Russell Cave National Monument |
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3729 County Rd 98 Bridgeport, AL 35740(256) 495-2672 |
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The underground entrance within Russell Cave National Monument is not only a wonder of nature, it also holds a long history of human visitation. Thousands of years ago during the Archaic period, native tribes first used the cave during the fall and winter months when falling temperatures necessitated shelter from the elements. Falling into disuse around 1000 CE, the cave has served as a vast source of materials from which archaeologists have made many discoveries about the people that once occupied area. Now the cave is open for short, ranger-guided tours; these guides also demonstrate the use of some of the prehistoric tools and weapons that the cave's inhabitants would have employed in daily life. A free museum displays some of the artifacts and relics found within the cave while the 1.2-mile nature hike lets guests see the forest and maybe catch a glimpse of some of the local wildlife. Situated just south of the Tennessee border, the park is a few miles away from Bridgeport, Alabama and South Pittsburg, Tennessee.
Open daily 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Free.
Hotels
Budget Host Stevenson/Scottsboro, 7.6 miles from Russell Cave National Monument Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites KIMBALL, 7.9 miles from Russell Cave National Monument
