Cathedral Caverns State Park
The Cathedral Caverns State Park consists of a series of underground caves in Alabama, just to the north from the city of Birmingham. These caves beckon travelers to spend a day exploring the cool and interesting cave system that is beautiful in its own gloomy way, providing a chance for adventure in the underground darkness.
The main attraction at Cathedral Caverns is, of course, a cave tour. The massive cave entrance is naturally formed and wide enough to accommodate an airplane. The opening is 126 feet wide and 25 feet high, making it the world's largest commercial cave opening. The entrance is grand, but the cave only gets grander as you go deeper inside. The cave is full of interesting features, one of which is Goliath, a 45-foot-tall and 243-foot-circumference stalagmite.
Further into the cave is the Mystery River that flows through the cave, and a “frozen” waterfall formation formed of water cascading over a layer of 135-foot-long flowstone. Afterward, you’ll come to the large stalagmite forest that is the caverns’ namesake: the Cathedral Room. Past the Cathedral Room, you’ll reach the end of the public cave. Beyond the path lie three more rooms that are only available to park staff to keep note of cave conditions. At the end of the trail, the guide turns off the light to let you experience total darkness.
This State Park also has camping and cabins, as well as gem mining and hiking trails. If you're only here for the day, there's also a gift shop with restrooms nearby. However, because there are no restaurants on the property, you should bring a picnic!
- Address: 637 Cave Rd, Woodville, AL 35776
- Tripadvisor Rating: 4.5/5
- Admission: Adult $15, Teenager (ages 13-17) $15, Child (ages 6-12) $9, Child (under age 6) Free
- Opening Hours: Daily 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
- Phone: +1 256-728-8193
- Website: https://www.alapark.com/parks/cathedral-caverns-state-park
