Picnic area · Mammoth Cave National Park
Picnic tables with access to north-side hiking and horse trails.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Mammoth Cave Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Mammoth Cave National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this place
Maple Springs Day Use Area“You're approaching Maple Springs Day Use Area, a useful picnic stop before exploring the north-side trails. Stop here for a meal you've brought or a woodland walk; there's no overlook to seek out.”
Plays as you drive up to Maple Springs Day Use Area in the Parkwolf Mammoth Cave Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Maple Springs Day Use Area is a picnic site near Maple Springs Group Campground. It’s useful for a meal before or after an outing on the north side; the draw is practical trail access rather than a scenic overlook or a stand-alone attraction.
Horse use is part of this trail area, and visitors sometimes report manure on shared routes. Some sections can get muddy after rain, so expect mixed-use trails and check the park’s trail guidance before a longer outing.
Wildlife
227 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
21 sightingsTricolored BatMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
75 sightingsCave SalamanderMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
149 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
13 sightingsBarred OwlMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
40 sightingsSnapping TurtleMost seen around 11 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Mammoth Cave. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateBig Hollow North and South Loops Trail11.1 mi · 4.5 hr · At the trailheadTwo wooded loops, a creek footbridge, and a rocky southern climb.
ChallengingSal Hollow & Buffalo Creek Loop10.8 mi · 7 hr · At the trailheadA long hardwood loop with creek crossings and a rough hollow descent.
ModerateSal Hollow Trail8.6 mi · 4.5 hr · At the trailheadA long woodland walk with muddy ruts and a small creek cascade.
ModerateBuffalo Creek, Collie Ridge & Mill Branch Loop9.3 mi · 5 hr · At the trailheadA 9.3-mile backcountry loop with creek crossings and rocky climbs.
ModerateBuffalo Creek Trail4.4 mi · 2.5 hr · At the trailheadA backcountry road past sinkholes and muddy, stone-filled patches.
ModerateMaple Springs, Raymer Hollow Trail, and Mill Branch Trail Loop12.5 mi · 7 hr · At the trailheadA full Raymer crossing closes a long loop through the backcountry.
ModerateMaple Springs, Buffalo Creek Trail, and Raymer Hollow Trail Loop14.2 mi · 6 hr · At the trailheadA long backcountry circuit through wooded creek and ridge trails.
EasyMaple Springs Trail1 mi · 20 min · At the trailheadA short gravel connector opens into the north-side trail network.
Campground · 0.2 mi awayMaple Springs Group CampgroundA quiet base for group camping near northern backcountry trails.
Sight · 0.5 mi awayGood Spring Baptist Church & CemeteryA small church and cemetery preserve the lost Cade community.
Sight · 2.1 mi awayRiver Styx SpringA short walk to see cave water emerge at the surface.
Sight · 2.1 mi awayGreen River Bluffs OverlookCatch the Green River's curves from this wooded overlook.
Sight · 2.2 mi awayDixon Cave OverlookA raised deck for a quick look at Dixon Cave’s limestone entrance.
Sight · 2.2 mi awaySunset PointAn easy, accessible trail opens onto the Green River valley.
Picnic area · 2.2 mi awayMammoth Cave Picnic AreaThe park's biggest picnic grounds have grills, drinking water, and trails.
Sight · 2.2 mi awayOld Guide’s CemeteryStephen Bishop’s grave puts the cave’s guiding history in focus.Parkwolf’s Mammoth Cave ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
