If you’re driving from Huntsville to Chattanooga or if you’re looking for the perfect adventurous day trip from Huntsville, you’ve got to visit Stephen’s Gap Cave. At only 35 minutes from downtown Huntsville, caving at Stephens Gap is a pretty cool way to spend your day. Make sure to pick up subs from Publix, or pack a lunch ahead of time. Food options nearby are limited.

Caving in Stephen’s Gap was the highlight of our visit to Alabama. Only 12 people are allowed to enter per day and you’ll need to obtain a permit before visiting. It’s pretty simple and FREE! to get a permit, but they can go fast during peak times. You’ll want to obtain your permits about 2 – 3 weeks before you plan to visit. We were the only people at the cave and on the trail when we visited despite all of the permits for the day being reserved! This was a super approachable introductory caving experience. We are not experienced cave hikers and still felt super safe and comfortable on this hike.

HOW TO GET A PERMIT for stephen’s gap cave

To get a permit, visit the Southeastern Cave Conservancy, Inc website. Create a free account on their site, then check availability on the day you’d like to visit. For safety purposes, Stephens Gap requires two people minimum per group to hike. After your permit request is sent, you will receive an email with a waiver. You must have all members of your party digitally sign a waiver to receive your permit. Once you’ve all signed, you’ll receive your permits! 

In the email with your permits, you’ll find the entry code for the gate to enter the parking lot. Cell service can be spotty in the area, but the parking lot has free wifi available. The parking lot also has a porta-potty.

HIKING TO stephen’s gap CAVE

The trail to the cave is about .8 miles (each way). It’s a pretty consistent uphill walk to the cave, then once you reach the cave, you’ll hike down about 200 feet to the entrance. The walk to the cave is on packed dirt, but the 200 foot drop into the cave entrance is rocky and slippery, so make sure to wear shoes with a good grip. We didn’t bring poles, but I could see them being helpful here. The trail is pretty well tread and easy to follow. There are blue ties on trees and some yellow diamond-shaped trail markers along the way. You can also follow the path on AllTrails, but the AllTrails trail map does not include the drop into the entrance on the altitude or mileage tracker. Don’t be surprised when you reach the entrance and see that you have to do a small climb down – and then back out later!

You’ll know you’re at the cave when you reach a waterfall. You’ll see a small fork in the trail with the waterfall on your right and the cave entrance to your left. Be careful as you walk down the slippery rocks. There’s a ledge that you can walk on to see the waterfall that you were viewing from the outside.

WHAT TO BRING

You will have to bring your own helmet with a chin strap and headlamp to the cave. When we visited, there was a helmet, a pair of gloves, and a headlamp left at the entrance, but I wouldn’t count on it being there when you get there. There isn’t a place to rent these tools nearby, but Harbor Freight sells headlamps for under $3 a piece and Amazon has cheap helmets (we found ours for $16 each) that you can order for a quick delivery. You also need to print out your permit and put it in your car dashboard. Don’t have a printer? You can write your name and permit number on a sheet of paper and display it on your dashboard.

If you have more time. . .

Looking for more activities in the area or driving to Chattanooga, check out our blog post on suggested stops along your drive.

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