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All the United States Alabama Fackler Neversink Pit
AO Edited

Neversink Pit

This natural wonder drops 16 stories straight down through rare flora and streaming waterfalls.

Fackler, Alabama

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planan
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Spelunkers dropping into Neversink Pit.   Getty Images/George Steinmetz
Spelunkers dropping into Neversink Pit.   Getty Images/George Steinmetz
Depending on the time of year, ribbons of waterfalls drop over the side.   Adventure Points
View from below.   Adventure Points
It’s 162 feet to the bottom.   Karst Outdoors
Owned and overseen by the Southeastern Cave Conservancy, there are anchors installed for climbers.   Karst Outdoors
The bit is 40-odd feet at the top.   Karst Outdoors
Only experienced repellers should attempt the descent.   Karst Outdoors
The pit widens out to 100-foot diameter at the bottom.   Karst Outdoors
  Matt Tomlinson/CC BY-SA 2.0
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About

Somewhere between a sinkhole and a cave, the remarkable pit known as Neversink in northern Alabama is a geological wonder that inspires photographers and climbers in equal measure.

One of the most photographed sinkholes in the United States (if not the world), the pit is 40 feet wide at the top, with a cavity that drops a dramatic 162 feet to a floor that’s more than twice as wide as the opening. On the way down, the view for rappelers is one of ice sheets in the winter, ribbony waterfalls after spring rains, and lush, rare ferns that drip down the sides in summer.

After a few years of trying to preserve the pit in its pristine natural state, the Southeastern Cave Conservancy gathered funds from donations and bought the property outright in 1995. The group maintains and oversees its use for visitors and cavers, and keep tabs on ecological issues. They ask that all who make the trip follow their guidelines, especially when it comes to protecting the vulnerable bat population and various endangered plant species that call this pit home.

Related Tags

Subterranean Sites Caves Nature Preserves Natural Wonders Sinkhole Ecosystems Nature

Know Before You Go

Access to the bottom of the pit requires a 162 foot rappel and ascent and should be attempted only by those experienced in a single rope technique. For information on how to find and follow the right trail, obtain the required permit, and advice on training, see the Southeastern Cave Conservancy website.  

Community Contributors

Added By

planan

Edited By

Shiv, cblakewest, michaelburwell, StationR...

  • Shiv
  • cblakewest
  • michaelburwell
  • StationR
  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

May 25, 2017

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Sources
  • http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/alabama/most-photographed-spot-al/
  • http://www.scci.org/preserves/neversink/
Neversink Pit
Fackler, Alabama, 35746
United States
34.804149, -86.007029
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