Brownsville

Brownsville around 2001

Brownsville is a small town in Kentucky's Caves and Lakes region. The town lies on the western edge of Mammoth Cave National Park and is the seat of Edmonson County.

Get in

Brownsville does not lie on any interstate or US highway. KY-70 provides access from Morgantown and I-165 to the west and from Cave City as well as I-65 to the east. The town can be accessed from Leitchfield and the Wendell Ford Western Kentucky Parkway from the north via KY-259.

Do

• 1 Nolin Lake State Park, 2998 Brier Creek Rd. Mammoth Cave (16 miles northeast of Brownsville), ☏ +1 270-286-4240. A Kentucky state park on Nolin River Lake. The park features a campground, boat ramp, hiking trails, and a swimming beach. 
• Mammoth Cave National Park, 1 Mammoth Cave Parkway, Mammoth Cave, ☏ +1 270-758-2180. The longest cave system in the world with 350 miles of known passageways. There are 53,000 acres of hardwood forest offering camping, canoeing, fishing and hiking. (updated Feb 2016)

Events

• Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular - Nolin Lake State Park, July 4th.
• Rocky Hill Civil War Days - July
• Edmonson County Fair - early September --- Edmonson County Lion's Club holds one of the state's longest-running annual county fairs.
• Brownsville Christmas Parade - first Saturday in December

Eat

• 1 Kyrock Grill, 7879 Kentucky Highway 259 Bee Spring (8 miles north of Brownsville), ☏ +1 270-286-0222. Home style cooking. 
• 2 Porky Pig Diner, 125 Park Boundary Rd. Smiths Grove (8 miles southeast of Brownsville), ☏ +1 270-597-2422. A local diner known for its barbecue. 
• Minit Mart/Godfather's Pizza, 101 Houchin's Ferry Road. Marathon gasoline for your car, pizza, pepperoni rolls, and others made fresh. (updated May 2015)

Drink

Brownsville and Edmonson County are dry meaning no alcohol sales are allowed. Cave City allows alcohol sales by the drink in restaurants seating over 100 people, and allows packaged alcohol sales. Bowling Green is the other closest city that allows packaged alcohol sales.

Sleep

Bed & Breakfasts

• 1 Serenity Hill Bed and Breakfast, 3600 Mammoth Cave Rd (on KY 70), ☏ +1 270-597-9647. On a hilltop a mile out of Mammoth Cave National Park. The decor can only be described as casually elegant. The 3 guest rooms are comfortably decorated and have full private baths. Sit, back, relax and enjoy the views from on the large covered porch. Serenity Hill is located just minutes from the Turn Hole Bend and Cedar Sink hiking trails. This rural Edmonson County bed and breakfast is 4 miles from Brownsville. 

Cabins

• 2 Cottages at Briar Creek, 2772 Brier Creek Rd. Mammoth Cave (16 miles northeast of Brownsville), ☏ +1 502-741-8941. Just outside the entrance of Nolin Lake State Park. 

Campgrounds

• 3 Nolin Lake State Park, 2998 Brier Creek Rd. Mammoth Cave (16 miles northeast of Brownsville), ☏ +1 270-286-4240. The campground features 32 sites with electric hookups. Amenities include shower houses, laundry, grocery, boat ramp, playground, and a swimming area. The campground is open April 1 through October 31. Reservations may be made up to one year in advance and there is a 2-night minimum stay on the weekends. 

Connect

By phone

Most telephone numbers in Brownsville, and the rest of Edmonson County, consist of +1 270 plus a seven-digit number, but the region is now served by an overlay complex of two area codes, with +1 364 being the second. A local or in-state telephone call now requires that all 10 digits of the local number be dialed (omitting just the leading +1 from a local landline call).

Signage on many established businesses may still display the original seven-digit numbers; dial 270 before these if no area code is indicated.

Go next

• Bowling Green
• Cave City
• Mammoth Cave National Park
• Morgantown

Routes through Brownsville

Central City ← Morgantown ←

W  S

→ Mammoth Cave → Cave City