Alabama’s karst country hides an extensive network of limestone caves that tell stories of geology, wildlife and local history. From roadside sinkholes to deep passages mapped by local caving clubs, these sites appeal to casual explorers, researchers and anyone curious about what’s beneath the surface.
There are 25 Caves in Alabama, ranging from Anvil Cave to Wolf Den Cave. For each entry you’ll find below the fields County,Coordinates (lat, lon),Access to help with planning and context; the list groups natural variety and practical visit info you’ll find below.
Are these caves open to the public?
Access varies: some caves are on public land with informal visitation, others sit on private property or within protected reserves requiring permission or guided tours. Check the Access field for each cave, confirm landowner or manager rules, and look for recent reports from local caving groups before visiting.
How should I use the coordinates and access info to prepare?
Plug the Coordinates (lat, lon) into a reliable mapping app, then verify Access restrictions and seasonal hazards; bring appropriate gear, tell someone your route, and respect conservation rules—many caves are fragile habitats or safety risks without proper experience.
Caves in Alabama
| Name | County | Coordinates (lat, lon) | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cathedral Caverns | Marshall | 34.5772,-86.2211 | State Park; fee required for tours. Open daily. |
| DeSoto Caverns | Talladega | 33.3037,-86.2575 | Commercial show cave; fee required. Part of a family fun park. |
| Rickwood Caverns | Blount | 33.8826,-86.8450 | State Park; fee required for guided tours. |
| Russell Cave | Jackson | 34.9786,-85.8119 | National Monument; free admission. Cave shelter is viewable from a boardwalk. |
| Stephens Gap | Jackson | 34.6989,-86.1367 | SCCi preserve. Free online permit required. Caving/rappelling experience needed. |
| Tumbling Rock Cave | Jackson | 34.8084,-86.0719 | SCCi preserve. Free online permit required. Suitable for beginner cavers. |
| Valhalla Cave | Jackson | 34.7953,-85.9961 | SCCi preserve. Free online permit required. Advanced vertical caving skills essential. |
| Fern Cave | Jackson | 34.6295,-86.1708 | National Wildlife Refuge. Extremely restricted; scientific permits only. |
| Sauta Cave | Jackson | 34.6292,-86.1133 | National Wildlife Refuge. Cave is closed; bat viewing area is open. |
| Anvil Cave | Morgan | 34.4011,-86.6922 | SCCi preserve. Free online permit required for access. |
| Limrock Blowing Cave | Jackson | 34.7084,-86.1953 | SCCi preserve. Free online permit required for access. |
| Key Cave | Lauderdale | 34.8458,-87.8286 | National Wildlife Refuge. Access is extremely restricted to protect endangered species. |
| Guffey Cave | Marshall | 34.4317,-86.3086 | USFWS managed. Closed to all public access to protect bat colonies. |
| Neill’s Grotto | Jackson | 34.7319,-86.1103 | SCCi preserve. Free online permit required. |
| Horse Skull Cave | Jackson | 34.9015,-85.9080 | SCCi preserve. Free online permit required for access. |
| Hughes Cave | Morgan | 34.4695,-86.9158 | SCCi preserve. Free online permit required. Gated for bat protection. |
| Byers Cave | Blount | 34.0251,-86.4839 | SCCi preserve. Free online permit required. Check for seasonal bat closures. |
| Cagle’s Chasm | Jackson | 34.9081,-85.9039 | SCCi preserve. Free online permit required. Advanced vertical skills are necessary. |
| Manitou Cave | DeKalb | 34.4267,-85.8889 | Non-profit owned. Currently closed for restoration, but special tours are planned. |
| Sequoyah Caverns | DeKalb | 34.5020,-85.7955 | Permanently closed to the public. Private property. |
| Bangor Cave | Blount | 34.1298,-86.6358 | Private property. Was a former speakeasy and show cave, now closed. |
| Kennamer Cave | Marshall | 34.5492,-86.1983 | Private property. Access is restricted and requires permission from the landowner. |
| McGlendon Cave | St. Clair | 33.7215,-86.2994 | Private, gated. Managed by the National Speleological Society. Access is restricted. |
| Wolf Den Cave | Colbert | 34.7098,-87.9056 | Public land (Freedom Hills WMA). No permit needed but check WMA rules. |
| Glove Cave | Colbert | 34.6983,-87.8967 | Private. Access controlled by the owner and requires permission via a local grotto. |
Images and Descriptions
Cathedral Caverns
Home to ‘Goliath’, one of the world’s largest stalagmites, and a massive entrance. This show cave offers easily accessible tours on paved, well-lit pathways perfect for families and casual visitors.
DeSoto Caverns
Known as ‘Alabama’s Big Cave’, its main room is larger than a football field. It features laser light shows and a rich history of use by Native Americans and soldiers.
Rickwood Caverns
Famous for its 260-million-year-old limestone formations and an underground pool. The one-mile round trip tour showcases active ‘living’ formations in a colorful and well-preserved cave environment.
Russell Cave
An incredibly significant archaeological site, providing a continuous record of human habitation for over 10,000 years. The main cave shelter is easily viewed and interpreted via National Park Service exhibits.
Stephens Gap
A world-famous vertical cave known for its stunning 143-foot pit with a waterfall cascading through the entrance. It’s a bucket-list destination for photographers and vertical cavers alike.
Tumbling Rock Cave
A classic horizontal maze cave with over 6 miles of mapped passages. It’s a favorite training ground for cavers due to its diverse passages, formations, and fun crawling sections.
Valhalla Cave
A breathtaking pit cave with a 227-foot entrance drop into a massive chamber. It is considered a rite of passage for experienced vertical cavers in the southeastern United States.
Fern Cave
One of the longest caves in the U.S. at over 15 miles. It is a critical hibernaculum for endangered gray bats and is protected for its delicate ecosystem and formations.
Sauta Cave
Formerly known as Blowing Wind Cave, this refuge protects one of the region’s largest populations of endangered bats. Visitors can witness spectacular bat emergences from a viewing platform during summer evenings.
Anvil Cave
A significant multi-level cave system with over 3 miles of passage. It’s known for its challenging navigation, large rooms, and important biological diversity, including several cave-adapted species.
Limrock Blowing Cave
Named for the cool air that blows from its entrance, this cave is a significant bat hibernaculum. It offers a mix of large walking passages and tighter crawls for visiting cavers.
Key Cave
This cave is of critical biological importance as it contains the only known population of the endangered Alabama Cavefish. Access is limited to scientific research to protect this unique, fragile habitat.
Guffey Cave
Also known as Blowing Wind Cave, this is one of the largest gray bat hibernacula in the country, housing hundreds of thousands of bats. Its year-round protection is crucial for the species’ survival.
Neill’s Grotto
A fun and accessible horizontal cave perfect for novices. It features a large main passage with a stream, interesting side leads, and some nice formations, making it a popular weekend caving destination.
Horse Skull Cave
A challenging vertical cave known for its 118-foot entrance pit. It requires significant vertical skill and proper gear, and is a rewarding trip for experienced cavers seeking a classic TAG pit.
Hughes Cave
A historically significant cave that is now gated to protect a vital bat hibernaculum. It’s a prime example of conservation efforts balancing recreational caving with essential wildlife protection for at-risk species.
Byers Cave
A biologically significant cave with a large, impressive entrance room leading to over a mile of passage. It serves as a vital maternity and hibernating site for gray bats, requiring careful visitation.
Cagle’s Chasm
A classic TAG pit featuring a dramatic 185-foot free-fall drop into a large room. It’s a challenging but rewarding destination for experienced vertical cavers, offering a pure and technical rope experience.
Manitou Cave
Once a sacred Cherokee site and later a commercial show cave, Manitou is now being restored. It’s known for its historical inscriptions, large passages, and its immense cultural significance.
Sequoyah Caverns
A former show cave famous for its reflective ‘looking glass’ lakes and beautiful, dense formations. Though now closed, it remains a well-known landmark and a geologically significant site in northeast Alabama.
Bangor Cave
This cave has a colorful history, having served as a nightclub and speakeasy during Prohibition. While now on private land and inaccessible, its unique past makes it a legendary Alabama location.
Kennamer Cave
A historically rich cave used for saltpetre mining during the Civil War. Evidence of the mining operation, such as wooden vats, ladders, and pick marks, can still be seen by visitors today.
McGlendon Cave
A large and historically important cave system, now gated to protect its delicate environment and resident bat populations. It was once commercially operated and has a long history of exploration by local cavers.
Wolf Den Cave
An easily accessible wild cave located in the Freedom Hills Wildlife Management Area. It’s a relatively simple horizontal system with about 1,000 feet of passage, making it a good spot for beginners.
Glove Cave
Named for a distinctive glove-shaped formation near its entrance, this cave is a local favorite. It features a mix of walking passages and crawls, with a variety of interesting speleothems.
