How far is Bowling Green, KY from Cave City, KY?

The driving distance from Bowling Green, KY to Cave City, KY is about 31.8 miles (51.1 km), with a travel time of about 00h 38m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 28.6 miles (46.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 17m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
31.78 mi
00h 38m
Flight
28.68 mi
46.15 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Bowling Green.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
28.68 mi
Kilometers
46.15 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
31.78 mi
Kilometers
51.14 km
Drive Time
00h 38m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 38m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Cave City
Sun, Apr 12, 7:21 AM CDT
Return by in Bowling Green
Sun, Apr 12, 7:59 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Bowling Green
2026-04-12T06:42
Arrive Cave City
Sun, Apr 12, 7:21 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 38m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:39 AM to 7:39 PM CDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:12 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Bowling Green
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Smiths Grove
KY

Human settlement in Warren County, Kentucky, United States of America

From Bowling Green
15.8 mi
00h 19m
To Cave City
15.9 mi
00h 19m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
85°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 12 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
2 to 12 mph S
Destination
83°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 12 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
2 to 10 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Bowling Green and Cave City.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bowling Green and Cave City.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    98 m · 29 sec

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Chestnut Street

    2228 ft · 1 min · Chestnut Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto East 7th Avenue

    761 ft · 13 sec · East 7th Avenue

  4. 4

    Continue on Fairview Avenue

    1.7 mi · 3 min · Fairview Avenue

  5. 5

    Continue on Cemetery Road

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Cemetery Road

  6. 6

    Take the ramp left

    1569 ft · 38 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Interstate Highway 65

    26.2 mi · 28 min · Interstate Highway 65

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward KY 70, KY 90: Cave City, Glasgow

    1608 ft · 41 sec

  9. 9

    Turn right

    693 ft · 20 sec

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Mammoth Cave Street

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Mammoth Cave Street

  11. 11

    Continue on Broadway Street

    1142 ft · 23 sec · Broadway Street

  12. 12

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Broadway Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Bowling Green and Cave City.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
12 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
37.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Interstate Highway 65
26.2 mi · 83%
Fairview Avenue
1.69 mi · 5%
Cemetery Road
1.47 mi · 5%
Mammoth Cave Street
1.11 mi · 3%
Chestnut Street
0.42 mi · 1%
KY 70
0.3 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Interstate Highway 65

Merge slight left onto Interstate Highway 65

26.2 mi · 00h 28m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 38m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 18m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.2 mi
28.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Smiths Grove
00h 19m from Bowling Green
Leave By
7:12 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Bowling Green and Mostly Sunny near Cave City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Bowling Green to Cave City?

The road trip is about 31.8 miles (51.1 km) and usually takes 00h 38m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Smiths Grove is a useful midpoint, sitting about 15.8 miles from Bowling Green and 15.9 miles from Cave City.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 28.6 miles (46.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.2 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:12 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.22 one way or $8.45 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 10 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Bowling Green and Mostly Sunny near Cave City.

Stop Ideas Near Smiths Grove

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Smiths Grove, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Smiths Grove.

BUS

Nashville, TN

112 mi away
705 5th Avenue South
BUS

Clarksville, TN

118 mi away
11 Jefferson Street \r\n
BUS

Madisonville, KY

119 mi away
4765 Hanson Road

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Bowling Green and Cave City. Straight-line distance: 28.68 mi (46.15 km).

Bowling Green

#1 Bowling Green

The most populous city in Warren County, Kentucky.

Population70,631
Coordinates36.9903200, -86.4436000
Altitude161
CountryUnited States
Cave City

#2 Cave City

City in Kentucky

Population2,426
Coordinates37.1367200, -85.9569200
Altitude193
CountryUnited States
Start: Bowling Green (-86.4436, 36.99032)
End: Cave City (-85.95692, 37.13672)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 51 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 03m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 47m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 38m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 31m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 27m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 23m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.12 gal
4.24 L · about $4.22
Round trip
$8.45
2.24 gal · 8.48 L
Estimated CO2
10 kg one way
Round trip: 19.9 kg / 44 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $4.22 $8.45
Mid-grade $4.25 $4.76 $9.53
Premium $4.65 $5.21 $10.42
Diesel $5.30 $5.94 $11.88

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Kentucky · Apr 12, 2026

There is no time difference between Bowling Green and Cave City. The current time is 06:42:54.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.