This paper determines the excess free energy associated with the formation of a spherical cavity in a hard sphere fluid. The solvation free energy can be calculated by integration of the structural changes induced by inserting the cavity using a number of different exact thermodynamic pathways. We consider three such pathways, including a new density route derived here. Structural information about the nonuniform hard sphere fluid in the presence of a general external field is given by the recently developed hydrostatic linear response (HLR) integral equation. Use of the HLR results in the different pathways gives a generally accurate determination of the solvation free energy for cavities over a wide range of sizes, from zero to infinity. Results for a related method, the Gaussian field model, are also discussed. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.