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

The driving distance from Cave City, KY to Bowling Green, KY is about 31.1 miles (50 km), with a travel time of about 00h 36m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 28.6 miles (46.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 12m 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
31.04 mi
00h 36m
Flight
28.68 mi
46.15 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Cave City.

Flight Distance

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

Driving Distance

Road route
31.04 mi
Kilometers
49.96 km
Drive Time
00h 36m

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 36m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Bowling Green
Mon, Jun 1, 5:23 PM CDT
Return by in Cave City
Mon, Jun 1, 5:59 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Cave City
2026-06-01T16:47
Arrive Bowling Green
Mon, Jun 1, 5:23 PM CDT
Route Timing
00h 36m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:36 AM to 7:36 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:18 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Cave City
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

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 Cave City
15.8 mi
00h 18m
To Bowling Green
15.2 mi
00h 18m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
81°F
Monday

Chance Rain Showers then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Mon, Jun 1 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 3 mph NW
Destination
82°F
This Afternoon

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Mon, Jun 1 2:00 PM CDT
Wind
3 mph N

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Broadway Street

    1142 ft · 23 sec · Broadway Street

  2. 2

    Continue on Mammoth Cave Street

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Mammoth Cave Street

  3. 3

    Turn right

    1292 ft · 29 sec

  4. 4

    Take the exit left

    1423 ft · 35 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    26.2 mi · 28 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward KY 234: Bowling Green

    1288 ft · 35 sec

  7. 7

    Turn right onto Cemetery Road

    1 mi · 2 min · Cemetery Road

  8. 8

    Continue on Fairview Avenue

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Fairview Avenue

  9. 9

    Continue on East 6th Avenue

    1072 ft · 26 sec · East 6th Avenue

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Chestnut Street

    2647 ft · 1 min · Chestnut Street

  11. 11

    Turn right

    121 m · 34 sec

  12. 12

    Turn left

    37 m · 9 sec

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

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

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
13 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
41.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Mammoth Cave Street
27.6 mi · 89%
Fairview Avenue
1.62 mi · 5%
Cemetery Road
1.02 mi · 3%
Chestnut Street
0.5 mi · 2%
KY 234
0.24 mi · 1%
Broadway Street
0.22 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Mammoth Cave Street

Merge slight left

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 36m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 12m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.5 mi
28.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Smiths Grove
00h 18m from Cave City
Leave By
7:18 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Chance Rain Showers then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Cave City and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Bowling Green.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 31.1 miles (50 km) and usually takes 00h 36m 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 Cave City and 15.2 miles from Bowling Green.

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 2.5 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 7:18 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.15 one way or $8.30 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 9.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Rain Showers then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Cave City and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Bowling Green.

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 Cave City and Bowling Green. Straight-line distance: 28.68 mi (46.15 km).

Cave City

#1 Cave City

City in Kentucky

Population2,426
Coordinates37.1367200, -85.9569200
Altitude193
CountryUnited States
Bowling Green

#2 Bowling Green

The most populous city in Warren County, Kentucky.

Population70,631
Coordinates36.9903200, -86.4436000
Altitude161
CountryUnited States
Start: Broadway Street (-85.956996, 37.136664)
End: State Street (-86.443913, 36.990612)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 50 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 02m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 46m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 37m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 31m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 26m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 23m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.1 gal
4.15 L · about $4.15
Round trip
$8.30
2.2 gal · 8.3 L
Estimated CO2
9.8 kg one way
Round trip: 19.6 kg / 43 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $4.15 $8.30
Mid-grade $4.25 $4.68 $9.36
Premium $4.65 $5.12 $10.24
Diesel $5.30 $5.83 $11.67

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 · Jun 01, 2026

There is no time difference between Cave City and Bowling Green. The current time is 16:47:25.

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.