(Photo courtesy of Mammoth Cave National Park)
By GAGE WILSON
for Glasgow News 1
Five years after the Great American Outdoors Act became law, its effects continue to shape the visitor experience at Mammoth Cave National Park — above and below ground. The act was signed on Aug. 4, 2020.
Through the act’s Legacy Restoration Fund, the park received millions to tackle long-needed infrastructure repairs, including a $6.5 million investment in one of its most frequently toured underground routes. The result was a full rehabilitation of roughly one mile of cave trail connecting the New Entrance to the Frozen Niagara section — a path first built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.
That project, completed in 2023, brought safer stairways, new stainless-steel handrails, better visitor seating, improved overlooks, and paving stones that reduce wear on the cave floor. According to park officials, it also dramatically improved accessibility while preserving fragile cave features that have weathered millions of years beneath Kentucky.
“The funding we received from the Great American Outdoors Act will allow us to fix deteriorated cave trails and greatly improve the visitor experience while protecting park resources,” said Superintendent Barclay Trimble in the original 2022 announcement.
The Cave Trail project was one of the most visible Great American Outdoors Act investments in the park, but not the only one.
Above ground, the historic Mammoth Cave Hotel underwent a transformation of its own. Funded by a $6.6 million GAOA grant, a roof replacement and exterior renovation project began in late 2021 and wrapped up by the fall of 2023. The overhaul addressed leaks, insulation problems, and outdated windows that had hampered energy efficiency and visitor comfort.
Park concessioner ExplorUS followed up with interior renovations — adding a café, ADA-accessible guest rooms, upgraded restrooms, and a refreshed restaurant. In March 2024, the revitalized hotel officially reopened to the public, marking another milestone in Mammoth Cave’s effort to blend history, hospitality, and stewardship.
“This is a building we can all be proud of,” said Trimble at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
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