Which Cave Should I Visit?

If you are looking for a fun day or weekend getaway in Alabama, there are plenty of places to consider. Maybe even perhaps a cave! Alabama is home to over 4,500 different caves. Exploring caves in America can be dangerous. However, the caves that offer guided tours are considerably safer. My family and I had the opportunity to explore one of America’s largest caves,s and I want to share our adventure with you.

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How To Choose the Right Cave to Explore in Alabama

If you’re a seasoned adventurer, you can choose to explore some of the off-beaten path caves nestled in Alabama. Some that may intrigue you are Neversink Cavern, Shelta Cave, and Stephens Gap Cave. I don’t consider these caves safe for children to explore with family.

Desoto Caverns, Rickwood Caverns, Russell Cave, and Cathedral Caverns are four caves in Alabama that were recommended to my family and I to explore. My family and I have grown to love outdoor adventures, well, the safe kinds. We decided to explore Cathedral Caverns. Exploring one of America’s largest caves, Cathedral Caverns, was the best decision for our weekend fun, and it did not disappoint.

Getting to Cathedral Caverns State Park

Woodville, Alabama, is about 20 miles outside of Huntsville, Alabama. The route that we drove offered us a beautiful scenic view of mountains and wide green land. Now, we did lose a little Wi-Fi reception along the way, but they gave the kids more reasons to look up and what my husband and I were looking at along our drive.

We passed several chain stores and restaurants before our arrival, which gave us time to stop for restroom breaks, lunch, and extra snacks.

Upon our arrival at the caverns, we noticed that there is an option to camp on their campgrounds as well as a space to just set up for the day to relax and grill. There was ample parking space near the actual cavern for visitors, including handicap accessible spaces.

When arriving at the caverns, you will immediately notice the grand entrance of the enormous cave. However, you must make a stop at the cavern’s visitor center to purchase tour tickets. The visitor center offers souvenirs, snacks, and a seating area to wait for your tour to begin.

One of the additional offers of visiting Alabama’s Cathedral Caverns is an opportunity to mine for gems. There is a charge for this experience at Cathedral Caverns.

Cathedral Caversn Tour Details

This was our first visit to a cave, so I will attempt to share with you what I wish I had known before going and what you need to know before your visit. We visited the cave on a fairly warm, but windy day. I was glad that we each had our jackets because the cave was cold on some turns and damp. It’s a good idea to wear sneakers for the walking tour.

Extra Preparedness

It’s a good idea to fully hydrate before your visit because this tour is like a slow workout. You will do a lot of walking, but what makes it great is the view. It’s truly majestic to see in person. You will stroll up and down slightly slippery trails that will make you winded if you are not in the best of health or shape. It’s also a helpful idea to have a fully charged phone for pictures.

Families with infants and toddlers are allowed to use strollers. If your child is potty training, it’s a good idea to visit the restrooms before the tour because there are no restrooms inside the cave.

To my ladies with natural hair textures, please be mindful that the humidity around and inside the cave is 100%. Your silk press will revert, and your curls will fall. It’s the perfect time to wear your hair in a high or low puff, or a hat like those sold by Mission on this day.

Overall, we enjoyed our visit to Cathedral Caverns in Woodville, Alabama, and we’re looking forward to our next adventure! Thanks for reading!