail that leads directly back to the Green River Ferry parking area. As a part of the trail project the existing accessible trail has been extended an additional 0.3 miles. Portions of the Echo River Springs Trail were rehabilitated in 2018 to improve accessibility and add tactile wayside interpretation stops along the route. The bridge project is the last step to complete the plan to improve Echo River Springs Trail.