You know what’s a cool place to visit, even during a record-setting heat wave? A cave. Alabama has a few to choose from.
Truth be told, Alabama has a lot of caves. Many are well-known to cavers but are on private property and aren’t open as public attractions. Some that once offered public access have changed hands and closed. Many require the ability and equipment to navigate vertical passages, meaning they’re inaccessible and/or dangerous to casual sightseers.
This list focuses on caves that are open and accessible to the public to some extent. Among those that are open for tours, highlights include average year-round temperatures in the neighborhood of 60 degrees.
READ: Alabama cave reveals mysterious new images traced by ancient hands
Majestic Caverns (formerly known as DeSoto Caverns)
We might as well cover this one first, because a lot of you have grown up with the name “DeSoto Caverns” and the ink is still wet on the name change. Operators say the transition was in works for five years or more and was motivated by a range of concerns, some of which were spiritual. “Our company’s focus is to ‘reach hearts,’” they say. “As Christian business owners, we have wanted to honor people as well as steward the land God has given us. A part of stewardship involves choosing a name that honors God and points to His amazing creativity in this beautiful underground wonder.” The guided tour takes “nearly an hour and includes a walk through our signature Healing-All Cathedral room, our onyx room, a back passageway to a natural waterfall, and a top-rated underground laser light and water show.” The year-round temperature is about 60 degrees. Outside attractions include “a maze, gem panning, crystal find, wacky water golf, archery” and a campground. Open Thursday-Monday. Ticketing options can be found at majesticcaverns.com/park-offerings. A ticket covering the cavern tour and entertainment is $29.98; all-inclusive passes with unlimited access to attractions are $49.98 for adults, with $3 discounts for children and seniors. The cave is at 5181 DeSoto Caverns Parkway in Childersburg, about 35 miles southeast of Birmingham.
Cathedral Caverns State Park
This cave was opened as a public attraction in the 1950s, when it was called “Bat Cave.” The state purchased it in 1987 and opened it as a state park in 2000, according to the Alabama State Parks Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Features of interest inside Cathedral Caverns include “Goliath,” a stalagmite that’s 45 feet tall and 243 feet around; a “frozen waterfall” of stone; and a stalagmite forest — all with a year-round temperature of 58-60 degrees. The park comprises nearly 500 acres; other attractions include hiking trails, gemstone mining, camping in facilities ranging from cabins to primitive backwoods sites and more. Daily 90-minute tours cave tours are offered at rates of $20 for patrons 13 and up, $18 for adults with military ID, $9 for ages 5-12. More details can be found at www.alapark.com/parks/cathedral-caverns-state-park. Updates can be found at www.facebook.com/CathedralCavernsStatePark. The park is at 637 Cave Road in Woodville, between Huntsville and Scottsboro.
Rickwood Caverns State Park
According to the Alabama Parks Division, what makes this cave unique is “260-million-year-old formations that were created by water and reveal evidence that the cave was carved from an ocean bed.” The cave tour is a mile long and takes about an hour. Tours are offered at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. daily. The average temperature is 58-62 degrees. Additional attractions include “a gift shop, picnicking, gemstone mining, camping, playground, and hiking the Fossil Mountain Hiking Trail, which got its name from the leaf and seashell imprints visible in some of the rocks.” Cave tours are $9 for children ages 5-11, $19 for patrons 12 and older. The park is at 370 Rickwood Park Road in Warrior. There’s also “an Olympic-size swimming pool, fed by chilly waters from the cave;” admission for that is $7 for patrons 5 and older. For information, visit www.alapark.com/parks/rickwood-caverns-state-park. For updates, see www.facebook.com/RickwoodCavernsStatePark.
Manitou Cave
The layers of history at this site in the Fort Payne area include Cherokee inscriptions, Civil War saltpeter mining and use as a tourist attraction prior to 1979. A nonprofit organization was formed in 2016 “to save and preserve this living natural museum and world treasure.” Here’s how that organization describes some of the site’s features: “Stand beside Great Spirit Mountain, a natural formation within the cave standing over 40 feet tall. Study sacred Cherokee syllabary inscriptions and ponder how they could have appeared on a 50-foot-high ceiling. Travel deeper and reflect in the grand ballroom where galas were held in the late 19th century. Find your inner peace, closed off from the rest of the world, with the calming sounds of the gentle stream flowing through the cave.” Access is limited and by appointment only; information on how to request a visit or make a donation can be found at www.manitoucaveofal.org/visit.
Russell Cave National Monument
Established in 1961, this cave is run under the auspices of the National Park Service. Visitors are not allowed to enter the cave but they can walk to its entrance and see a site where archaeologists have documented “one of the most complete records of prehistoric cultures in the Southeast … [with] artifacts representing over 10,000 years of use in a single place.” Other attractions include demonstrations of prehistoric skills, educational presentations, a 1.2-mile hiking trail and a 0.2-mile nature trail. Unlike most cave sites, pets are welcome. The cave is at 3729 County Road 98 Bridgeport, in the northeast corner of the state. The grounds are open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. There is no entrance fee. For full information, visit https://www.nps.gov/ruca/learn/index.htm.
Sauta Cave National Wildlife Refuge
This 264-acre refuge west of Scottsboro was established to provide crucial habitat for endangered gray and Indiana bats. For that reason, the cave itself is gated and not open to the public. But in summer months, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, “one of nature’s most spectacular events occurs every evening. At dusk, 200,000-400,000 bats leave Sauta Cave to begin their nightly foraging.” There is a viewing platform. “It is recommended that you bring a flashlight, and cover/rain gear due to bat guano droppings.” www.fws.gov/refuge/sauta-cave. The refuge is just above the Sauty Creek embayment on TVA’s Guntersville Reservoir, 7 miles west of Scottsboro in Jackson County. There is an entrance gate to the Refuge on the south side of U.S. Highway 72. There is no visitor center.
Stephens Gap Callahan Cave Preserve
The vertical entrance to this cave’s main pit requires caving skills and equipment. But, according to the Southeastern Cave Conservancy, a second walk-in entrance offers a view of the 143-foot pit that has made it “one of the most photographed caves in the United States.” While access is available, it is an undeveloped site without the safeguards typical of other entries in this list. Casual visitors should exercise caution, as falls at the cave have resulted in fatalities. There are daily visitor limits and permits are required, though there is no charge. Same-day permits are offered, but weekend permits “are usually taken 2-3 weeks in advance.” To request a permit, visit permits.scci.org. The cave is in “the heart of Jackson County.”
Note: The Southeastern Cave Conservancy oversees a number of cave preserves, most of which require specialized equipment and expertise to explore. For more information, visit saveyourcaves.org.
