Lincoln, Caves, and a Concrete Wigwam

We planned a weekend trip visiting family and extended it to 7 days, granting time to both catch up and see the local NPS sites and Mammoth Cave National Park.  Here’s how we balanced family time and national park visits, along with options for similar itineraries based on our lessons learned.

Trip Highlights

Before we get into the details, here’s what we did:

Category	Details
States	Indiana & Kentucky
Trip Length	4–7 Days
National Park Sites	5
National Parks	1
Best Experience	Great Onyx Lantern Tour
Best Hike	Hemlock Cliffs
Best Unique Stay	Wigwam Village No. 2

The highlights of our trip were:

• Exploring the National Park Service sites
• Touring the world’s longest cave system
• Lantern Tour at Great Onyx Cave
• Petting Horses at Lincoln Boyhood
• Watching the Long Knives film
• Climbing a CCC fire tower
• Staying overnight in a concrete wigwam

The Plan

My wife and I had been targeting a Memorial Day trip to visit my grandparents in Louisiana. After calling them to coordinate, they let us know that they were going to be out of town that weekend to see my cousin in Indiana, who was graduating high school. As my grandmother is now too old to drive, they were gifting my cousin a car as a graduation present. This revealed a problem – how would they get the car 6 states away? I volunteered to make the drive and spend an epic road trip with my grandparents.

While family was occupied getting ready for graduation, going to the DMV, etc., we would have several opportunities to slip away for a few hours and see sights like Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, George Rogers Clark National Historic Park, and Lincoln State Park. We decided to extend the trip a few days on the back end after the family disbanded to see Kentucky – specifically Mammoth Cave National Park and Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park.

Our Trip

We did a 7-day trip, balancing family time with around 4 days of sightseeing.

Day 1 – Travel to Louisiana and Grandparents Time

Day 1 of our trip involved a quick flight to Louisiana and time spend with my grandparents at their house. We ate and ran errands with them as well as visited.

Day 2 – Travel from Louisiana to Indiana

Day 2 of our trip was a long one. In the morning, we departed on our 6-state drive. The country opened up to rolling hills in Tennessee and Kentucky, and I genuinely enjoyed the route through the middle of the country. We made some fun memories with my grandparents at travel and food stops.

Day 3 – Family Time, Lincoln Boyhood, and Lincoln State Park

On Day 3 of our trip, we had a long breakfast with my grandparents and hung out with my aunt. Our family members were busy, so we split off after a little bit to see the nearby Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial.

We made a quick stop at Snap’s in Jasper for a tenderloin sandwich. I was told that this is authentic Hoosier food, and it was pretty good!

Honestly, we did not have high expectations for Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial. I thought it would be a quick stamp and go, but I was wrong. The limestone sculpture panels are impressive, and the hike out to the Living Historical Farm was like a private petting zoo.

The park rangers made this site so awesome. They turned the film on just for us – a private showing. As we were the only people at the Living Historical Farm, they brought the horses over for us to pet, which my wife says is one of her favorite national park experiences. These horses were giant, and they let us pet them. Next came the sheep, which we get to hand-feed. The chickens had already been put to bed.

Make sure that you note that Lincoln Boyhood is in the Central Time Zone, so if you are coming from Jasper don’t make our mistake and arrive too late to see the farm in action. The farm and I believe the Visitor Center both close at 3pm, and we made it just in time to see the animals before they went to bed.

After the National Memorial, we crossed the street to Lincoln State Park for a late afternoon hike. The lake trail was a good way to burn off the tenderloin, and the 1935 CCC fire tower is worth seeking out.

We spent the evening hanging out with my cousin, aunt and uncle at their house and had tacos for dinner.

Day 4 – George Rogers Clark, Hemlock Cliffs, and Graduation

Family was busy in the morning, so we snuck out to see the nearby George Rogers Clark National Memorial. Before this trip, I had never heard of George Rogers Clark. After this trip, I can’t believe he is not a household name.

The Long Knives park film is the best we have seen yet at any NPS site, and it kept us on the edge of our seats. At 25 years old, Clark led 170 frontiersmen through 180 miles of flooded wilderness in the winter, wading through freezing water, and somehow won a fight with the British. This victory secured the American claim to the entire Northwest Territory. Standing in the massive granite rotunda and taking in Ezra Winter’s seven murals is a profound experience.

Talk to the rangers here to fill in the gaps, as the stories behind the murals go deeper than the tour. This was a quick stop, under an hour and a half, but it taught us a lot.

From Vincennes, we headed southeast toward Hoosier National Forest to hike the Hemlock Cliffs. This was less about history and more about scenery. I think the National Forests are one of the best ways to connect with the land, and the Hemlock Cliffs did not disappoint.

The hike is less than two hours and took under an hour. It was raining on our hike, leading to slippery trails. We went slow and played it safe, and were rewarded by over a half-dozen waterfalls in the bright green Indiana forest. We did have to do a few creek crossings, so our feet got wet. It was worth it, and nice to be in a place with clear water and no giant alligators.

In the evening, we attended my cousin’s graduation ceremony, which was awesome!

Day 5 – Family Time

Day 5 was spent celebrating with and hanging out with family. This was a nice break from running around.

Day 6 – Mammoth Cave

On the 6^th day, my grandparents went home, so we said our goodbyes and took the rural route from Southern Indiana to Mammoth Cave National Park. I loved driving through the small hills, and there was not a lot to do along the way. We listened to bluegrass music to set the tone.

In Louisville, we grabbed coffee, at the first spot we had seen in an hour. Arriving at Cave City, we ate at the Dog Pound and had barbeque and Cheetos mac n cheese.

We made it to Mammoth Cave with plenty of time to enjoy the Visitor Center before our tours. Luckily, we had booked tours in advance, since we were visiting on a holiday weekend. The kiosk showed every single tour sold out for every single time, but imagine driving to Kentucky and not being able to get underground.

Our first tour was the Historic Tour, which was the right call as first-time visitors. The scale of the rooms is hard to grasp until you are standing in them: it felt like a cold, underground, historic shopping mall. Fat Man’s Misery and Tall Man’s Agony are the famous obstacles, and as a slightly fat and slightly tall man I can confirm that they were named correctly. The Bottomless Pit was unsettling, early explorers dropped rocks into it and heard nothing, because the sand at the bottom absorbed the sounds.

After a quick turnaround at the Visitor Center with coffee, burger, and bathroom stops, we did the Domes and Dripstones Tour. This one shuttled us to the New Entrance, where cave crickets lied waiting. The real payoff was the Frozen Niagara at the end, a massive flowstone formation that was stories tall. The stairs here were no joke, there were over 600 and a lot were in a row.

In the afternoon we hiked the Green River Bluffs and Heritage Loop on the surface. My wife asked me why it is called the Green River since it was brown. I could not answer this. The River Styx, where it emerges to join the Green River, is green. I was able to answer that.

Dinner at the Green River Lodge wrapped up our evening. The waitress steered us towards the fried green tomato BLT and the country-fried, chicken-fried chicken. She was right on both accounts, and we finished with derby pie, a Kentucky classic.

We checked into the Wigwam Village No. 2 for the night. The rules were simple: there is a bonfire every night in the center of the village. Come sit at it and meet your neighbors. Wave goodbye after you check out in the morning. We followed both rules, and met a man who stayed here in the 1950s as a kid. One visitor told us about the monarch butterfly migration, and what a Hoosier is. We recommend staying in the concrete teepee on your trip too.

Day 7 – Lantern Tour and Lincoln Birthplace

After checking out and waving bye at the Wigwam Village, we headed back on the short drive to Mammoth Cave. Our final tour was the Great Onyx Lantern Tour. The lantern tour was the ideal way to end the trip, and the formations sparkle in lantern light in a way that electric light cannot replicate. This tour brought moving shadows, quiet passages, and the explanation of the history of early Kentucky cave tourism. My wife said this was her favorite cave tour ever, due to the lanterns.

On our way out of Kentucky, we stopped at Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park and saw both units before heading home. The site is free and around an hour from Mammoth Cave, making it a great last stop.

The Birthplace Unit surprised us with the Memorial Building. After driving through Kentucky farmland with fence rows and rolling hills, you arrive at a neoclassical marble building from 1910. This was the first Lincoln Memorial ever built, before the one in Washington D.C. Inside it sits a symbolic log cabin, bringing Lincoln’s origins to life.

The Lincoln Family Bible in the Visitor Center was my favorite artifact of the whole trip. It was worn in a lived-in way. The log cabin interior mark-up was another highlight, especially the cougar-skin rug.

The Knob Creek Unit is 10 miles away through pleasant LaRue County farmland. This is the quieter, more rural unit, with a creek, the reconstructed cabin, and fields of wildflowers. The Overlook Trail here is the best hike at either unit, with over 400 feet of elevation gain and a ridge view of the valley. We passed two patches of flowers and dozens of butterflies, which felt like a nice way to end the trip.

We rested on the red eye home and reflected on our new education, very aware of how much of this country we still haven’t seen.

Trip Summary

Southern Indiana and Kentucky is an efficient stretch of the country for NPS sites, which surprised us. There are 5 NPS sites, a national forest highlight, and a state park (there were more nearby), and most of it was free. The Lincoln thread connected our trip, making the stops feel intentional.

The standout moments were the Great Onyx Lantern Tour, the park film at George Rogers Clark, petting the big horses at Lincoln Boyhood, and the bonfire at the Wigwam Village No. 2.

Itinerary Options

There are several ways to recreate this trip with different lengths depending on your available time. Southern Indiana-only or Kentucky-only would make strong two-day weekend trips. Combine both for a 4-day visit, and we will give you our best recommendations for additional days if you have them available.

Southern Indiana Only (2 Days)

A focused Indiana loop hits three strong NPS sites and some forest hiking without crossing into Kentucky.

Day 1:

• Morning – George Rogers Clark National Historic Park, Vincennes (1.5 hours)
• Noon – drive to Lincoln City, visit Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial (arrive before 3 for the farm and Visitor Center) (2 hours)
• Late Afternoon – Lincoln State Park: Lake Trail and CCC Fire Tower (1.5 hours)

Day 2:

• Morning – Hemlock Cliffs hike in Hoosier National Forest (1 hour)
• Afternoon – Marengo Cave Tour (2 hours)

This itinerary is best for history enthusiast, families, and anybody who wants a mix of NPS sites, forests, and caves without venturing into Kentucky.

Kentucky Only (2 Days)

This underground-focused Kentucky trip stays mostly around Cave City/Hodgenville.

Day 1:

• Morning – Arrive at Mammoth Cave, Visitor Center, Historic Tour (9am – noon)
• Afternoon – Domes and Dripstones tour (1-3 pm), Hike the Green River Bluff Trail before dinner.
• Evening – Dinner at the Green River Lodge, stay at Wigwam Village No. 2.

Day 2:

• Morning – a lantern tour at Mammoth Cave, either Great Onyx or Violet City
• Afternoon – Drive to Abraham Lincoln Birthplace, Birthplace Unit and Knob Creek Unit (3-4 hours for both)

This itinerary is best for a cave-centered trip or anybody who wants a focused central Kentucky trip with some history sprinkled in.

4-Day Trip

For a long weekend, combine the the Southern Indiana and Central Kentucky Itineraries. Start with Indiana, and work your way south. This is a great option for a trip balanced between Lincoln history and caves.

Expanding to 5 or 6 Days

The 4-Day itinerary moves quickly and leaves a few things on the table. You could easily add a 5^th or even 6^th day without overextending the trip.

Adding a 5^th Day

The best use of a 5^th day is the Green River at Mammoth Cave. We had this on our wish list and ran out of time. A half-day kayak or canoe trip, such as the Green River Ferry to Dennison Ferry route would balance the three days of being underground. You could paddle in the morning and take the Lantern Tour in the Evening.

Adding a 6^th Day

A full 6^th day opens up some interesting side trips that did not fit the base itinerary.

Here are our top picks:

• Lost River Cave: 40 minutes from Mammoth Cave, this cave offers an underground boat tour in the “shortest, deepest river in the world”. This is a completely different experience from Mammoth Cave and would be a great addition.
• My Old Kentucky Home State Park and Bardstown: Federal Hill and Bardstown would be a fun afternoon, especially when paired with the Log Still Distillery.
• Angel Mounds State Historic Site: Located in Evansville, this is one of the best-preserved Mississippian mound complexes in the country, from 1000-1450 AD. If you missed Evansville on your Indiana day, add it back in for this.
• The Abbey of Gethsemani: This is the oldest Trappist monastery in the US, located near Bardstown. They sell fruitcake and cheese in the gift shop.

Adding Lost River Cave and Bardstown/Gethsemani on the ends of your central Kentucky trip will help it feel more fleshed out without needing much additional drive time.

Practical Notes

• The time zones are confusing. Mammoth Cave and Lincoln Boyhood are both Central, and George Rogers Clark and Abraham Lincoln Birthplace are both Eastern.
• Book tours well in advance, at least 2-4 weeks if not more for Mammoth Cave. They may sell out completely.
• Stay at the Wigwam Village No. 2. This is one of the most memorable lodging experiences in the region, and it is only 15 minutes from Mammoth Cave.

Full Guides

Links to our full guides are below. We have individual posts for each stop on the trip to help you plan:

• Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial
• Lincoln State Park
• George Rogers Clark National Historic Park
• Mammoth Cave National Park
• Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park

Frequently Asked Questions

How many National Park Service sites are on this road trip?

Five NPS sites plus Mammoth Cave National Park.

Is 4 days enough?

Yes, but 7 days allows a more relaxed pace.

What is the best tour at Mammoth Cave?

The Historic Tour for first-time visitors and the Great Onyx Lantern Tour for atmosphere.

Is this road trip family friendly?

Yes. Every stop is suitable for families.

What is the best place to stay?

Wigwam Village No. 2 near Mammoth Cave was our favorite lodging experience.