Overview
Rickwood Caverns State Park preserves a large cave filled with limestone formations, underground pools, and rare blind fish.
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Mar–May, Sep–Nov. Summer highs reach about 92°F; winter lows dip to about 33°F. Very hot (Jul, Aug) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Dec and Mar. (climate data from nearby Mountains)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- BHM Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, Birmingham — 23 mi away (major hub). Directions
- HSV Huntsville International Airport, Huntsville — 52 mi away. Directions
Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Food for you
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Understand
History
The caverns were brought to public attention by Eddie Rickles and Sonny Arwood who combined their own names to create the name "Rickwood." Rickles had come across the caves in the early 1950s as the leader of a Boy Scout troop exploring the area. Rickwood Caverns operated as a commercial entity from 1954 to 1974, when the property was acquired by the state and reopened as a state park.
Flora and fauna
Fees and permits
The cave tour admission fee is $18 for those 13 and up, $9 for ages 5-12, and free for kids under 5. The tour leaves at 10, 12, 2, and 4 daily from January to November.
Do
In addition to the cave tour, the park also has an Olympic-sized swimming pool, fed by waters from the cave, open during summer months. The admission fee for the pool is $5.
Sleep
The park has developed campsites available from $28 per night. The campgrounds have restrooms and a dump station, and can accommodate RVs.
Nearby
Cullman
City / town · 1 listings · 21 mi away
Oneonta
City / town · 6 listings · 23 mi away
Birmingham
City / town · 80 listings · 25 mi away
Homewood
City / town · 10 listings · 29 mi away
Bessemer
City / town · 8 listings · 33 mi away
Hoover
City / town · 11 listings · 34 mi away
Arab
City / town · 1 listings · 37 mi away
Pelham
City / town · 2 listings · 40 mi away
My experience
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