Carter Caves State Resort Park

Top Five Things to Do:

• Explore the scenic Cascade Cave with a guided tour.
• Witness the unique geology of the park, featuring 5 natural bridges.
• Try gem mining at the Carter Caves Gem Mine located in the Welcome Center Gift Shop.
• Embark on the adventure of the Self-Guided Horn Hollow Cave System.
• Relax and rejuvenate at the Caveland Lodge or Carter Caves Campground, available year-round.

Field Trips Carter Caves State Resort Park offers educational opportunities for grades K-12, including commercial cave tours, nature hikes, living history programs, and various nature programs. Archery and orienteering programs are available for grades 5-12, and canoe trips can be booked for grades 7-12. Program fees per student vary, and the park is open year-round for weekday visits from Labor Day to Memorial Day. Extended stays with overnight Reach Camps are also offered, combining programs, meals, and lodging at a reasonable price. For more information, contact park interpreter Coy Ainsley at 1-800-325-0059 or email cartercavesnaturalist@gmail.com.

Gem Mining Visit the Carter Caves Gem Mine at the Welcome Center Gift Shop and try gem mining. Begin your exploration of real, colorful gemstones and fossils using the gemstone flume. Simply place a scoop of rough material on the screen, then rinse with clean water to reveal the colors and crystal shapes of the gemstones when wet. Mining is available during regular business hours of the Welcome Center Gift Shop, from April through the Sunday after Thanksgiving (weather permitting).

Birding Experience diverse birdwatching opportunities throughout the park. Winter brings northern sparrows, finches, wrens, juncos, red-breasted nuthatches, purple finches, and occasional evening grosbeaks and brown creepers. Spring is alive with warbler migrations, waterfowl, and thrushes. Summer nesting warblers include redstarts, ceruleans, pines, Blue wings, Parulas, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, and Red-tailed Hawks. Notable birding spots include mature forests around campgrounds, the cottage area with red-headed Woodpeckers, the Box Canyon Trail, and the short trail to Carter Caves Natural Bridge.

Cave Tours Explore the highest concentration of caves in Kentucky with subterranean adventures created by nature over millions of years. Daily year-round tours are available for Cascade Cave and X-Cave, with additional seasonal walking tours offered from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Seasonal adventure tours of Bat Cave or Saltpeter Cave are available from Memorial Day to Labor Day, offering a chance to experience helmets, headlamps, coveralls, and kneepads provided. Group cave tours can be arranged, and information is subject to change without notice.

Fishing Discover Kentucky’s first trophy bass lake, Smoky Valley Lake, known for largemouth bass, bluegill, catfish, and crappie. Fishing licenses are required and available at the front desk. The park offers a fishing loaner program where guests can check out FREE equipment if they don’t have a fishing pole. Click here for waterbody information and boat ramp details.

Gift Shop at the Welcome Center Start your visit at the Welcome Center for essential information and facilities, including cave tour, trail, and facility details, along with restrooms and the gift shop. The gift shop features Kentucky handcrafts, bat items, books by Kentucky authors, souvenirs, candles, jellies, coal-crafted items, snacks, and drinks. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays during winter operational hours.

Hiking Explore the above-ground beauty of Carter Caves on 33 miles of wooded nature trails. The trails showcase fascinating geological features like natural bridges, arches, caves, sinkholes, cliffs, and a boxed canyon. Trails cater to easy to difficult hiking levels, providing over 15 miles of multi-use trails for hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders.

Miniature Golf Enjoy the 18-hole miniature golf course, available seasonally. In the off-season, clubs and balls can be obtained at the campground registration building and the Lodge front desk. Fees: Adults – $5; Children – $4.

Paddling Bring your boat and explore the rugged, undisturbed terrain of the 45-acre Smoky Lake during the summer months. Guided trips of Smoky Lake are available for all experience levels, allowing visitors to paddle the lake by canoe, kayak, or paddleboard. Experienced paddlers can enjoy a scenic trip on Tygart Creek offered during the spring. For more information, contact the Department of Recreation.

Picnicking Enjoy the outdoors with picnic tables, grills, and playgrounds located throughout the park. Two rental shelters are available.

Playgrounds Multiple playgrounds are situated throughout the park.

Rappelling and Rock Climbing Area Experienced rappellers and rock climbers can self-guide their adventure activities in the designated area. The sandstone cliffline offers a great 30-40 foot rappel or climb. Rules and regulations apply, and permits must be obtained from the front desk of the lodge.

Swimming The Kiddie Pool is closed for the remainder of the pool season due to mechanical issues. The pool operates on a modified schedule, closing Monday through Thursday and opening Friday to Sunday until Labor Day, after which it will close for the season on September 4th.

Tennis Two tennis courts are available in the lodge area, and overnight guests can check out rackets.

The Lewis Caveland Lodge provides rooms with private patios overlooking the surrounding woodlands. Rooms are available for check-in by late afternoon. High-speed wireless internet service is accessible at the lodge. Additionally, the park offers cottages and a year-round campground with primitive, RV, and equestrian campsites. Equestrian campsites are ONLY available by calling the park directly at (606) 286-0152. It’s recommended to book equestrian campsites at least 10 days in advance to secure availability. During winter operations, cottages are available seven days a week, and lodge rooms are available from Wednesday through Saturday night.

Winter Operations: Open Wednesday – Saturday until March 9

Backcountry Campsites

Eagles Nest Backcountry Campsite – The Eagles Nest Backcountry campsite is situated along the 4 C’s Trail on the southwestern side of Smoky Lake. This area offers two camping sites: one for tent camping and the other featuring a half-faced shelter. Both sites can be reserved by contacting the front desk at the Lewis Caveland Lodge. The tent site accommodates up to 4 people, while the half-faced shelter can also accommodate up to 4 people. The sites are named Eagle Nest 1 (the half-faced shelter at $20 per night) and Eagle Nest 2 (the tent camping site at $15 per night). When making reservations, please specify the desired site by calling 606-286-4411.

Johnson Homeplace Backcountry Campsite

The Johnson Homeplace Campsite is located along the 4 C’s trail on the southeastern side of Smoky Lake. This site is spacious enough for multiple backpacking tents but does not include a half-faced shelter like the Eagles Nest site. Johnson Homeplace is available for reservation at $15 per night and can be booked by calling the front desk at the Lewis Caveland Lodge. To make reservations, call 606-286-4411.

Tierney’s Cavern Restaurant offers a delightful dining experience amidst gorgeous scenery.

As a supporter of the Kentucky Proud program, we prioritize local meats and produce when available.

Please call ahead to inquire about dine-in options, as operational hours may vary throughout the year.

The restaurant operates seven days a week from March 1st to November 15th.

From November 16th to February 28th, Tierney’s Cavern Restaurant will close at 3 p.m. on Sundays and remain closed until 11:30 a.m. on Wednesdays each week.

When open, all three meals are served daily, with a one-hour closure between each meal starting at 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Please note that operational hours are subject to change without notice.

Explore the secrets hidden beneath the forested hills of this resort, where nature has crafted over 20 winding caverns, revealing a 30-foot underground waterfall and numerous surprises! Just a 10-minute drive off I-64 in northeastern Kentucky, guests can experience the comfort and convenience of guest rooms, meeting spaces, and a restaurant all within one facility. Dreaming of a cave wedding? Or maybe a rappelling-style wedding is more your style. Carter Caves State Resort Park offers adventure seekers a truly unique wedding experience.

Nestled beneath the forested hills of this resort, nature has meticulously crafted luminous stone fans and adorned mounds with stalactites and stalagmites over millions of years. Conveniently located just 10 minutes off I-64 in northeastern Kentucky, your guests can revel in the comfort and convenience of guest rooms, meeting space, and a restaurant all within one facility. An attentive staff and delectable menu selections promise to make a memorable difference for your next group event. For information, call 606-286-7004.

The exquisite fieldstone lodge provides three meeting locations, each ensuring a quiet and relaxing atmosphere for gatherings of 10-350 people. The Fields Facility, situated in the lower level of Lewis Caveland Lodge, accommodates 225 guests banquet-style (or 350 theatre-style) and can be partitioned into two smaller meeting rooms. The park offers 28 lodge rooms, 12 cottages for accommodations, and camping options. Carter Caves features a restaurant and full-service catering. Year-round guided tours are available in Cascade Cave and X-Cave, offering a subterranean adventure shaped by nature over millions of years. Above ground, delightful hikes on trails showcase natural bridges, arches, caves, sinkholes, cliffs, and a boxed canyon. Underground, explore 20 twisting caverns, revealing a 30-foot underground waterfall and many more surprises!

This remarkable limestone natural bridge stands as a distinctive landmark in the area and is deemed unique in Kentucky; it holds the distinction of being the only natural bridge in the state that supports a paved highway. The trail is identified by white blazes.

A multi-use trail within Tygart State Forest traverses the scenic valley of the stream-less Cave Branch Creek, which flows underground through Bat Cave before resurfacing near the park entrance. It is advisable to avoid this trail or wear blaze orange during designated hunting seasons. The trail is identified by blue blazes.

A multi-use trail passes through the mature hardwoods of Tygart State Forest, the scenic Smoky Creek valley, and old home places in Kiser Hollow. This trail can be steep and rocky in places. It is recommended to avoid the Tygart State Forest section of this trail or wear blaze orange during designated hunting seasons. The trail is marked by yellow blazes.

This hilly but scenic trail leads you from the ridges into the streamless valley of Horn Hollow, where you can observe multiple cave entrances. The trail is particularly rewarding during the spring wildflower season from April to May. Look for green blazes marking the trail.

This trail provides the most direct and easiest route to the delicately balanced sandstone arch, Raven Bridge. The ridgetop trail is fairly level and can be combined with the Three Bridges Trail to create a loop trail from the lodge. Look for blue blazes marking the trail.

This short multi-use trail connects the Carter Caves Trail System to the Olive Hill Trail Town System. From the trail’s end, an 8-mile route via paved roads leads to the Depot, the heart of the Olive Hill Trail Town System. The trail features very steep terrain and a short creek crossing, with green blazes marking the trail.

This longer hiking trail explores the park’s backcountry, featuring two suspension bridges along the way. The Johnson Homeplace is a backcountry campsite that requires a permit. A brief section of the trail passes through Tygart State Forest, allowing for equestrian and mountain bike use. During designated hunting seasons, it’s advisable to avoid this section of the trail or wear blaze orange. The trail is marked with orange blazes.

This short connector trail links the Three Bridges Trail and Raven Bridge trails. The trail runs alongside striking sandstone cliff faces and is marked with yellow blazes.

Ideal for walking or bicycling, this 2.2-mile trail is paved and situated along the former park golf course. Offering excellent habitat for various wildlife, it provides opportunities to catch glimpses of deer and a variety of birds. The terrain is somewhat hilly but generally easy. Note that this trail is designated for walking and bicycling only, and horseback riding is not permitted.

This popular trail showcases three of the park’s natural bridges, including Smoky Bridge (the largest in the park), Raven Bridge, and Fern Bridge. The trail offers scenic views of Smoky Valley Lake and winds alongside impressive sandstone cliffs. Trail markers are indicated by red blazes.

This multi-use ridgetop trail, located within Tygart State Forest, follows the border around a hardwood tree reforestation project. During the warm season, users should be prepared for encounters with ticks and poison ivy. The trail offers excellent overlooks, particularly in the fall and winter months. Exercise caution and wear blaze orange during designated hunting seasons. Trail markers are indicated by orange blazes.

One of our most scenic trails and passes unusual geologic features in the park, including the Cascade natural bridge, the Box Canyon and the wind tunnel. This trail is hilly and fairly difficult. Orange blazes mark trail.

• Trail Map
• Campground Map
• Cave Tour Schedule: Fall
• Cave Tour Schedule: Winter