Cave Shelter is a cave in Jackson County, Alabama. It lies in or next to Russell Cave National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 9.3 km (5.8 mi) WNW of Bridgeport.
From the National Park Service
Long known as a cave where stone points could sometimes be found, it wasn’t until a surveyor for the Tennessee Valley Authority and member of the Chattanooga chapter of the Tennessee Archeological Society was shown this site by the locals that anyone thought there may be more to Russell Cave than a cool cave and swimming area. In 1953, the Tennessee archeological society would begin a dig that was immediately recognized as massive and then contact the Smithsonian Institute to ensure the most care and resources were given to this special site. From 1956 to 1958 the Smithsonian Institute would lead a major excavation, going over 32 feet into the ground and finding artifacts that would later be dated to about 10,000 BCE. The National Geographic Society purchased the land that Russell Cave sits on and would eventually donate the land to the American people. Due to the massive amount of evidence found of human occupation, President John F. Kennedy decided to declare Russell Cave a National Monument in 1961 for everyone to have the chance to learn from and enjoy. Once the National Park Service took over, another dig was planned, and ten and a half feet were excavated where you can now see the concrete lined pit. Overall, close to three tons worth of artifacts were found ranging through all four of the time periods found in the southeast. Today, visitors can stand at the entrance to this archeological site and view where these excavations took place as well as learn about the different time periods represented in the artifacts.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cave Shelter the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:48 AM | 90° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:30 AM | 60° ENE | 8:01 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:32 AM | 89° E | 6:42 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:48 AM | 119° ESE | 4:36 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 48m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Caves are lit artificially — show caves have fixed lighting, so a fast lens and high ISO beat flash, which flattens formations.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:24 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:23 PM | 10h 04m |
| February | 6:04 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:05 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 6:30 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:46 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:42 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 5:13 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:08 PM | 14h 00m |
| June | 5:00 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 30m |
| July | 5:12 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:27 PM | 14h 17m |
| August | 5:37 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:39 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:00 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 6:02 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:00 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:17 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:24 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:35 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 5:52 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:55 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:06 PM | 10h 20m |
| December | 6:17 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:24 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:02 PM | 9h 49m |
Local time (America/Chicago), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Cave Shelter, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:21 AM – 5:01 AM | 0.7 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:35 AM – 5:25 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:35 AM – 4:35 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:39 PM – 3:59 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:46 PM – 3:36 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:41 PM – 2:11 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:06 PM – 12:16 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:17 PM – 10:07 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:34 PM – 8:14 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.38 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 72 | 77 | 84 | 86 | 94 | 107 | 105 | 105 | 101 | 99 | 87 | 74 |
| Low °F | 5 | 7 | 17 | 23 | 37 | 51 | 55 | 53 | 40 | 28 | 18 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.3 | 5.3 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 5.4 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this cave
- Never touch formations — skin oils stop their growth.
- Follow White-nose Syndrome decontamination rules where posted to protect bats.
- Many show caves restrict tripods on tours; ask in advance or bring a small beanbag.
- Use manual focus with focus peaking in low light.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Cave interiors stay at a constant temperature year-round; summer tours fill up, so book ahead.
Suggested gear: Fast lens (f/1.8–f/2.8), High-ISO camera, Small beanbag. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Cave Shelter, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Mountain Pass
WaterfallScenic ViewpointWaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Natural ArchFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cave Shelter?
What time is golden hour at Cave Shelter?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cave Shelter?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cave Shelter?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cave Shelter?
How far is Cave Shelter from Bridgeport?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.