Last Updated July 28, 2003
The following list of Restricted Access Bat Caves was prepared from the US. Fish and Wildlife Service, Gray Bat Recovery Plan (1982) and Recovery Plan for the Indiana Bat (1983), the Tennessee Cave Survey files and from Bats of the Eastern United States, by Michael J. Harvey, Arkansas Game and Fish Comm., 1992. In addition, this list was mailed to a number of respective bat specialists in each listed state for their review. Gray and Indiana bats have suffered severe declines in population since the early 1960's. Some of this decline can be related to disturbance of bat caves by humans. This list is intended to identify known bat caves in the southeast to help minimize caver impact.
The Restricted Access Bat Cave List has been complied as a conservation project by the Tennessee Central Basin Grotto and the Nashville Grotto of the National Speleological Society. The list will be updated on a yearly basis. This list is intended for distribution and reproduction is encouraged. This data is presented for informational purposes only. The accuracy of the data has not been field checked and we would appreciate input regarding the accuracy of the data.
**See theNotes Section at the bottom for a description of the Priority codes.**
| ID # | State/County | Cave Name | Priority | Closure Dates | Bats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | |||||
| *ACE 3 | Colbert | Georgetown Cave | 1 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray |
| *ACE 986 | Colbert | Baker Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *ACE 629 | Colbert | McKinney Pit Cave | 3 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray |
| *ACC 167 | Conecuh | Sanders Cave | 1 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray |
| *ADK 239 | Dekalb | Lykes Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *ADK 958 | Dekalb | Portersville Bat Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *ADK 730 | Dekalb | Stanley Carden Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *AJK 597 | Jackson | Fern Cave (Morgue & Little Morgue) | 2 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray |
| *AJK 224 | Jackson | Gross-Skeleton Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *AJK 613 | Jackson | Horseskull Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *AJK 942 | Jackson | Little Nat Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *AJK 163 | Jackson | Wheeler Saltpeter Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *AJK 430 | Jackson | Orcestwells Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *AJK 50 | Jackson | Sauta Cave | 1 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray |
| *ALD 1 | Lauderdale | Bat Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *ALD 1785 | Lauderdale | Davis Bat Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *ALD 100 | Lauderdale | Collier Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *ALD 99 | Lauderdale | Key Cave | 1 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray |
| *ALM 179 | Limestone | Indian Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *AMD 6 | Madison | Hering Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *AMD 4 | Madison | Shelta Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *AMS 43 | Marshall | Bishop Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *AMS 165 | Marshall | Cathedral Caverns | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *AMS 329 | Marshall | Dunham Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *AMS 38 | Marshall | Guntersville Caverns | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *AMS 44 | Marshall | Hambrick Cave | 1 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray |
| *AMS 36 | Marshall | Honeycomb Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *AMS 39 | Marshall | King School Cave | 2,3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *AMS 319 | Marshall | Ledbetter Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *AMS 505 | Marshall | Old Blowing Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *AMG 53 | Morgan | Cave Spring Cave | 1 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray |
| *AMG 157 | Morgan | Hughes Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *AMG 47 | Morgan | Talucah Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *AMG 154 | Morgan | Woody Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| FLORIDA | |||||
| Alachua | Grant Cave | 1 | UK | Gray | |
| Citrus | Sweet Gum Cave | 3 | UK | Gray | |
| Columbia | River Bed Cave | All Year | |||
| * | Jackson | Bush Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Jackson | Fears Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Jackson | Jeromes Cave | 1 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray |
| * | Jackson | Gerrards Cave | 1 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray |
| * | Jackson | Judges Cave | 1 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray |
| * | Jackson | Old Indian Cave | 1 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray |
| * | Jackson | Popes Bat Cave (Sneads Bat Cave) |
2 | All Year | Gray |
| * | Jackson | River Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Jackson | Rowland Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| GEORGIA | |||||
| *GKH 206 | Chattooga | Lowry Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *GWK 14 | Walker | Fricks Cave | All Year | Gray | |
| *GPO 5 | Polk | Deatons Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *GPO 7 | Polk | White River Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| KENTUCKY | |||||
| * | Adair | Jones Cave | 2,C | All Year | Gray/Ind. |
| * | Adair | Sam Thomas Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Adair | Todds Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Allen | Holland Cave | 1 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray |
| * | Barren | Temple Hill Saltpeter Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Breckenridge | Big Bat Cave | B | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Breckenridge | Wind Cave | B | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Caldwell | Mill Bluff Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Carter | Bat Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Christian | Campbells Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Cliton | Caney Branch Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Edmonson | Andy Collins Crystal Onyx Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Edmonson | Bat Cave | B | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Edmonson | Coach Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Edmonson | Colossal Cave | B | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Edmonson | Dixon Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Edmonson | Jesse James Cave | 1.B | All Year | Gray/Ind. |
| * | Edmonson | Long Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Edmonson | Tony | B | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Estill | Prairie Hall Cave | C | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Franklin | Glass Farm Cave | UK | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Garrard | Isons Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Hardin | Belt Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Hart | Buckner Spring Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Hart | Frenchman's Knob | B | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Hart | Ryders Mill Cave | 2,B | All Year | Gray/Ind. |
| * | Jackson | 1813 Cave | B | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Jackson | Bowman Saltpeter Cave | B | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Jackson | War Fork Cave | B | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Jessamine | Chrismans Cave | 1,C | All Year | Gray/Ind. |
| * | Jessamine | Daniel Boone's Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Jessamine | Hermit Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Jessamine | Overstreet Cave | 1 | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Lee | Ash Cave | C | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Lee | Bobo Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Lee | Cave Hollow Cave | B | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Lee | Stillhouse Cave | B | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Lee | Wolf Hollow (Armine Br. ) Cave | 3,C | All Year | Gray/Ind. |
| * | Letcher | Water Cave | B | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Meade | Morgans Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Nelson | Burgess Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Pulaski | Blowing Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Pulaski | Sloans Valley Cave (Minton Hollow) | 4,C | All Year | Gray/Ind. |
| * | Rockcastle | Climax Cave | B | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Rockcastle | Crooked Creek Ice Cave | C | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Rockcastle | Goochland (Crooked Creek) Cave | C | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Rockcastle | Smokehole Cave | B | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Rockcastle | Waterfall Cave | B | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Simpson | Old Smokey Cave | UK | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Taylor | Boones Cave | 3,C | All Year | Gray/Ind. |
| * | Taylor | Saltpeter Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Todd | Potato Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| Trigg | Big Sulfer Springs Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray | |
| * | Trigg | Cool Springs Cave | C | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| * | Warren | Son of Finey Cave | UK | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| * | Warren | Unknown | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| Tennessee | |||||
| *TBE 13 | Bedford | Nut Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TBE 14 | Bedford | Ward Cave Nr1 | Indiana | ||
| *TBE 16 | Bedford | Yell Cave | 3/1-9/30 | Gray | |
| *TBD 20 | Bledsoe | Melvine Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TBA 3 | Blount | Bull Cave | C,3 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray/Ind. |
| *TBA 6 | Blount | Kelly Ridge Cave | C,3 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray/Ind. |
| *TBA 2 | Blount | Whiteoak Blowhole | B,2 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray/Ind. |
| *TCM 5 | Campbell | Meredith Cave | 3,C | All Year | Gray/Ind. |
| *TCM 6 | Campbell | New Mammoth Cave | B,2 | All Year | Indiana |
| *TCM 7 | Campbell | Norris Dam Cave | 2,C | All Year | Gray/Ind. |
| *TCN 10 | Cannon | Espey Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TCH 4 | Cheatham | Neptune Saltpeter Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TCB 9 | Claiborne | English Cave | 4 | Indiana | |
| *TCB 17 | Claiborne | Station Creek Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TCB 47 | Claiborne | Upper Coonsies Creek Cave | 1 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TCY 9 | Clay | Markham Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TCO 2 | Cooke | Rattling Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TDC 1 | Decatur | Baugus Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TDC 2 | Decatur | Featherfoot Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TDC 4 | Decatur | Swallow Bluff Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TDK 8 | Dekalb | Cripps Mill Cave (Goat) | 1 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TDK 12 | Dekalb | Gin Bluff Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TFE 116 | Fentress | Mountain Eye System (Cobb Creek Saltpetre) | C,3 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray/Ind. |
| *TFE 12 | Fentress | Wolf River Cave | B,2 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray/Ind. |
| *TFE 94 | Fentress | Xanadu Cave | C,3 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray/Ind. |
| *TFE 95 | Fentress | Yggdrasil Cave | C,3 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray/Ind. |
| *TFE 60 | Fentress | Zarathustras Cave | C,3 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray/Ind. |
| *TFE 60 | Fentress | Zarathustras Cave (Dragons Breath) | 4 | 9/1-4/1 | Gray/Ind. |
| *TFR 2 | Franklin | Caney Hollow Cave | 2,C | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TFR 19 | Franklin | Pennington Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TGA 12 | Grainger | Coon Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TGA 4 | Grainger | Indian Cave | 1,C | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TGN 1 | Greene | Arch Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TGN 3 | Greene | Cedar Creek Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TGD 26 | Grundy | Trussel Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *THN 27 | Hancock | Rockhouse Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *THW 9 | Hawkins | Horner Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *THW 12 | Hawkins | Pearson Cave | 1,C | All Year | Gray/Ind. |
| *THI 1 | Hickman | Bat Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *THI 8 | Hickman | Only Saltpeter Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TJK 9 | Jackson | Duds Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TJK 12 | Jackson | Haile Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TKN 18 | Knox | Baloney Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TKN 19 | Knox | Blowing Hole Cave | C | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TKN 9 | Knox | Mudflats Cave | C | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TLS 5 | Lewis | Control Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TLS 8 | Lewis | Kaos Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TLI 1 | Lincoln | Bat Cave | 2,C | All Year | Gray/Ind. |
| *TMN 26 | Marion | Nickajack Cave | 1 | All Year | Gray |
| *TMU 1 | Maury | Benderman Cave | 2 | All Year | Gray/Ind. |
| *TME 1 | Meigs | Blythe Ferry Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TME 2 | Meigs | Eves Cave | 2,C | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TME 3 | Meigs | Sensabaugh Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TMY 1 | Montgomery | Bellamy Cave | 1 | All Year | Gray |
| *TMY 9 | Montgomery | Blue Spring Cave | UK | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| *TMY 3 | Montgomery | Coleman Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TMY 4 | Montgomery | Cooper Creek Cave | 4 | Indiana | |
| *TMY 7 | Montgomery | Killebrew Cave | UK | All Year | UK |
| *TMR 6 | Moore | Jack Daniel Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TOV 29 | Overton | Robinson Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TPR 1 | Perry | Alexander Cave | 2 | All Year | Gray/Ind. |
| *TPR 4 | Perry | Blowing Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TPR 7 | Perry | Campbell Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TPU 1 | Putnam | Ament Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TRH 2 | Rhea | Grassy Creek Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TRH 7 | Rhea | Starve Rock Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TRB 6 | Robertson | Dry Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TRU 8 | Rutherford | Herring Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TSQ 5 | Sequatchie | Wilmoth Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TSM 1 | Smith | Bridgewater Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TSM 4 | Smith | John Fisher Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TSM 9 | Smith | New Piper Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TSM 12 | Smith | Piper Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TST 1 | Stewart | Tobaccoport Saltpeter Cave | 1,C | 9/1-4/1 | Gray/Ind. |
| *TSL 6 | Sullivan | Morrell Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TUN 12 | Union | Jolley Saltpetre Pit | C,3 | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| *TUN 19 | Union | Lost Creek Cave | 2 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TUN 5 | Union | Oaks Cave | 1 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TVB 418 | Van Buren | Jerk Well | 9/1-4/1 | Gray | |
| *TWR 14 | Warren | Hubbards Cave | 1,B | 9/1-4/1 | Gray/Ind. |
| *TWR 316 | Warren | Jaco Cave | UK | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TWR 317 | Warren | Jaco Spring Cave | UK | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TWY 10 | Wayne | Ice Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TWH 1 | White | Baker Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TWH 15 | White | Haskell Sims Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TWH 17 | White | Indian Cave | C,3 | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| *TWH 20 | White | Lost Creek Cave | C,3 | 9/1-4/1 | Indiana |
| *TWH 36 | White | Rose Cave | 4 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray/Ind. |
| *TWH 47 | White | Ward Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
| *TWL 50 | Wilson | Gallatin Steamplant Cave | 3 | 4/1-9/30 | Gray |
* Caves identified in US. Fish and Wildlife Service, Gray Bat Recovery Plan (1982) and Recovery Plan for the Indiana Bat (1983).
GRAY BAT CAVES
Priority Key
1. Primary hibernating caves (those occupied now or in the past by 50,0000 bats in northern Alabama and Tennessee; 25,000 elsewhere).
2. Primary maternity caves (those occupied now or in the past by 50,000 or more bats in northern Alabama and in Tennessee west of the Cumberland Plateau; 40,000 in Kentucky; and 1,000 in southern Alabama and Florida).
3. Primary bachelor caves (those used now or in the past by more than 50,000 nonreproductive female gray bats in northern Alabama and in Tennessee west of the Cumberland Plateau; and 1,000 in southern Alabama and Florida).
4. Secondary maternity caves (those presently used now in the past by more than 5,000 but fewer than 50,000 gray bats in northern Alabama; and in Tennessee, west of the Cumberland Plateau, by more than 1,000 but less than 10,000 bats; and elsewhere in Florida and southern Alabama where they number more than 500 but less than 1,000).
INDIANA BAT CAVES
Priority Key
A = Hibernacula with a recorded population of Indiana bats greater than 30,000.
B = Hibernacula with a recorded population greater than 1,000 but less than 30,000 since 1960.
C = Hibernacula that require further investigation.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
You can help preserve our beneficial bat resources by following these common-sense guidelines:
(1) Avoid maternity colonies and hibernating bats. Even slight disturbance are harmful to bats.
(2) Cave habitats are fragile and easily disturbed. If you must enter caves, do so only as an observer. Leave everything as you found it. And remember disturbing or harming endangered bats is a federal offense carrying serious penalties.
(3) Never shoot, poison, or otherwise harm bats. Bats are extremely beneficial insect eaters, and nuisance bats can be encouraged to move elsewhere without killing them.
BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL
In light of declining bat populations worldwide, Bat Conservation International (BCI) was founded to meet the urgent and increasing need for research and preservation of these mammals, especially those that are threatened or endangered.
The goals of BCI are to prevent the extinction of bat species, to insure the survival of viable populations, and to cooperate with conservation organizations and private citizens on conservation efforts.
For more information, contact BCI, PO Box 162603, Austin, TX 78716-2603 (Harvey, 1992).
US. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
The US. Fish and Wildlife Service has had Recovery Plans prepared of Indiana bats and Gray bats by a Recovery Team comprised of bat experts. Certain protective management measures have already been taken, as recommended in the Recovery Plans. These include gating or fencing important bat caves and placing of warning/interpretive signs at other caves to minimize human disturbance to bat colonies. Signs placed at selected cave entrances tell what endangered bat species inhabits the cave, the season when they are present, information concerning bats' beneficial nature, and adverse effects of disturbing bat colonies. Signs also point out that entering these caves during restricted times is a violation of the Federal Endangered Species Act, punishable by fines of up to $50,000 for each violation (Harvey, 1992).