Cathedral Caverns Event

[Pathfinder]

I visited Cathedral Caverns on Labor Day weekend.  Took the cavern tour of course.  If you haven't been there, you must go.  It is quite a nice place compared to other "commercial caves" that I have visited.  It is much more beautiful and impressive than Mammoth Cave.  Our guide was Lamar Pendergrass who is also the park manager.  After the tour, I had a chance to visit with Lamar and ask him a bunch of questions about the caverns and the park.  I asked him if they ever allow people to go off trail in the cave and see more of the cave.  He said that they were hoping to take a group in a month or month and a half.  He said they would call it a "Wild Cave Tour" which would take you thousands of feet beyond the trails.  He said it would include a large room with many formations that exceeds the spectacular ones which you see on the normal tour.  He did not yet know the date, nor the price.  Anyone interested should email Lamar and get on his list of interested parties.

lamar.pendergrass@dcnr.alabama.gov

We stayed in the park campground one night.  Even on a holiday weekend, we were the only people there Sunday night.  They said they only had 2 groups on Saturday night.  If you camp there, you can pretty much have the run of the campground all to yourself.  There are 4 or 5 fairly short hiking trails in the park (above ground).  I will go back and check them out later.  They will give you a map of the hiking trails at the park.  All of the trails are easy to moderate as well as being short in length.  The longest is a mile and a half.

[WolfVanZandt]

Yeah, I've been pretty impressed with the Alabama caves also. I've been to commercial caves in Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, and Florida and of the bunch my vote for most beautiful cave goes to Sequoyah Caverns in Alabama and for most breathtaking, that would be Cathedral. I haven't been to Rickwood yet but it's not far from the SEHowl so I'm sure I'll get there soon.

[Firedog]

Hav you had a chance to see Desoto Caverns? Huge rooms inside. Pretty impressive I think.

[Pathfinder]

I've been to Desoto and Rickwood.  Neither of them compares to Cathedral.  The kids they hire at Rickwood to guide the tours were very underwhelming when I toured.

[WolfVanZandt]

I was not impressed with Desoto at all, but that was, what, 30 years ago, when the "light show" was a pile of rocks with a water fountain in the middle with spotlights that blinked off and on. I hear they have a laser now. It was basically a (singular) cavern (one big room) with a path that went around it's perimeter with very little in the way of corridors off to the side. And it was far too expensive for what it offered.

Maybe I should go back and see if they've opened up more of it - but it's still rather expensive.

I also haven't been to Ave Maria Grotto and I'm sure there are some other developed caves in the state that I'm not familiar with. I won't be doing any of the undeveloped ones for another year or so, although there is a cave in the lower Talledega that I'd like to look at when the ban is lifted.

[JustADude]

I have been in five or six wild caves in Alabama plus Cathedral Caverns. Cathedral Caverns is just reall neat and real cool. It is big and pretty. When I went a few years ago the tour guide was a high school senior from nearby DAR high school. I don't remember his name, but he did a very good job.

[montysano]

I also haven't been to Ave Maria Grotto and I'm sure there are some other developed caves in the state that I'm not familiar with. I won't be doing any of the undeveloped ones for another year or so, although there is a cave in the lower Talledega that I'd like to look at when the ban is lifted.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that Ave Maria Grotto is actually a cave.

I did a bit of caving 10 years ago.  Tumbling Rock, north of Scottsboro, is a fun and impressive cave.  It's on private land, but the owners allow basically anyone to go through it.

[Pathfinder]

You are correct.  Ave Maria Grotto is not a cave, but is a manmade religious shrine.  It is quite impressive and well worth the time to visit.

Ave Maria Grotto

[dogwood]

I've heard rumors of a cave, or caves, in the Talladega National Forest for years, but all have been unconfirmed for me.  In what area are they located?

[Firedog]

I'm with Dogwood, I've wandered all over the TNF and don't know of anything significant other than a few overhangs and stuff like that. Tell us more.

Also It sound like Cathedral Caverns is something to definite to see. I will put that on my to do list. I thought Desoto was cool but it's the only big cave I've been in. Carl W.

[WolfVanZandt]

Cave Hill is approximately between Brent and Greensboro - closer to Brent. I only have it on a park host's and a ranger's word that there's a substantial cave there - which is why I want to check it out.

[Firedog]

Sorry Wolf, I was talking about the Talladega/Shoal creek side. I forgot about the Oakmulgee district.

[WolfVanZandt]

Aye. Everyone forgets about us down here (sniff).

[Pathfinder]

I received an email from Lamar Pendergrass today, he said they have not yet chosen a date for the wild cave event, but it is getting closer.  They are currently trying to buy some new equipment.  I'll post further when I hear the date or other details.