Updated July 2026
Stephens Gap Falls
Stephens Gap is a 143-foot vertical cave pit near Woodville where a waterfall drops through a skylight into the cavern, famous among photographers for the shaft of light over the falls. A free permit from the Southeastern Cave Conservancy is required, and the walk-in entrance is reached by a roughly 2-mile round-trip hike.
Before you go
Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check Southeastern Cave Conservancy (Stephens Gap Callahan Cave Preserve) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
No measured height is on record for Stephens Gap Falls in the land-manager and survey sources this inventory draws on. We list it without a height rather than estimating one.
The Stephens Gap Cave Trail reaches it about 2 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 239 feet of elevation gain, rated moderate. The nearest town is Woodville. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Southeastern Cave Conservancy (Stephens Gap Callahan Cave Preserve) for closures and current conditions.
Winter/spring high flow (Dec-Apr). Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.
More Alabama waterfalls
- Caney Creek Falls · 25 ft
- Cheaha Falls · 30 ft
- DeSoto Falls · 104 ft
- Devil's Den Falls
- Grace's High Falls · 133 ft
- High Falls (DeKalb County) · 35 ft
- Indian Falls · 50 ft
- Kinlock Falls · 15 ft
Sources
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