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Steward Spring Cave Preserve

Management Plan | Cave Map ||Make a Donation

On Friday, September 26, 2008, the SCCi completed the purchase of Steward Spring Cave near Fort Payne, Alabama. Steward Spring Cave (AL 871) contains more than 15,000 feet of nicely decorated stream passage, along with an abundance of cave life.

NOTICE: To help prevent the spread of the deadly White Nose Syndrome (WNS) affecting bat populations, please read the SCCi Cave Visitation Policy and follow these guidelines before visiting Steward Spring Cave:

• Before and after visiting the Preserve, thoroughly clean and decontaminate all clothing, footwear or gear that has been previously used in a cave in Rhode Island, Maine, Maryland, Delaware, Ohio, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Kentucky (or in a WNS-Affected State prior to 2006), following the procedures outlined in the latest USFWS guidelines (see Attachment 2)..
  
• Do not use any clothing, footwear or gear that you cannot adequately decontaminate.
  
• Do not use any clothing, footwear or gear that has been used since January 1, 2006 in any cave in New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and/or West Virginia, regardless of decontamination protocols followed.

The cave was severely vandalized in the 1980s, and was later gated to end the abuse and allow restoration work to begin. Much of the damage has been repaired, but efforts are ongoing and will take years to complete.

Steward Spring Cave is managed by Ken Rupil and Lin Guy. It is gated, and arrangements for access may be made by emailing Ken and Lin at stewardspring@scci.org.

Acreage: 15.0 acres (owned) in DeKalb County, Alabama
Property Manager: Ken Rupil and Lin Guy (stewardspring@scci.org)
Access: Cave is gated - advance arrangements must be made with the property managers before visiting. See the management plan for details.