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Long Island Cove Preserve

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The SCCi is pleased to announce our newest Cave Preserve in Jackson County, Alabama, by means of a lease agreement. The SCCi has entered into an agreement to lease Long Island Cove, located on the west flank of Sand Mountain on the Tennessee River. The Long Island Cove Preserve is home to 10 known caves with highlights including Deep Well, Not-So-Deep Well and Long Island Saltpeter Cave.

Deep Well, an impressive 292 foot deep shaft, is the deepest open air pit in TAG. Its sister pit, Not-So-Deep Well, is an equally impressive 253 feet in depth. Long Island Saltpeter Cave is a historically significant cave, visited by General Rosencrans troops and mined for saltpeter during the Civil War; it contains hundreds of historical signatures. This property has been officially closed to cavers since 2007, but thanks to the efforts of Jay Clark and others, the SCCi is able to return access to cavers.

The Long Island Cove Preserve will provide SCCi membership with permitted access to the entire preserve. In addition to the 10 known caves, there are multiple springs, a large creek, a blue hole and abundant wildlife. The expansive property will also be available for camping throughout the preserve. Management of the preserve will be handled on a permit system by the Long Island Cove Preserve Committee.

The preserve is open for visitation only during the dates announced by the SCCi on the Long Island Cove Preserve page on this website. Cavers wishing to visit the preserve must contact the property managers and provide advance notice of their visit. They will then be provided with the gate combination and access information. This preserve will require that all visitors be current members of the SCCi. We are confident that cavers will understand and respect this policy. Large groups (more than 16 people) need to request special permission at least two weeks in advance.

Acreage: Lease/management agreement in Jackson County, Alabama.
Property Managers: Brad Tipton and Buddy Lane (longisland@scci.org)
Access: SCCi membership and advance notification required. See the management plan for details.

The full management plan is available on the SCCi web site. If you have any questions about the cave or the access policy, you may contact the property managers at longisland@scci.org.