Experience Some Of Alabama’s Most Incredible Waterfalls And Caves On This Weekend Getaway
There’s no denying that Alabama is a hidden gem when it comes to nature. Many incredible natural wonders are located throughout the state, including dozens of waterfalls and more than 4,200 caves. That’s right! More than 4,200 caves have been discovered right here in the Yellowhammer State. If you’ve ever wanted to visit some of Alabama’s most incredible waterfalls, or explore some of its incredible caves, one of the best ways to do this is to take a weekend getaway.
Listed below are seven of Alabama’s most incredible waterfalls and caves that are great for including on a weekend getaway. A mapped route is also listed. This should make it much easier to experience all seven of the waterfalls and caves in a single weekend.
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Russell Cave National Monument is located near the town of Bridgeport in Jackson County, Alabama. With a length of 7.2 miles, it's the state's third longest mapped cave. There's also evidence that it was occupied for more than 10,000 years, which makes it one of the Southeast's most prehistoric caves.
DeSoto Falls is located atop Lookout Mountain near Mentone, Alabama. It plunges 104 feet into a pool of water and is one of the state's most famous waterfalls. A great thing about DeSoto Falls is that it's easy to reach. You just simply follow a paved path from the nearby parking lot. DeSoto Falls truly is one of Alabama's most incredible natural wonders.
Little River Falls, which is approximately 45 feet tall, is located atop Lookout Mountain near Fort Payne, Alabama. It's one of the main features of Little River Canyon National Preserve and is also one of the Southeast's most recognizable waterfalls. Little River Falls is accessible year-round, welcomes visitors from all over the world, and is a popular swimming spot during the summer.
Noccalula Falls is located in Gadsden, Alabama and is the main attraction at Noccalula Falls Park. It's a stunning waterfall, which was originally named "Black Creek Falls," that plunges 90 feet into a lush ravine. One of the most unique characteristics of Noccalula Falls is that it can be walked behind.
DeSoto Caverns is a series of caves that's located in Childersburg, Alabama. This natural wonder features one of the world's largest collections of onyx-marble stalagmites and stalactites. It's also believed to be America's first recorded cave. Because of its size, DeSoto Caverns is nicknamed "Alabama's Big Cave," and it's a must-see for all cave enthusiasts.
Rickwood Caverns, which leads visitors 175 feet below earth, is the main attraction at Rickwood Caverns State Park near Warrior, Alabama. This incredible cave is filled with limestone formations that experts believe are more than 260 million years old. Another interesting feature of Rickwood Caverns is the amount of shell fragments that have been discovered inside. Because of this, it's believed the cave was carved from an ocean bed.
Cathedral Caverns is the main feature of Cathedral Caverns State Park. It's best known for having one of the largest cave entrances in the world, which measures 25 feet tall and 126 feet wide. Everyone who explores Cathedral Caverns is amazed at its forest of stalagmites. In fact, "Goliath," the cave's most famous stalagmite, is one of the largest stalagmites in the world, with a height measurement of 45 feet and a circumference of 243 feet.
Have you ever been to any of these waterfalls or caves in Alabama? If so, please share your experience(s) with us in the comments below.
Jennifer is the Alabama staff writer for Only In Your State and has nearly 15 years of professional writing experience. She enjoys discovering new places and currently calls North Alabama home.
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