Alabama

Russell Cave National Monument Wikipedia gives a lot of info. Russell Cave is a place with a lengthy history documenting its residents of long ago. (As in prehistoric American Indians.) National Park Service has a page but very limited information. The most striking natural feature of Russell Cave National Monument is the beautiful underground stream which flows into the left chamber of the cave. This stream emerges as a spring from beneath a huge rock rock only about 100 yards from the cave entrance. If flows through a large sinkhole and then back underground via the mouth of the cave. A mist often hangs in the air at this spot, formed when the cool spring waters chill the warmer outside air. This year-round source of fresh water was no doubt one of the things which made this spot attractive to the early American Indians who lived here. I did long searching and only found a mention that it is an undeveloped cavern. Few blurry photos at best of the interior. The Showcaves page gives some history and no photos. I went back and searched for any photos inside the cave. None. I found some webshots taken in the museum of pieces of paper and odd items. There must be many entrances since there are about 6 different photos of the entranceways. There is mention that it is a "small" cave though it is a showcave. There is no fee to go in and I don't think that there are guided tours.  

Windcreek State Park is the Wikipedia link. Also find a listing of the Protected Areas of Alabama. Sometimes shown as Windcreek and other times as Wind Creek.

Dismals Canyon is a land that time forgot. Look for the Photo Gallery and find there are LOTS of waterfalls and mists. A National Natural Landmark, the canyon walls shelter an atmosphere of history and mystery. In addition to a hike along the canyon floor, this privately-owned attraction offers swimming, camping, and cabins. A guided evening tour reveals the strangest of inhabitants while the article is written by a visitor, it does give a unique view at the creatures they found. It is private with limited tours but read enough to learn why the area was so remote and rugged.

Quick Description: During the Great Depression, a group of Alabama investors converted this series of natural caverns into the subterranean Bangor Cave Club, a dance hall and nightclub. Google page. That's Garden City Alabama

Cathedral Caverns holds six world records:

(1) Cathedral Caverns has the widest entrance of any commercial cave in the world. It is 25 feet tall and 128 feet wide.

(2) Cathedral Caverns is home to "Goliath"--the largest stalagmite in the world. It measures 45 feet tall and 243 feet in circumstance.

(3) Cathedral Caverns has the largest flow stone wall, which is 32 feet tall and 135 feet long.

(4) Cathedral Caverns is known for the largest "frozen" waterfall.

(5) Cathedral Caverns has the largest stalagmite forest of any cave in the world.

(6) Cathedral Caverns has the most improbably formation in the world which is a stalagmite that is 35 feet tall and 3 inches wide!

Cathedral Caverns also has a Crystal Room which is not open to the public. The formations are made of pure white calcite and just the vibrations from someone's voice would shatter over 70 percent of the formations.

Cathedral Caverns has a Big Room, which is 792 feet long and 200 feet wide.

This is a magnificent sight from nature and just a short 40 minutes from Huntsville. Even amateur cave lovers will find it interesting and worth a visit!

National Park Directory and look for Alabama. The Things to do Page has National Parks and Alabama State Parks

Natural Bridges...The waterfall, named High Falls, is on Town Creek, a few miles northwest of Geraldine, Alabama. The area around the falls has been set aside as High Falls County Park in the DeKalb County park system. It has an estimated span of 25 feet and height of 35 feet (two on the first page). Also Chandler Natural Bridge is an adult waterfall natural bridge on Little Canoe Creek which forms part of the border between St. Clair and Etowah counties, Alabama. Although on private land belonging to Alabama Power, the area is like a public park and is heavily visited on weekends. The locals call it "Rock Bridge".

Bridges in Alabama, the Wikipedia page and Covered Bridges, the Wikipedia page of Covered Bridges

Waterfalls- webshots and MichelesWorld (but all the photos are very dark and near impossible to see) and Flickr (unnamed waterfall) and the Alabama Dept of Archives and History has 13 items of old photos. Yes, Waterfalls.

Rivers of Alabama- this is a beautiful page with thumbnails to click for a large version.

Castles and Lighthouses