Russell Cave National Monument
National Monument · AL
1 noticefrom the National Park Service
Information · Portion of the boardwalk is closed
The last section of boardwalk is closed for ADA accessibility. Sorry for the inconvenience.
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.
- NPS site
- nps.gov/ruca
- Location
- Russell Cave National Monument (34.974, -85.816)
Track your visit to Russell Cave National Monument
NP Tracker keeps a record of every National Park Service unit you visit — all 430-plus of them. Log visits with dates and photos, collect passport stamps, plan trips, and watch your map fill in. It's free.
Passport stamp locations
- Gilbert Grosvenor Visitor Center
Hours
Russell Cave National Monumenttoday: 8:00AM - 4:30PM
- Sat Oct 38:00AM - 4:30PM
- Sun Oct 48:00AM - 4:30PM
- Mon Oct 58:00AM - 4:30PM
- Tue Oct 68:00AM - 4:30PM
- Wed Oct 78:00AM - 4:30PM
- Thu Oct 88:00AM - 4:30PM
- Fri Oct 98:00AM - 4:30PM
The park is closed on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. All operating hours are in central time and the main gate into the park closes at 4:30 pm.
Hours are retrieved from the National Park Service and can change without notice — check the official site before you go.
Visitor centers
1
- Gilbert Grosvenor Visitor Centertoday: 8:30AM - 4:00PMDirections
Self-guided tours
1
Walking Tour to Russell Cave20–30 minutes · 4 stops
Follow marked sites along the boardwalk on your way to visit Russell Cave from the Visitor Center. Learn about the how Russell Cave was formed, the prehistoric people that once inhabited Russell Cave, as well as the excavations that led to it being named a National Monument. There is no cell service at Russell Cave. We recommend downloading this tour before arriving at the park.
Entrance fees
No entrance fee.
Nearby8 within 100 miles
- Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military ParkNational Military Park24 mi
- Little River Canyon National PreserveNational Preserve34 mi
- Stones River National BattlefieldNational Battlefield71 mi
- Big South Fork National River and Recreation AreaNational River & Recreation Area83 mi
- Obed Wild and Scenic River