Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth Cave, KY, 54°F inside, from $15
2 hr
on the main tour
Great Onyx Cave
Kentucky
$31
adult ticket
A separate cave inside Mammoth Cave National Park with stalactites, gypsum crystals and helictites, seen only on the summer weekend Great Onyx Lantern Tour.
The story
Edmund Turner and landowner L. P. Edwards explored and developed Great Onyx around 1915–1916, during the fierce competition for Mammoth Cave tourists known as the Kentucky Cave Wars. It ran as a rival attraction with its own hotel, and a court fight over passages running under a neighbor's land became a landmark case on underground property rights. The cave became part of Mammoth Cave National Park in 1961.
- Found
- Around 1915–1916
History source: nps.gov/maca.
Tickets and timing
- Adults
- $31
- Kids
- $26 (youth)
- How long it takes
- 2 hours 15 minutes
- Hours
- 2026: Saturdays and Sundays at 4pm, May 17–August 8.
- Booking
- Tickets on Recreation.gov.
Getting there
Great Onyx Cave is in Kentucky.
- Bowling Greenabout 28 miles
- Louisvilleabout 74 miles
- Nashvilleabout 83 miles
Distances are straight-line from each city center.
Before you go
- Minimum age 6; under-16s need an adult 18+.
Questions people ask
How long does a visit to Great Onyx Cave take?
2 hours 15 minutes
Do you need to book Great Onyx Cave in advance?
Tickets on Recreation.gov.
When was Great Onyx Cave discovered?
Around 1915–1916, according to the cave's own history.
Listed in: lantern and flashlight tours
Checked on 2026-10-22 against nps.gov (Great Onyx Lantern Tour event page). Prices and hours change, so confirm on the official site before you drive out.
Other caves in Kentucky
Lost River Cave
Bowling Green, KY, 57°F inside
Carter Caves State Park
Kentucky, from $10
Onyx Cave
Cave City, KY, 60°F inside, from $12.50
Diamond Caverns
Park City, KY, 58°F inside, from $24