Cathedral Caverns Wows Visitors

Cathedral Caverns is a natural treasure. Everything about it is astonishing — from the 2-story-high entrance, listed as the largest cave opening on the planet by Guinness World Records, to the majestic formations within.

Visitors first gained access to the cavern in 1955, when it opened as a private attraction dubbed Bat Cave by owner Jacob Gurley. His wife talked him into changing its name to Cathedral Caverns because its soaring ceilings, stalactites, and stalagmites resembled the inside of a Gothic church. It was declared a National Natural Landmark in 1972, but just 2 years later it was sold at auction when the Gurleys reportedly ran into financial trouble.

In 1987, the state of Alabama bought the cave and surrounding property. In the summer of 2000, Cathedral Caverns State Park was opened.

So Much To See

Archaeological excavations near the entrance indicate the cavern’s connection with humans dates back 8,000 years. And while 11,000 feet of passages have been mapped, the total extent of the cave system is unknown. Some of the passages are subject to flooding by the cave’s Mystery River, and others are off-limits to protect fragile formations.

A paved public trail within takes visitors more than half a mile into the cavern, where the temperature stays steady at 60 degrees. Strategic lighting reveals stunning formations like the massive stalagmite Goliath, which at 243 feet around and 45 feet tall is 1 of the largest in the world. There’s a 135-foot-long flowstone wall that looks like a frozen waterfall, and a grouping of stalagmites resembles an enchanted forest.

The park has much more than the cavern to offer within its 493 acres. There are 5 separate hiking trails, 4 of which intersect to combine for more than 5.5 miles of beautiful wooded scenery. Near those trails and the cave are spots for camper parking, tent camping, or enjoying modern comforts within a rustic cabin.

Even visitors who live just down the road will find that Cathedral Caverns State Park is a vacation destination. There are 25 full-service sites for campers to choose from with power, water, and sewer hookups. The park also offers 11 basic sites with power and water, 10 primitive sites, 2 backcountry sites, and 2 primitive group sites. A bathhouse sits nearby.

For a more homey stay, the park’s 4 tiny cabins provide a host of conveniences wrapped in a rustic package. 3 of them are two-bedroom designs furnished to sleep 6 people. The accessible one-bedroom cabin sleeps 2.

Ready To Run

Cathedral Caverns has also become a mecca for runners, who show up in droves for races the park hosts each year. The first weekend of March, the park held its Race to the Cave events, a 5K and the Half Marathon + 5K Challenge on Saturday and a 10K and half marathon on Sunday. The races all are on paved roads and end with a run through the cave itself.

Fall brings 2 more annual epic races, the Conquer the Cave 5K and the Cathedral Caverns 5K and 15K Trail Run. For those who prefer a leisurely pace, there’s a Walk in the Park, a 1.5-mile guided hike scheduled for the first weekend of April. But whether a run or a walk, much of any route will involve challenging hills.

Cathedral Caverns Park also offers a full slate of activities to educate and entertain. April’s scheduled events range from an art class, Cave Art: Turning Stone Into Paint, to a study of Fossil Features and an ode to the start of Dark Sky Week with the program Looking Into the Dark.

Gem mining is a big draw at the park every day, for every age. Mining dirt purchased in bags and buckets yields rough-cut gemstones or fossils when sifted through flumes of running water, and there’s a handy chart to help identify each find.