Cathedral Caverns State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral Caverns State Park |
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 Cathedral Caverns State Park
Location in Alabama
Cathedral Caverns State Park
Location in the United States
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| Location | Marshall, Alabama, United States |
| Area | 461 acres (187 ha) |
| Established | Significant dates |
| Operator | Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
| Website | Cathedral Caverns State Park |
| Designated: | June 1972 |
Cathedral Caverns State Park is a cool place in Marshall County, Alabama. It's a public park where you can explore a huge natural cave. The park is located near Grant and Woodville.
The main cave was first called Bats Cave. It became a place for tourists to visit in the 1950s. In 1972, Cathedral Caverns was named a National Natural Landmark. This means it's a very special natural place. It officially opened as a state park in the year 2000.
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What is Cathedral Caverns?
Cathedral Caverns is a type of cave called a karst cave. This means it was formed by water slowly dissolving rock over a very long time. Inside, you'll find a giant "forest" of stalagmites. These are rock formations that grow up from the cave floor. This stalagmite forest covers about 3 acres!
Exploring the Cave
You can walk through a large part of the cave on special concrete paths. These paths are about 8 feet wide and are even wheelchair-friendly. The public path goes for about 3,500 feet, which is almost three-quarters of a mile. There are actually about 2 miles of paths in total. Beyond the public area, another 2,700 feet of cave extends.
Only experienced cave explorers are allowed to go past the developed trails. People have mapped out about 11,000 feet of the cave system.
Amazing Cave Features
Cathedral Caverns has many cool and unique features:
- Huge Entrance: The cave entrance is 25 feet tall and 128 feet wide. Many people think it's the widest entrance to any commercial cave in the world!
- Goliath: This is one of the biggest stalagmites on Earth. It stands 45 feet tall and is 243 feet around. Imagine how big that is!
- Rock Waterfall: There's a large "waterfall" made of rock, called a flowstone. It's 32 feet tall and 135 feet long.
- Unusual Stalagmite: You can see a strange stalagmite that's only 3 inches wide at its base. But it rises at a 45-degree angle all the way to the cave ceiling, 25 feet above!
- The Big Room: This part of the cave is enormous. It's 792 feet long and 200 feet wide.
- Mystery River: A river flows through the cavern. Sometimes, after heavy rain, it can cause flooding inside the cave.
History of the Caverns
People have known about Cathedral Caverns for a very long time.
Ancient History
Archaeologists have found signs that Native Americans lived near the cave entrance. They might have been there as recently as 200 years ago. Some findings suggest people were there as far back as 7000 BCE!
Civil War Shelter
During the American Civil War, a family named Kennamer lived in the area. Their farmhouse was burned down by soldiers. So, the Kennamer family actually lived inside the cave for a long time to stay safe.
Becoming a Park
A man named Jacob "Jay" Gurley ran the cave as a tourist attraction from 1955 to 1974. Later, in 1987, the State of Alabama bought the cave. After some delays, the state started working to restore and improve the cavern in 1995. Finally, in May 2000, it officially opened as Cathedral Caverns State Park.
Awards and Recognition
In September 2020, Cathedral Caverns State Park received a special award. It was one of eleven Alabama State Parks to get Tripadvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Award. This award goes to places that get lots of great reviews from visitors.
Things to Do at the Park
Cathedral Caverns State Park offers fun activities for visitors:
- Cave Tours: You can take guided tours to explore the amazing cave.
- Gem Mining: Kids can try their hand at gem mining, which is a fun way to find cool rocks and minerals.
- Picnic Areas: There are places where you can enjoy a picnic with your family and friends.
- Camping: The park has different types of campsites. You can choose from improved sites with facilities or more basic, primitive sites. There's even a special backcountry camping spot for those who want a real wilderness experience.
