Cathedral Caverns State Park: An Underground Wonderland

Cathedral Caverns State Park, nestled in Kennamer Cove, Alabama, offers a captivating journey into the subterranean world [4]. Originally known as Bats Cave, Jacob Gurley developed the area as a tourist attraction in the 1950s, renaming it Cathedral Caverns due to its cathedral-like appearance [1, 4, 5, 15]. The State of Alabama acquired the park in 1987, officially opening it as a state park in 2000 [1, 2, 4, 15]. The cave's massive entrance, measuring 126 feet wide and 25 feet high, is considered one of the largest commercial cave openings in the world [1, 2, 5, 6, 13, 15]. Inside, visitors can marvel at 'Goliath,' one of the world's largest stalagmites, standing 45 feet tall with a circumference of 243 feet [1, 2, 6]. Other notable features include a 'frozen waterfall,' a stalactite forest, and an improbable 27-foot-tall, 3-inch-wide stalagmite [1, 6, 15]. The park encompasses 493 acres, offering marked hiking trails for outdoor enthusiasts [1, 2, 13, 15]. Gemstone mining is another popular activity, allowing visitors to sift through mining dirt to discover various gemstones [1, 2, 13, 15]. The cave maintains a comfortable 60 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, making it an ideal destination regardless of the season [1, 5, 13, 15]. Cathedral Caverns has a rich history, with archaeological excavations revealing Native American occupation dating back thousands of years [4]. During the Civil War, the Kennamer family even sought refuge in the cave after their home was burned down [4]. The caverns have also appeared in motion pictures, including 'Secrets of the Phantom Caverns' (1983) and Disney's 'Tom and Huck' (1995) [4]. Today, visitors can explore the cave on guided tours, which last approximately 90 minutes and cover 1.5 miles [5, 7, 13, 14]. The paved path is wheelchair and stroller-friendly, ensuring accessibility for all [5, 11].