It’s no secret that Alabama has one of the nation’s highest cave densities, with most of the caves hiding in Jackson County. If you enjoy exploring caves, or anything outdoors for that matter, you’ll want to visit the town of Woodville. Woodville is home to three of Alabama’s most incredible caves, and it’s also within a two-hour drive of six other caves. To learn about Woodville and these Alabama caves, take a look below.
Woodville, as previously mentioned, is located in Jackson County, Alabama. Each year, thousands of people visit this small town to explore its caves and nearby caves, which include the following:
1. Cathedral Caverns - Woodville
Cathedral Caverns State Park, 637 Cave Rd, Woodville, AL 35776, USA
Cathedral Caverns is located in Woodville and is the main feature of Cathedral Caverns State Park. It also has one of the largest cave entrances in the world.
2. Stephens Gap Cave - Woodville
Stephens Gap Callahan Cave Preserve, 8408 Co Rd 30, Woodville, AL 35776, USA
Also in Woodville is Stephens Gap Cave (Stephens Gap Callahan Cave Preserve). It has two entrances, a waterfall, and is one of the nation's most photographed caves.
3. Fern Cave - Woodville
Fern Cave National Wildlife Refuge, Woodville, AL 35776, USA
Another cave in Woodville is Fern Cave, the main feature of Alabama's Fern Cave National Wildlife Refuge. This cave has more than 15 miles of passages, a pit of more than 450 feet, and 18 levels. It's filled with lots of diverse cave fauna, making it one of the nation's most spectacular caves.
4. Sauta Cave - Scottsboro
Sauta Cave National Wildlife Refuge, Scottsboro, AL 35769, USA
About 20 minutes outside of Woodville is Sauta Cave, which was formerly known as Blowing Wind Cave. Sauta Cave (Sauta Cave National Wildlife Refuge) is known for having the world's largest concentration of endangered gray bats, which emerge each summer.
5. Tumbling Rock Cave - Fackler
Tumbling Rock Cave Preserve, 3407 Co Rd 111, Fackler, AL 35746, USA
About 30 minutes from Woodville in Fackler is Tumbling Rock Cave. This cave is filled with lots of stalactites and stalagmites. It's best known for its Topless Dome - a 400-foot-tall shaft with a flowing waterfall.
6. Neversink Pit - Fackler
Neversink Pit, Fackler, AL 35746, USA
Also in Fackler is Neversink Pit (Neversink Cave Preserve). Neversink Pit has a drop of 162 feet and is one of the world's most photographed sinkholes.
7. Russell Cave - Bridgeport
Russell Cave National Monument, 3729 Co Rd 98, Bridgeport, AL 35740, USA
About 45 minutes from Woodville is Alabama's Russell Cave National Monument, which is simply known as Russell Cave. Based on archaeological evidence, Russell Cave is one of the Southeast's most prehistoric caves.
8. Manitou Cave - Fort Payne
Manitou Cave, Fort Payne, AL 35967, USA
About 50 minutes from Woodville is Manitou Cave. Manitou Cave is located in the side of Lookout Mountain and was a source of saltpeter for the Confederate Army during the Civil War.
9. Rickwood Caverns - Warrior
Rickwood Caverns State Park, 370 Rickwood Park Rd, Warrior, AL 35180, USA
And finally, about an hour and a half from Woodville is Warrior, which happens to be the home of Rickwood Caverns. Rickwood Caverns is the main feature of Rickwood Caverns State Park. Visitors of this cave will be lead 175 feet below the earth via its tour. Due to the number of shell fragments that experts have discovered over the years, Rickwood Caverns is believed to have been carved from an ocean bed.
Have you ever explored, or visited, any of these nine Alabama caves? If so, please feel free to share your experience(s) with us in the comments below.
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