TIME School groups can expect to spend up to three hours in tours and programs. We are closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day. A picnic area is available, no fires or cooking permitted. Soft drinks are available at the visitor center. A 1.2 mile hiking trail or a .6 mile nature trail is available for use on a self guiding basis.
Gift shop offers postcards, slides, educational books and materials.
During the Smithsonian-National Geographic excavations, the National Geographic Society purchased Russell Cave and the surrounding land and later donated it to the American people. In 1961, President Kennedy declared Russell Cave a National Monument. The next year, the National Park Service excavated further and dedicated this park to welcoming visitors and telling the story of the people of Russell Cave. The Mysterious Lives of Early Humans From about 6200 B.C. to A.D. 1650, Prehistoric Indians regularly occupied Russell Cave. They hunted, gathered and fished for food.