Russell Cave Nature Trail

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Features Cave · Fall Colors · Wildflowers

To access the Russell Cave Nature Trail, follow the Cave Trail toward Russell Cave that starts behind the visitor center. There is a break on the right hand side of the trail near the sinkhole where the nature trail breaks off from the boardwalk and beings climbing up the mountain. The trail is a moss covered asphalt trail that winds its way through the woods.

There are information signs around various plants and trees that inform you about the environment that you are hiking through. After just 0.1 miles, you arrive at a junction where you can either go to the left or straight ahead. Both directions have about the same elevation gain, so the choice is really up to you regarding the direction that you hike the trail. At roughly 0.2 miles, there is a cutoff trail on the left that allows you to make the hike shorter if you don't want to do the whole trail, although this trail is dirt and rock and less maintained than the larger trail.

The nature trail climbs gently most of the time uphill via a series of switchbacks before leveling out at the top. From here, the trail descends steeply back down toward the visitor center. There are several areas where fallen trees and washout have broken up the asphalt, so watch your step as you descend. At 1.1 miles, the cutoff trail rejoins the trail here as it makes its way back to the junction. When you arrive at the junction, turn to the left and make your way back to the boardwalk trail and continue exploring the national monument.