Stephens Gap

3190 County Road 11, AL
4.4
14 Reviews
Stephens Gap
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Details

Distance
1.38 miles
Elevation Gain
381 ft
Route Type
Out-and-Back

Features

Waterfall
Scenic
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Directions
Check-in
Track

About this place

Added by Edward Day

Short and easy hike to a huge 150ft cave with a waterfall. Stephens Gap is an unreal experience and a must-see hidden gem in Alabama.

The hike is 2 miles round trip. It starts from the open space where you park. (Details on where to park when you email in the permit). There is a sign labeled as the trailhead. Trail is easily visible, but just in case you can't follow it, they have marked it with yellow flags on trees. The trail and area was recently purchased by the SCCI and is still being worked on.

There are two entrances into the cave - A walk down entrance and an entrance to rappel. The cave can be very wet and slippery and the walk down entrance can be pretty steep so watch your step. The cave features a natural pedestal to stand on which is great for pictures and is also a great spot to rappel onto. There is about a 30ft drop off the backside of the pedestal so be careful getting up and down. The cave can be very loud if water is flowing.

For rappelling directly onto the pedestal, there is a keyhole that if you rappel into, will drop you directly onto the pedestal. The keyhole is a small hole on the upper side of the pit.

The required permits and paperwork Instructions Here.

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    Leave No Trace

    Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and be sure to follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly.
    Community
    Reviews
    Photos
    Check-ins
    Zeke Barr
    4/4/2026
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    Nihar G
    11/28/2025
    Well Maintained
    Not Crowded
    Great Conditions
    Bathrooms
    Well Marked
    Amazing Views
    Easy To Park
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    Sheryar Atta
    2/22/2025
    Very Crowded
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    John Lopez
    1/19/2025
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    Dolly Srivastava
    1/9/2023
    Stephans gap
    It was great
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    Kendra Isbell
    9/3/2020
    My favorite place!
    Stephen’s Gap is beautiful and unique in that it has two entrances. My now-husband and I rappelled the top entrance and then he proposed ...
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    Laken Holley
    9/14/2019
    It’s closed!
    This trial has been closed until further notice!
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    Seth Berry
    6/28/2018
    Wow! An amazing hidden treasure!
    I finally made the trip to see this incredible hidden gem after first finding out about it through the Outbound. Wow, was I speechless. ...
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    Amanda Dunn
    7/8/2017
    Beautiful, but be careful!
    This place is absolutely beautiful. We got a permit and signed waivers a few days in advance. We were the only people there on ...
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    Christian Murillo
    6/19/2017
    Epic Cave
    Stephens Gap cave was my first caving experience in Alabama and it was simply incredible. The hike to the entrance of the cave ...
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    Gabriel Bland
    5/5/2017
    Worth multiple visits!
    Not only does this cave make for a great adventure in and of itself, since you can hike into it and explore the main ...
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    Merritt McKinney
    4/17/2017
    Best Destination In Alabama
    This is certainly a hidden gem. It's one of those places that you wonder how it is real. It's not difficult to hike to ...
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    Geoff Davis
    6/26/2016
    Very Pretty And Decent Hike
    The hike in was very easy and nice. If you do not have or plan in doing any repelling then plan on a ...
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    Kelsey Sapien
    5/23/2016
    Beautiful
    Beautiful area. Relatively easy hike to the gap. The drive from Birmingham is really nice. Try and get the permit at least a day ...
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