its not what it used to be back in the 1970s and 80s. you could go in cave back then, now you can not, the rangers are too busy watching t.v. to talk with you, the last time i was by there, a young arrogant ranger was to busy with t.v. to answer questions about a book. if you go hiking i do have a warning, they are some big rattlesnakes there. sometimes in summer, be careful and stop close to the bridge, you just might find a good size rattler on the outside of the bridge rails sunning over the creek. now for anyone planning on coming here and never have been before, its not a hop skip and jump from the i24 in kimball tn, its 4 lane most of the way then tiny back roads loaded with deer, and they have no fear in darting out in front of you. just when you think you reached the end of civilization you will reach the cave. but there is hope, just a few more miles you come up on some actually living people again in Orme Tn . to be honest there is nothing to see here, i would actually take this place off a national monument, its a waste of tax payers money to keep the t.v. watching ranger paid. everything was removed from the inside of the cave back in the 1950s. so its just a big empty cave with plenty of vipers. there is a picnic area, you better have your own food, because there is no restaurants for miles and miles. listen this is the brutal honest truth about russell cave.