Rickwood Caverns will once again be transformed into a one-of-a-kind winter wonderland this holiday season.
The centerpiece of the park’s cave system, known as Wonderland Under Warrior, offers a magical experience with festive light displays, decorations and a cast of characters available for photos. All this emphasizes the natural formations of the cave.
“It’s clear that ‘Wonderland Under Warrior’ has become one of the top attractions at the park each year, and families seem to come back to enjoy it every holiday season,” said Chris Bentley, superintendent of Rickwood Caverns State Park. “We are so proud to continue this holiday tradition for all of our guests, many of whom tell us how much they look forward to it every year.”
Wonderland Under Warrior began on Saturday, November 19th and will run through January 8th, 2023, operating from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The last tickets are sold daily at 7:30 p.m. Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made online at www.reservealapark.com.
The attraction is closed on Thanksgiving Day, November 24; Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, December 24-25 December; New Year’s Eve, December 31; and most Mondays and Tuesdays through January 8th.
Visit the park’s website for a full schedule. All regular cave tours are suspended for the duration of Wonderland Under Warrior. These tours will resume in 2023.
The cave temperature stays at 62 degrees all year round, making it the perfect place to visit on a cold day. The park’s gift shop will be decorated for the holidays and will offer gifts, jewelry, snacks and hot cocoa for purchase.
For first-time visitors, please note that Wonderland Under Warrior offers a self-guided round-trip tour, so the 110-step climb at the end of the normal cave tour is not necessary. This makes things easier for guests with mobility problems or small children. The entire hike is about a mile inside the cave.
“The staff at Rickwood Caverns State Park have truly made Wonderland Under Warrior one of the state’s premier vacation attractions,” said Greg Lein, state parks director for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. “We know that many of our guests look forward to it every year. We strive to provide unique experiences that people can’t get anywhere else and this is a perfect example. We hope that new visitors and old friends will visit Rickwood Caverns over the upcoming holiday season.”
Rickwood Caverns State Park is just off Interstate 65 in Warrior, about 30 miles north of downtown Birmingham and about 75 miles south of Huntsville.
About Rickwood State Park
Rickwood Caverns State Park features 260-million-year-old water-sculpted formations that provide evidence that the cave was carved out of a seabed, every 50 meters below the surface. The park also includes a campground, playground, hiking trails, gift shop, and an Olympic-size swimming pool fed by cool water from the cave. Learn more at www.alapark.com/parks/rickwood-caverns-state-park.
About the Alabama State Parks
The Alabama State Parks Division operates and maintains 21 state parks covering more than 50,000 acres of land and water in Alabama. Ranging from the beaches of the Gulf Coast to the Appalachian Mountains, the parks offer opportunities and facilities from simple day activities to convention lodging, restaurants and golf areas. Learn more at www.alapark.com
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