Russell Cave National Monument
Russell Cave National Monument is an archeological site with one of the most complete records of prehistoric cultures in the Southeast. In the 1950s, archeologists uncovered a large quantity of artifacts representing 12,000 years of use in a single place. Although you cannot go in the cave, the discovered artifacts help bring to light many cultural developments of phenomenal human journeys.
Alerts
- ClosureParking Lot Closed October 27-28, 2026
Our parking lot will be closed to the public on October 27-28, 2026. We will have other parking available. We apologize for any inconvenience
- InformationPortion of the boardwalk is closed
The last section of boardwalk is closed for ADA accessibility. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedRx - West Viniard Alexander
32 mi from the park's reference point · 175 acres
Within 50 miles, as of 2026-10-14. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Check the park's alerts and the managing office before you drive.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Hours
| Russell Cave National Monument | Daily · 8:00AM - 4:30PM |
Hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow | 8:00AM - 4:30PM |
| Nov 26, 2026Thanksgiving Day | Hours not published |
| Dec 25, 2026Christmas Day | Hours not published |
| Jan 1, 2027New Year's Day | Hours not published |
When to go
July draws the most visits here and December the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Gilbert Grosvenor Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
Begin your exploration of the park in the visitor center. Pick up a park brochure for more information about the cave shelter and hiking trails. Watch a 7 minute film about the early inhabitants of Russell Cave and view the artifacts that were excavated from the cave shelter.
Explore
Things to do
- View the Russell Cave Museum5-60 Minutes
Temporary exhibit on display
Opens on the Park Service site - View the Russell Cave Film7 Minutes
Russell Cave Film 7 minutes
Opens on the Park Service site - Pack a Picnic and Make a Day of it
Learn about what activities are and are not permitted while visiting the park.
Opens on the Park Service site - Take a Hike on the Russell Cave Nature Trail30-60 Minutes
Adventure up the strenuous 1.2-mile nature trail to see the plants and landscape that prehistoric people would have been interacting with while living at Russell Cave.
Opens on the Park Service site - Earn Your Russell Cave B.A.R.K Ranger Badge5-120 Minutes
Bring your pet along with you and earn your own B.A.R.K. Ranger tag.
Opens on the Park Service site - Become a Russell Cave Junior Ranger1-2 Hours
Work through activities to learn about Russell Cave and earn your Junior Ranger Badge today.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Events
- Presentation on North Alabama’s Ancient Rock Art10/1702:00 PM · free3729 County Road 98 Bridgeport, Al
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
On the National Register nearby
- Townsite Historic District of Richard CityHistoric district · South Pittsburg · 5.1 mi
- Putnam–Cumberland Historic District of Richard CityHistoric district · South Pittsburg · 5.3 mi
- Richard Hardy Memorial SchoolBuilding · South Pittsburg · 5.6 mi
- South Pittsburg Historic District (Boundary Increase)Historic district · South Pittsburg · 6.3 mi
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for the South
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Full checklist: 130 birds, 35 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · Bald Eagle · Barred Owl · Broad-winged Hawk · Cooper's Hawk · Eastern Screech-Owl · Great Horned Owl · Northern Harrier · Red-shouldered Hawk · Red-tailed Hawk · Sharp-shinned Hawk · Turkey Vulture
Waterfowl & wadersCommon Loon · Double-crested Cormorant · Great Blue Heron · Green Heron · Sandhill Crane · Wood Duck
Shorebirds & seabirdsAmerican Woodcock · Killdeer · Ring-billed Gull
Gamebirds & dovesMourning Dove · Northern Bobwhite · Wild Turkey
WoodpeckersDowny Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Pileated Woodpecker · Red-bellied Woodpecker · Red-headed Woodpecker · Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Hummingbirds & swiftsChimney Swift · Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Also on the checklistAcadian Flycatcher · American Crow · American Goldfinch · American Pipit · American Redstart · American Robin · Baltimore Oriole · Barn Swallow · Bay-breasted Warbler · Belted Kingfisher · Black-and-white Warbler · Black-throated Green Warbler · Blackburnian Warbler · Blackpoll Warbler · Blue Grosbeak · Blue Jay · Blue-gray Gnatcatcher · Blue-headed Vireo · Brown Creeper · Brown Thrasher · Brown-headed Cowbird · Brown-headed Nuthatch · Cape May Warbler · Carolina Chickadee · Carolina Wren · Cedar Waxwing · Cerulean Warbler · Chestnut-sided Warbler · Chipping Sparrow · Chuck-will's-widow · Cliff Swallow · Common Grackle · Common Yellowthroat · Coragyps atratus · Dark-eyed Junco · Eastern Bluebird · Eastern Kingbird · Eastern Meadowlark · Eastern Phoebe · Eastern Towhee · Eastern Wood-Pewee · European Starling · Field Sparrow · Fox Sparrow · Golden-crowned Kinglet · Grasshopper Sparrow · Gray Catbird · Great Crested Flycatcher · Hermit Thrush · Hooded Warbler · House Finch · House Wren · Indigo Bunting · Kentucky Warbler · Least Flycatcher · Louisiana Waterthrush · Magnolia Warbler · Northern Cardinal · Northern Mockingbird · Northern Parula · Northern Rough-winged Swallow · Northern Waterthrush · Orchard Oriole · Ovenbird · Palm Warbler · Philadelphia Vireo · Pine Warbler · Prairie Warbler · Purple Finch · Purple Martin · Red-breasted Nuthatch · Red-eyed Vireo · Red-winged Blackbird · Rose-breasted Grosbeak · Ruby-crowned Kinglet · Savannah Sparrow · Scarlet Tanager · Song Sparrow · Summer Tanager · Swainson's Thrush · Swamp Sparrow · Tennessee Warbler · Tufted Titmouse · Whip-poor-will · White-breasted Nuthatch · White-crowned Sparrow · White-eyed Vireo · White-throated Sparrow · Winter Wren · Wood Thrush · Worm-eating Warbler · Yellow Warbler · Yellow-billed Cuckoo · Yellow-breasted Chat · Yellow-rumped Warbler · Yellow-throated Vireo · Yellow-throated Warbler
Small mammalsAllegheny woodrat · American beaver · cotton mouse · eastern chipmunk · eastern cottontail · eastern gray squirrel · eastern mole · eastern woodrat · hispid cotton rat · house mouse · northern short-tailed shrew · southeastern shrew · southern flying squirrel · white-footed mouse · woodland vole
PredatorsAmerican black bear · bobcat · coyote · gray fox · raccoon · striped skunk
Hoofed mammalswhite-tailed deer
BatsRafinesque's big-eared bat · big brown bat · eastern red bat · evening bat · gray bat · little brown bat · northern bat · tri-colored bat
Also on the checklistVirginia opossum · domestic dog · feral cat · nine-banded armadillo · woodchuck
Activities
Activity guides for this park Birdwatching in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
Weather & climate
The weather in Bridgeport, Alabama is mild. The average temperature in the winter is in the low 50's. The average summer temperature is in the high 80's. We receive about 50 inches of rain each year. Snowfall varies, but only lasts a few days per event.
Questions people ask
Does Russell Cave charge an entrance fee?
No. Russell Cave is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Russell Cave?
Standard hours are 8:00AM - 4:30PM, every day. Dated exceptions are listed under Hours.
Source: National Park Service
Is anything closed at Russell Cave right now?
2 active alerts as of October 14, 2026: Parking Lot Closed October 27-28, 2026; Portion of the boardwalk is closed.
Source: Alerts
How busy is Russell Cave?
7,821 recreation visits in 2025, number 361 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
When was Russell Cave established?
1961. It covers about 0.5 square miles.
Source: Wikipedia
What is the weather like at Russell Cave?
The weather in Bridgeport, Alabama is mild. The average temperature in the winter is in the low 50's.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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