There’s no denying that Alabama is an outdoor lover’s dream. After all, the Yellowhammer State is home to a variety of outdoor attractions, including some of the coolest in the nation. One of these is Russell Cave National Monument, which you can learn all about below.
Russell Cave National Monument, which was established on May 11, 1961, is located off the beaten path in Bridgeport, Alabama. It's considered one of the nation's most unique archaeological sites.
Upon your arrival to this park, you'll reach the Gilbert Grosvenor Visitor Center. While at the visitor center, you'll be able to watch a park film, shop for souvenirs, and even explore a...
...small museum, which features a variety of exhibits with information about the people who inhabited Russell Cave throughout four different anthropological time periods. You'll also get to view several artifacts, including arrowheads, fish hooks, and more.
Russell Cave National Monument's main feature is of course Russell Cave. With a mapped length of 7.2 miles, it's Alabama's third longest cave. It also contains the most thorough records of prehistoric culture in the Southeast.
The trail to reach Russell Cave, which was inhabited for more than 10,000 years, is a 1.1-mile loop trail. It has an easy rating and will take about an hour to finish. You can also skip the hike by accessing the trail from the Gilbert Grosvenor Visitor Center. From there, you can easily walk to the cave.
Once reaching the cave, you'll be able to go inside and look out. By doing this, you'll get to experience what the Native Americans did when they used Russell Cave for shelter.
