Mammoth Cave National Park, KY
A backcountry camp route with one steep ravine at the end.
Overview
The Green River bend takes its name from the room it gave riverboats to turn around when river travel was common. This backcountry segment is separate from the 0.5-mile Turnhole Bend Nature Trail on the other side of the river, which leads to the overlook.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy it's called Turnhole BendMap & elevation
Plan your hike
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 area
Good Spring Baptist Church and Cemetery“Good Spring Baptist Church and Cemetery is coming up, a short history stop near Maple Springs. Give it a few minutes to look beyond the little white church.”
Plays on the road 0.9 mi from the trailhead 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!!!!”
Trail guide
Turnhole Bend Trail is a backcountry connector from Buffalo Creek Trail to Turnhole Bend Backcountry Campsite on the Green River. The National Park Service lists the segment at 1.8 miles; the mapped line is just under 2 miles, one way. It is not a road-access hike: reaching its north junction adds a separate backcountry approach. Allow about an hour for this segment in one direction; walking it back roughly doubles the segment before adding your Buffalo Creek approach.
From the Buffalo Creek junction, the first 0.2 mile climbs moderately along an old dirt road. After that the route generally trends downhill, with a few mild rises. At about 0.6 mile, cross Sal Hollow Trail and continue straight toward the campsite. Roughly a third of a mile beyond the junction, the wider road narrows to a footpath. Horses use this route, and hoof impressions can leave an uneven, muddy surface after rain.
Near the end, the trail becomes narrow and drops into a deep ravine before climbing back out toward camp. The campsite-side climb is short but steep, roughly a 23% grade over about 150 feet, with camp about 100 yards farther on. If you turn around here, expect to cross the ravine again on the return. An overnight stay at the backcountry campsite requires a permit.
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
ModerateDry Prong Trail2.4 mi · 1.5 hr · At the trailheadA rough connector best folded into a longer backcountry hike.
ModerateBig Hollow North and South Loops Trail11.1 mi · 4.5 hr · 1.1 mi awayTwo wooded loops, a creek footbridge, and a rocky southern climb.
ChallengingSal Hollow & Buffalo Creek Loop10.8 mi · 7 hr · 1.1 mi awayA long hardwood loop with creek crossings and a rough hollow descent.
ModerateSal Hollow Trail8.6 mi · 4.5 hr · 1.1 mi awayA long woodland walk with muddy ruts and a small creek cascade.
ModerateBuffalo Creek, Collie Ridge & Mill Branch Loop9.3 mi · 5 hr · 1.1 mi awayA 9.3-mile backcountry loop with creek crossings and rocky climbs.
ModerateBuffalo Creek Trail4.4 mi · 2.5 hr · 1.1 mi awayA backcountry road past sinkholes and muddy, stone-filled patches.
ModerateMaple Springs, Raymer Hollow Trail, and Mill Branch Trail Loop12.5 mi · 7 hr · 1.1 mi awayA full Raymer crossing closes a long loop through the backcountry.
ModerateMaple Springs, Buffalo Creek Trail, and Raymer Hollow Trail Loop14.2 mi · 6 hr · 1.1 mi awayA long backcountry circuit through wooded creek and ridge trails.
Sight · 0.9 mi awayGood Spring Baptist Church & CemeteryA small church and cemetery preserve the lost Cade community.
Picnic area · 1.1 mi awayMaple Springs Day Use AreaPicnic tables with access to north-side hiking and horse trails.
Campground · 1.2 mi awayMaple Springs Group CampgroundA quiet base for group camping near northern backcountry trails.
Sight · 2.3 mi awayTurnhole Bend OverlookA half-mile loop pairs sinkhole geology with a riverboat-era story.
Sight · 2.7 mi awayGreen River FerryA 1934 ferry crossing with a one-mile accessible woodland loop.
Sight · 2.7 mi awayRiver Styx SpringA short walk to see cave water emerge at the surface.
Sight · 2.7 mi awayJoppa Missionary Baptist Church & CemeteryA surviving trace of the communities that became the park.
Sight · 2.8 mi awayEcho River SpringSee the underground river emerge at a forested spring.Parkwolf’s Mammoth Cave ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
