Alabama’s historic DeSoto Caverns will reopen to visitors on Thursday, May 21.
“[T]his closure for the Caverns was its first time in thousands of years not to be experienced by people,” said Desoto Caverns president Joy Sorensen about the recent COVID-19-induced shutdown.
The family business that owns and runs DeSoto Caverns says their team coordinated “with international and national park health boards and state and local officials” as they planned the location’s reopening.
As a result of those meetings, the Childersburg attraction has implemented a number of new safety practices intended to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission.
Among the changes that visitors can expect are “a transition to an All-Inclusive Gate, unlimited wristbands, smaller more private tours, many hand sanitizing stations, and more frequent cleanings including the use of ultraviolet light.”
In addition to new safety precautions, DeSoto Caverns has new business hours for the summer of 2020.
The park will operate from 10:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Thursday through Monday. On Sunday, the hours are abbreviated down to 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Return visitors will also be treated to new “daily craft artisan demonstrations, live streetmosphere shows, strolling entertainment, and historic character quests for their guests,” according to a release from the company.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95
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