Russell Cave National Monument, Alabama, United States
4.0 (105 reviews) Spent Ranking #1 in Bridgeport National Parks
Short aerobic trail + a cave
The highlight of the Russel Cave monument is not the cave, it's the very short and very steep trail, which started as a blacktop paved trail (though now well populated by massy material that is slick when wet.) The trail was filled with wildflowers and other emerging spring growth. Although only a mile and a quarter overall, it gains 400 feet, making it a nice little aerobic addition to the day. It was not far out of our way after leaving Chattanooga, and we thought it was worth the trip. THe cave is pretty cool too, but as noted, is not explorable by the general public.
Address
3729 County Road 98, Bridgeport, AL 35740-6825
Mobile
Website
http://www.nps.gov/ruca/index.htm
Current local date and time now
Wednesday, May 08, 2024, 18:01
User Ratings
4.0 based on (105 reviews)
Reviews
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4Kevin B 5:00 PM Oct 30, 2022
Nice history lesson
This is a fun NPS site to visit if you're in the area and it's a quick visit overall. We were driving down 24 in TN and decided to stop in as it's only about a 10-15 minute detour to get to the cave. The visitor center is small, but informative and we were able to learn a lot about how the cave was used by various cultures throughout history. There's a short walk down to the cave and you're able to walk on to a platform that overlooks the dig area where artifacts have been found. It's a nice way to learn about some local history and we enjoyed our visit! FYI, there's really no cell signal once you're in the visitor center parking lot, so just come prepared.
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4nicolediane 5:00 PM Apr 10, 2022
Thousands of years of history
This is really off the beaten path but we are all about visiting National parks and monuments. We knew from reading online that you could not go in the cave. We were staying in Mentone not to far so decided to check it out. It was a pretty drive through the countryside. There is a boardwalk that takes you to the entrance of the cave. It is a large opening. We visited in early April and the wild flowers along the trail were beautiful. Small but interesting exhibits in the visitor center. Nice clean bathrooms. Nice picnic area. Take a few minutes to read the brochure and you will me amazed about how long the cave has been used by people and what was found.
