Canoe Trips & Kayak Trips – Cave City, KY

Houchins Ferry to Brownsville boat ramp 5 mile, 2 hours.

Ready for a kayak adventure? This is one of the most scenic and popular trips on the Green River.

Launch from Houchins Ferry and paddle 3 miles downstream to the Brownsville recently removed lock 6, a relaxing journey that typically takes 1.5 to 2 hours. Along the way, you’ll pass the confluence of the Nolin River, where the two waterways meet beneath the towering bluffs and forests of the Mammoth Cave National Park.

This stretch of river offers gentle currents and easy paddling, making it an excellent choice for beginners, families, and anyone looking to enjoy a peaceful day on the water. Keep an eye out for bald eagles, great blue herons, deer, turtles, and other wildlife that call the river corridor home.

Known for its outstanding fishing and natural beauty, this route provides the perfect balance of relaxation and adventure. Whether you’re seeking a quiet escape, hoping to spot wildlife, or simply looking to experience the beauty of the Green River, the Houchins Ferry to Brownsville trip is an unforgettable way to explore Kentucky’s most iconic waterway.

8 Miles, Approximately 3-3.5 Hours

Take our most popular trip! This short excursion is a great way for beginning canoeists, families, or those on a tight schedule to experience the beauty and wildlife of the Green River.

11 Miles, Approximately 4-4.5 Hours

This trip begins in the tailwaters of Nolin Lake, with the launch site at the foot of the beautiful Dismal Rock. A picturesque canopy of trees keeps you shaded through most of this trip, as it once did in the 1900s when steamboats transported asphalt downriver. The entire trip is abundant with many forms of wild plant and animal life. As you enter Green River at the mouth of Nolin, turn right and paddle downstream for three miles to Brownsville Ramp, where your trip ends. Geology instructors at Western Kentucky University often take their students on this excursion as a field trip to study the area’s unique geological formations.

12 Miles, Approximately 5.5 Hours

This trip begins at the Green River Ferry and lets you canoe the stream that helped form the mighty Mammoth Cave. It takes you through deep gorges and wooded hills with abundant wildlife. When the skies are clear, you’ll experience a sunny day and pass sandy beaches and quaint islands where you can take a break or have a picnic.