1,495
trips planned today
trips planned today
out of 5
Trustscore rating
©
Horse Cave trip planner
Create a fully customized day-by-day itinerary for free
Horse Cave
Horse Cave is a home rule-class city in Hart County, Kentucky, United States. Randall Curry currently serves as mayor of the city and is assisted by a city council that is composed of six members. As of the 2010 census, the population of Horse Cave was 2,311.HistoryThe town was settled by Major Albert Anderson in the 1840s. The landowner donated land for a Louisville and Nashville Railroad station in 1858 on the provision that it be named after nearby Horse Cave. The community around the station developed quickly, so that a post office was erected in 1860, and the city was formally incorporated by the state assembly in 1864.The cave for which the city is named is located on the south side of Main Street. Various explanations are given for its unusual name. One is that Native Americans or outlaws hid horses in the cave; another is that an early carriage may have lost a horse when it fell into the opening by accident; a third reason involves the 19th-century use of "horse" as slang for anything big or huge, related to a similar use of the Swedish hoss. The cave has also been known as "Hidden River Cave", for an underground stream located inside. That stream was used to power a dynamo, and for a while in the late 19th century Horse Cave was the only city in Kentucky apart from Louisville and Ashland to have electric lights. Around World War I, the only air-conditioned tennis courts in the world were located near the entrance of the cave. The stream also provided the town's water supply, but mistaken development caused raw sewage to seep into the water and forced the closure of the cave for fifty years. The stench was so bad in the 1960s that pedestrians typically crossed to the other side of Main Street rather than walk near the entrance and birds would sometimes fall from the sky. The problem has been largely solved in recent years.Take a look at our United States trip builder to refine the details of your trip to Horse Cave.
Source
Create a full itinerary — for free!
Plan your trip to Horse Cave
-
Get a personalized tripA full day by day itinerary based on your preferences
-
Customize itRefine your trip. We'll find the
best routes and schedules -
Book itChoose from the best hotels and activities. Up to 50% off
-
Manage itEverything in one place. Everyone on the same page.
Know more
Popular things to do in Horse Cave
Side trips from Horse Cave
Where to stay in Horse Cave

Browse hotels, guesthouses, and unique homes and book your stay on the world's leading accommodation sites.
—
2 adults
Adults (12 +) |
-
+
|
Children (2-11) |
-
+
|
Infants (Under 2) |
-
+
|
Close
Places to visit with Horse Cave
LouisvilleTrip planner
Best for: Cave, Specialty Museum, Distillery
LexingtonTrip planner
Best for: Casino, State Park, Brewery
Mammoth Cave National ParkTrip planner
Best for: World heritage site, Cave, Hiking Trail
Bowling GreenTrip planner
Best for: Cave, Specialty Museum, History Museum
FrankfortTrip planner
Best for: Distillery, Government Building, Specialty Museum
Recently planned trips to Horse Cave
1 day in Horse Cave
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo
Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum
4 days in Horse Cave
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum
Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo
The Glendale Antique Mall
5 days in Mammoth Cave National Park, Horse Cave & Louisville
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Mammoth Cave National Park
Horse Cave
Louisville
2 days in Horse Cave
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
The Glendale Antique Mall
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park
Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum
1 day in Horse Cave
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum
Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo
3 days in Horse Cave
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum
Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo
Mammoth Cave Campground
3 days in Horse Cave & Louisville
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Horse Cave
Louisville
1 day in Horse Cave
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum
Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo
4 days in Horse Cave
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum
Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo
The Lincoln Museum
4 days in Mammoth Cave National Park & Horse Cave
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Mammoth Cave National Park
Horse Cave
3 days in Horse Cave
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo
Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum
The Book Store
1 day in Horse Cave
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum
Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo
The Book Store
See also: