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Alabama
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State of Alabama Parks

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USA Parks
Alabama
Northeast Region
Blowing Wind Cave National Wildlife Refuge
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BLOWING WIND CAVE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
BLOWING WIND CAVE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Scottsboro, Alabama   35769
(lat:34.6121 lon:-86.1332) map location

Phone: (256) 350-6639
Email: park email button icon
Sauta Cave NWR (known as Blowing Wind Cave NWR until 1999) is a 264 acre Refuge purchased in 1978 to provide protection for the federally endangered gray and Indiana bat and their critical habitat. The cave provides a summer roosting site for about 200,000 - 300,000 gray bats and a winter hibernaculum for both the gray and Indiana bats. There are two entrances into the cave on the Refuge but they are closed to the public.

As is the case with many large caves, rare and unique species occur in Sauta Cave. As a result, the Alabama Natural Heritage Program ranks the cave's biodiversity as a site of very high significance. Surprisingly, the cave is not a pristine one as it was used as a saltpeter mine during the Civil War, a nightclub during the 1920's, and a fallout shelter during the 1960's.

In addition to the rare fauna within the cave, the federally endangered Price's potato bean occurs on the Refuge. All 264 acres of habitat outside of the cave is predominately hardwood forest.
Nature of the Area
Rare and unique species occur in Sauta Cave. The Alabama Natural Heritage Program (ANHP) listed the biodiviersity rank of the cave as B2, a site of very high significance. In addition to gray and Indiana bats, many other bat species are present. Cave Salamanders, unique invertebrates, and other rare animals inhabit the cave. Outside the cave, the Refuge is forested with a mixed oak-hickory forest type and the usual complement of species that occur in this habitat type such as squirrels, birds, and deer are abundant. A few federally endangered plants also occur on the refuge in isolated places.
History of the Area
As mentioned earlier, Sauta Cave is not a pristine one. As early as 1784, cave soil was being mined by a Cherokee to make saltpeter, an ingredient in black powder. The mining continued on and off from the War of 1812 through the Civil War to World War I. Examples of disturbances at or inside the cave historically, due to saltpeter creation include mines, a wooden railroad, and large iron kettles. Portions of the railroad and the mining tunnels, now called The Catacombs, still exist. A building near the cave was also used as a fishing store and nightclub from 1919 to 1956. A dance area was placed adjacent to the lower entrance to take advantage of the cool wind exiting the cave. The cave was prepared as a fallout shelter by a local National Guard unit in 1962. The owner prior to acquisition by the Service planned to commercialize the cave by having tourists walk and boat through and learn its history.

In 1978, the Service acquired this property for the protection of the endangered Indiana and gray bats. Management over the years has included restricting access to the cave during critical periods in order to minimize disturbance to roosting bats.
FACILITIES AND ACTIVITIES OVERVIEW
GeneralLand, acres264


Location
Blowing Wind Cave National Wildlife Refuge is located near Owens Cross Roads, Scottsboro


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Area Campgrounds
Goose Pond Colony Lake Course
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256-912-0063
River Ridge Retreat Campground & Cabins
2450 Alabama 62
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256-505-1454
Windemere Cove
10174 County Road 67
Langston, AL
256-228-3010
Lake Guntersville State Park Campground
24 State Campground Road
Guntersville, AL
256-571-5455
Little Mountain Marina-Camping
1001 Murphy Hill Road
Langston, AL
256-582-1280
Parnell Creek RV Park
115 Parnell Circle
Woodville, AL
256-508-7308
Mountain Lakes Resort
1345 Murphy Hill Road
Langston, AL
256-582-5556
South Sauty Creek Resort Inc
122 Murphy Hill Drive
Langston, AL
256-582-6157
Nearby Hotels
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Directions
Located 7 miles west of Scottsboro, Jackson County, Alabama. Scottsboro, AL. The cave has a double entrance- Sauta Cave Refuge is located just above the Sauty Creek embayment of TVAs Guntersville Reservoir, 7 miles west of Scottsboro in Jackson County, Alabama. There is an entrance gate to the refuge on the south side of Highway 72.

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Alabama
98

State of Alabama Parks

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