There are 7 ways to get from Des Moines to Mammoth Cave National Park by plane, car, bus, car ferry, train, or taxi
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly to Blue Grass Airport, drive
best- Fly from Des Moines (DSM) to Blue Grass Airport (LEX)plane DSM - LEX
- Drive from Lexington-Airport-LEX to Mammoth Cave National Parkcar
6h 52m$260–1,256Drive 617.3 mi
cheapest- Drive from Des Moines to Mammoth Cave National Parkcar 617.3 mi
11h 51m$113–163Bus, car ferry
- Take the bus from Des Moines to Indianapolis Union Stationbus
- Take the bus from Indianapolis to Shell gas station - Cave Citybus
- Take the carferry from Mammoth Cave to Mammoth Cavecarferry
16h 25m$129–297Fly to Nashville, bus, car ferry
- Fly from Des Moines (DSM) to Nashville (BNA)plane DSM - BNA
- Take the bus from Tornado Bus Co - Nashville to Shell Gas Station - Smiths Grovebus
- Take the carferry from Mammoth Cave to Mammoth Cavecarferry
6h$166–771Fly to Louisville International Airport, bus, car ferry
- Fly from Des Moines (DSM) to Louisville International Airport (SDF)plane DSM - SDF
- Take the bus from La Tropicana - Louisville, KY to Shell gas station - Cave Citybus
- Take the carferry from Mammoth Cave to Mammoth Cavecarferry
8h 58m$202–961Fly to Owensboro–Daviess County Regional Airport, drive
- Fly from Des Moines (DSM) to Owensboro–Daviess County Regional Airport (OWB)plane DSM - OWB
- Drive from Owensboro–Daviess County Regional Airport (OWB) to Mammoth Cave National Parkcar
6h 52m$119–515Bus, train, taxi
- Take the bus from Des Moines to Galesburgbus
- Take the train from Galesburg Amtrak Station to Chicago Union Stationtrain
- Take the train from Chicago Union Station to Indianapolistrain
- Take the bus from Indianapolis Union Station to Uptonbus
- Take the taxi from Upton to Mammoth Cave National Parktaxi
19h 55m$247–444
Des Moines (DSM) to Blue Grass Airport (LEX) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Des Moines to Mammoth Cave National Park is to drive which costs $110 - $170 and takes 11h 51m.
The fastest way to get from Des Moines to Mammoth Cave National Park is to fly and bus and car ferry which takes 6h and costs $160 - $800.
The distance between Des Moines and Mammoth Cave National Park is 672 miles. The road distance is 620.9 miles.
The best way to get from Des Moines to Mammoth Cave National Park without a car is to bus and train and taxi which takes 19h 55m and costs $240 - $450.
It takes approximately 6h 52m to get from Des Moines to Mammoth Cave National Park, including transfers.
Yes, the driving distance between Des Moines to Mammoth Cave National Park is 621 miles. It takes approximately 11h 51m to drive from Des Moines to Mammoth Cave National Park.
There are 39+ hotels available in Mammoth Cave National Park.
What companies run services between Des Moines, IA, USA and Mammoth Cave National Park, KY, USA?
There is no direct connection from Des Moines to Mammoth Cave National Park. However, you can take the taxi to Des-Moines-Airport-DSM airport, fly to Blue Grass Airport (LEX), then drive to Mammoth Cave National Park. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Des Moines to Mammoth Cave National Park via Indianapolis Union Station, Ctc-R, Lafayette Rd & Georgetown Rd, Indianapolis, Shell gas station - Cave City, Mammoth Cave, and Mammoth Cave in around 16h 25m.
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Des Moines to Blue Grass Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 16m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $310–1,500
Flights from Des Moines to Blue Grass Airport via Detroit
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 2m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $260–1,400
Flights from Des Moines to Blue Grass Airport via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 52m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $280–1,400
Flights from Des Moines to Louisville International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 47m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $220–1,100
Flights from Des Moines to Louisville International Airport via Detroit
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–950
Flights from Des Moines to Louisville International Airport via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 53m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–950
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Des Moines to Blue Grass Airport via Charlotte
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 51m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $320–1,500
Flights from Des Moines to Blue Grass Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 3m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $390–1,700
Flights from Des Moines to Blue Grass Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 56m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $220–1,200
Flights from Des Moines to Louisville International Airport via Charlotte
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–1,100
Flights from Des Moines to Louisville International Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 33m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–800
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Des Moines to Blue Grass Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 48m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $220–1,200
Flights from Des Moines to Louisville International Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 27m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–800
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Des Moines to Nashville via Chicago Midway
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 46m
- When
- Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $120–650
Flights from Des Moines to Louisville International Airport via Chicago Midway
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 48m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $140–800
- Website
- contouraviation.com
Flights from Des Moines to Owensboro–Daviess County Regional Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 55m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $85–470
Flights from Des Moines to Owensboro–Daviess County Regional Airport via Charlotte
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 20m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $140–650
Flights from Des Moines to Owensboro–Daviess County Regional Airport via Detroit, Charlotte
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 27m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $160–700
- Website
- allegiantair.com
Flights from Des Moines to Nashville
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 34m
- When
- Thursday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $100–600
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Galesburg Amtrak Station to Chicago Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 55m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $50–110
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Chicago Union Station to Indianapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 54m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $60–130
- Website
- Amtrak
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- [email protected]
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Des Moines to Indianapolis Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 40m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $70–140
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Des Moines to Galesburg
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 30m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $30–60
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Indianapolis Union Station to Upton
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 45m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- $26–50
- Website
- Greyhound
- Phone
- +1 888 358 6762
- [email protected]
- Website
- Tornado Bus Company
Bus from Indianapolis to Shell gas station - Cave City
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 4m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $55–160
- Schedules at
- Tornado Bus Company
- Adults 11-59
- $55–160
Bus from Tornado Bus Co - Nashville to Shell Gas Station - Smiths Grove
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 27m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $40–140
- Schedules at
- Tornado Bus Company
- Adults 11-59
- $40–140
Bus from La Tropicana - Louisville, KY to Shell gas station - Cave City
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 33m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $40–130
- Schedules at
- Tornado Bus Company
- Adults 11-59
- $40–130
- Phone
- +1 202-208-6843
- Website
- National Parks Shuttle Bus
Car ferry from Mammoth Cave to Mammoth Cave
- Ave. Duration
- 5 min
- Frequency
- Every 10 minutes
- Website
- National Parks Shuttle Bus
Car ferry from Mammoth Cave to Mammoth Cave
- Ave. Duration
- 5 min
- Frequency
- Every 10 minutes
- Website
- National Parks Shuttle Bus
Car ferry from Mammoth Cave to Mammoth Cave
- Ave. Duration
- 5 min
- Frequency
- Every 10 minutes
- Website
- National Parks Shuttle Bus
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- Estimated price
- $80–95
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