cave tour springfield mo

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Crystal Cave Tours

Join us for an hour-long guided tour of Crystal Cave. Bring your sweater as the temperature inside the cave is a cool 59° fahrenheit. We begin our tour through the old Springfield jail gates and enter this naturally preserved, spectacular geological underworld. You certainly won't be disappointed in this adventure as you view many fantastic geological formations including stalagmites, stalactites, flowstone, and the rare helictites formations. Tours depart on the hour.

1-14 PEOPLE

Individual Rate Per Person

Includes Cave Tour

Mother Lode

Combo Deal Per Person

Includes Cave Tour, Putt Putt, and Mother Lode Gemstone Mining

Add Fossil Dig for an additional $8

Emerald Strike

Includes Cave Tour, Putt Putt, and Emerald Strike Gemstone Mining

The Prospector

Includes Cave Tour, Putt Putt, and Prospector Gemstone Mining

15-19 PEOPLE

Group Rate Per Person

Family Rate

Per Family Up To 5 People

School Groups

Special School Educational Tour

Wild Cave Tour

Join us for two exciting hours of guided off-trail cave exploration. You’ll walk, crawl and climb your way through a mile long subterranean creek bed, lit only by the light of your helmet! There you will see crystals, geodes, fossils, flowstone, and large rimstone formations as you venture into a part of Crystal Cave that very few have ever seen. You will encounter running water, loose stones, and lots of mud, so be sure to dress for the occasion. Lace up shoes, long pants, and long sleeve shirts are strongly suggested. Headlamps, helmets, and knee pads are required for the tour, and will be provided for those who don’t bring their own.

What’s required to book a Wild Cave Tour?

• Must sign a liability waiver when you check-in for your tour
• Must be 16 years of age or older
• One parent/guardian must accompany anyone under the age of 18
• Comfortable clothes and closed-toe shoes that are ok to get dirty. You will get dirty.

Wild Cave Tours start at 5 pm on Saturdays . Please arrive a minimum of 30 minutes before your departure time.

Indoor 9-hole Putt-Putt Course

Trackless Train Ride

Gemstone Mining & Fossil Dig

Penny arcade.

Birthday Parties & Special Events

Let's have a Party! Crystal Cave wants to celebrate your special occasion. We offer a private area for your birthday party, group meeting, club get together, or whatever you have on your calendar. We provide the room, tables, chairs, and kitchen area with microwave and refrigerator. You provide the party decorations, food, and guests.

• Birthday Party
• Family Reunion
• Anniversary
• Team Building
• Office Party

Our testimonials

What Our Happy Clients say about us

Success isn’t really that difficult. There is a significant portion of the population here in North America, that actually want and need success really no magic to be hard.

For those of you who are serious about having more, doing more, giving more and being more, success is achievable with some understanding of what to do, discipline.

He first thing to remember about success is that it is a process – nothing more, nothing less. There is really no magic to it and it’s not reserved only few people.

RoadsideAmerica.com Your Online Guide to Offbeat Tourist Attractions

Attraction:

Fantastic Caverns: Ride-Thru Cave

Springfield, Missouri

Commercial caves have a hard row to hoe. Caverns are natural wonders, and attraction owners must respect the beauty carved by Nature -- the delicate flowstones, fluted draperies, spindly cave flowers. At the same time, all that splendor can't be appreciated without a way for people to actually see it. Believe it or not, most cave visitors would be discouraged by the prospect of a half-mile belly-crawl through muddy water over pointy rocks.

So commercial caves provide convenient access -- passageways drilled to connect chambers, ceiling breakdown removed to minimize obstacles, and lights strung for safety, and to create atmosphere. Fantastic Caverns took this remodeling ethos a bit further, accommodating jeep trams to drive through its passages. A lazy man's dream tour, it cuts out all that senseless walking required in other caves. It's the sole ride-through cave in the US, and one of only four in the world (the others are in Barbados, France and Slovenia).

As a long-established tourist attraction, Fantastic Caverns stands out in the Springfield area, prominently featured on rental car maps and in tourism literature. In reality, Bass Pro Shops garners more foot traffic -- but Bass Pro is really a store disguised as an attraction. Fantastic Caverns is a classic tourist attraction, with a formula that apparently still works, with its large visitors center, bustling gift shop and queueing tour groups.

There's a quirky wrinkle to the Fantastic Caverns origin story -- in 1867, after discovering the entrance, the landowner advertised for explorers to help him figure out what he had under his property. A team of twelve women showed up -- with torches, lanterns, ropes, and ladders. After the preliminary expedition by the cave gals, who found untouched chambers with large, pristine formations, the owner knew he had something people would pay money to see.

Missouri is a state with more than its share of caves -- over 5,600 -- so Fantastic Caverns needed something a little different. In 1961, the ride-through tours began -- post-WWII jeeps with gas powered engines. The tours were popular, but cave walls don't fare well against car exhaust. "People didn't care much back then," said our guide. Eventually "America's Ride-Thru Cave" upgraded the jeeps to run on cleaner propane.

One hot afternoon we reserve spots on the next scheduled 55-minute long tour. We board the tram, which is a propane-fueled jeep pulling a couple of trailers with long metal benches (Insider Tip: Weasel your way to the front of the line and then beat all the kids racing to grab seats in the jeep with the guide).

The jeep tram travels a distance from the main building to the cave entrance, and our tour guide and driver, Tony, stops briefly to point out an old steam engine that powered the cave lights in the early days. The jeep tram continues into the bunker-like entrance.

The first room we pull into is large, angling up a steep slope with plenty of stalagmites. Our purpose here is pure keepsake commerce -- the guide instructs all to smile towards a woman with a camera mounted on the slope . The souvenir photo will be available at the end of the tour. And we appreciate that, as we know we won't be allowed to get out of the tram to take our own photo.

A Fantastic Caverns tour is a mixture of subterranean sightseeing and historical anecdotes. "In the early 1900s, somebody tried to grow food down here," our guide notes. "There are the remains of the mushroom beds." Fantastic's colorful history includes a period of ownership by the Ku Klux Klan, who conducted meetings and cross-burnings in the Grand Ballroom in the 1920s. And there are plenty of factoids about bats, blind cave fish, all the usual underground suspects.

The jeepway winds along gentle slopes and is wide in spots, though not so wide that two tour trams can safely roar past each other. The drivers move slowly and cautiously -- one low overhang could scalp a tall and inattentive tram rider.

Our guide is careful to point out hazards. He also delivers the requisite "Moment of Total Darkness" as part of a demonstration on the evolution of lighting implements. The total darkness only lasts, you know, a moment, and then our guide is steering to the drivable terminus of the cave.

On the back wall, a video plays on a mounted projection screen. Only a few minutes long, it stars a "hydrogeologist," explaining his observations of water flow through sinkholes and underground rivers. While we enjoy this arcane knowledge -- great party material -- the presentation has a disjointed, tacked-on feel, like someone TIVO'd it off public television. At the video's end, without a word, our guide starts up the jeep tram and heads back the way we came.

There are more impressive formations on the return trip, a stop at an old salt peter works, and a harrowing traverse under a particularly low ceiling. And then we're back at the gift shop, with its ample supply of decorative minerals, t-shirts and souvenir miner helmets.

More on Fantastic Caverns: Ride-Thru Cave

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Fantastic Caverns

Fantastic Caverns, America’s Ride-Thru Cave, lies beneath the rolling Ozarks hills just north of Springfield, Missouri. Approximately five miles off Historic Route 66 and about an hour north of Branson, Missouri, this North American cavern offers a completely ride-through cave experience. Propane-powered Jeep-drawn trams tour the path left behind by an ancient underground river. During the 55-minute all-riding cave tour, trams drive along a one-mile tour route providing guests an up-close look at beautiful cave formations, like giant columns stretching from floor to ceiling, delicate soda straws glistening with minerals and tiny cave pearls hidden in crystal-clear water. No walking is necessary and trams are equipped with pull-out ramps to accommodate wheelchairs, making the tour convenient for everyone, especially older visitors, parents with small children and individuals with physical limitations. Fantastic Caverns is an all-weather natural cave attraction open year ‘round, with the temperature inside Fantastic Caverns hovering at around 60 degrees F (15 degree C) all the time. When you're ready to experience Fantastic Caverns, simply show up, get your tickets, and we'll board your party on the next available ride-thru expedition.

4872 N Farm Rd 125

Springfield, MO 65803

Phone: 417-833-2010

Email: [email protected]

A look inside the tour

Civil War Cave

Comes to life, guided tour.

One hour, ½ mile walk, NO STAIRS!

One Hour Tour

Guide will show and tell about the history, folklore, and geology of Smallin Cave

Extended adventure beyond the trail by the light of a headlamp

Visitor's Center

Our visitor’s center & gift shop offers affordably priced souvenirs. We have a variety of historical and educational merchandise. Along the way to the gift shop, visit the “Sidewalk Museum”. Be sure to stop in and say hi!

National Register of Historic Places

Smallin Civil War Cave was listed as a Historic District in the National Register of Historic Places on March 8th, 2018

at Smallin Cave

“ My wife and I took the historic lantern tour of Smallin Civil War Cave last night, and I was blown away by local history and the wonderful story telling staff! I had visited the cave at an earlier date during the daytime and enjoyed the tour. It has an enormous entrance! I would recommend visiting this cave if you are ever in the area! ”

“ If you want to do a cave tour, I highly recommend this one. The cave is impressive and the guides are very friendly and knowledgeable. After the cave, the staff answered questions and provided detailed historical information about other sites and other exploits by historical figures associated with the cave. A really enjoyable experience all-around. ”

“ We brought our 3 young children (2.5, 5, and 7) on a weekday and had so much fun! The owners are right on sight and accommodated us with our own tour rather than throwing us in with a field trip group, which we appreciated. They were very kind and clearly care about the history and preservation of the cave. The cave itself was beautiful, and we appreciated that it was easily accessible and pretty well lit. It was a great experience for our kids, without requiring much walking, climbing, or steps. ”

The Missouri Cheese Caves That Once Held 1.4 Billion Pounds Of Cheese Is A Truly Fascinating Story

Beth Price-Williams

A professional writer for more than two decades, Beth has lived in nearly a dozen states – from Missouri and Virginia to Connecticut and Vermont – and Toronto, Canada. In addition to traveling extensively in the U.S. and the U.K., she has a BA in Journalism from Point Park University (PA), a MA in Holocaust & Genocide Studies from Stockton University (NJ), and a Master of Professional Writing from Chatham University (PA). A writer and editor for Only In Your State since 2016, Beth grew up in and currently lives outside of Pittsburgh and when she’s not writing or hanging out with her bunnies, budgies, and chinchilla, she and her daughter are out chasing waterfalls.

More by this Author

Missouri’s known for its many caves – more than 6,000 by some accounts. Our favorite commercial caves – Fantastic Caverns and Meramec Caverns , among them – draw visitors from all over with guided tours. Lesser-known, nameless caves dot Missouri’s state parks and landscape, discovered as we hike along scenic trails. However, did you know there are also underground cheese caves in Missouri – aptly named Springfield Underground? Yep, and they’re just what they sound like. Read on to discover more about these unique caves in Springfield Missouri .

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Have you heard of these unique caves in Springfield, Missouri before? Let us know in the comments! While you can’t visit the cheese caves in Missouri, you can visit Fantastic Caverns, the only ride-through cave in America .

America’s Only Ride-Thru Cave Is In Missouri And You Have To Visit

Or here’s another unique adventure in Missouri that’s an experience unlike any other.  

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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More to Explore

Caves and hidden gems in missouri.

Aside from the MO cheese cave, what are some more unique caves in Missouri?

Here are some more of the most unique caves in Missouri that belong on your list:

• Marvel Cave, Branson
• Onondaga Cave , Leasburg
• Meramec Caverns, Stanton
• Fisher Cave, Sullivan
• Bridal Cave, Camdenton
• Fantastic Caverns, Springfield
• Crystal City Underground , Crystal City
• Cave Vineyard, Ste. Genevieve
• Cave Spring, Johnson Township

Learn more by reading our article featuring some of the best caves in Missouri . 

What are some more unique places in Missouri?

Springfield Underground is one of the most unique places in Missouri but it’s not the only one. Here are some more unique attractions in MO that will blow your mind.

• World's Largest Rocking Chair, Cuba
• Jesse James Home, St. Joseph
• Bonne Terre Mines , Bonne Terre
• Ha Ha Tonka Castle Ruins, Camdenton
• Giant Bookshelf, Kansas City Library, Kansas City
• Devil's Icebox, Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, Columbia
• World’s Largest Shuttlecocks, Kansas City
• Glore Psychiatric Museum, St. Joseph
• City Museum , St. Louis
• World's Largest Ball of Twine, Branson
• The Awakening - The Buried Giant, Chesterfield

We recommend that you read this article telling you more about these unique places in Missouri .

What are the best hidden gems in Missouri?

From state parks to historical sites to scenic rivers, and more, here are some of the best hidden gems in Missouri. 

• Bennett Spring State Park, Lebanon
• Mastodon State Historic Site, Imperial
• Castor River Shut-Ins , Fredericktown
• River of Life Farm, Dora
• Prairie State Park, Mindenmines
• Boathenge, Columbia
• Roaring River State Park, Cassville
• Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden, Springfield
• Mark Twain National Forest , Rolla
• Precious Moments Garden, Carthage
• Rocky Falls, Eminence

Check out our previous article to discover more about these hidden gems in Missouri.

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Forget aspen: visit this delightful colorado town, america's deadliest lake is also one of its most beautiful, quick links, how long do tours in fantastic caverns take, how much do tours cost, what will visitors see on tour, history of fantastic caverns.

Missouri may be known for its iconic landmarks, but there’s a reason why it has long held the title ‘The Cave State.’ It’s home to over 7,000 stunning caves with wowing and mysterious underground formations. While only a few are open to the public, there’s one that garners the attention of many adventurers, Fantastic Caverns.

This spot lives up to its name, thanks to its delicate flowstones and other natural wonders that add to its splendor. Besides, it’s also the only North American cave that offers ride-through tours, a thoughtful innovation that makes it more unique and accessible. So, what makes visitors flock to this cavern all year round, and is the pricing worth it? Here are more details.

Touring inside this enchanting cave takes around 55 minutes via jeep trams that pass through an ancient path that was once a river. The jeeps are propane-powered, meaning they emit lower carbon content, unlike petroleum products. The cleaner-burning fuel ensures less environmentally harmful emissions that may jeopardize the life of whatever is in the underground ecosystem.

Related: Alone Time: What To Explore In Missouri's Lone National Park

Through the 55-minute ride, the guides take visitors through the cave formation process. It’s an ideal excursion for older folks, children, and people with physical limitations as there’s no walking involved. Adventurers also have an up-close view of the giant columns and other attractions (more on this below) that leave them enthralled. Thrill-seekers can take the easy one-mile Ozarks nature trail as they wait for their ride.

The admission prices differ with age and whether adventurers visit the spot as a group. Tickets are available at the Visitor Center, where guides are later assigned to take guests through captivating rides. Here’s a list of the tour prices:

• Adults : $30
• Children aged 6 to 12 : $17
• Children under 5 : Free
• Adult group : $18
• Child group : $7
• Adult season pass : $35
• Children season pass : $22

Group rates apply for parties of over 20 people, and must be purchased jointly. In addition, vacationers can add $5 more after their ride-thru experience to get season passes. Travelers are free to book tours any time of the year since the temperatures hover at around 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Other essential details visitors should know include:

• Hours of operation: Opens at 8 am and closes at dusk (except Christmas Eve & Day and Thanksgiving Day)
• Directions: 4872 North Farm Road 125, Springfield, Missouri 65803 (easy to spot thanks to the handmade-looking signposts)

Fantastic Caverns is home to outstanding features that travelers can admire from the comfort of their seats. The stalactites, which are formations that hang down the cave ceiling, are some top attractions to see here. They are a result of redeposited minerals that develop after countless water drips. Other strange formations are the stalagmites, which, unlike stalactites, rise from the cave’s floor. The rock formations here look hand-carved due to the amazing views they offer.

Related: 8 Must-Book Missouri Cabin Rentals

As advised in most caverns, adventurers should refrain from the urge to touch these formations to avoid inhibiting their growth. And sadly, alter their appearance. The tiny cave pearls, which are camouflaged in the sparkling water, are other striking natural wonders that vacationers with a keen eye will appreciate seeing. Even though they resemble those produced by oysters, they have an intriguing history that the guides explain in depth.

The Hall of Giants, a stunning room filled with giant spiral columns, also makes the entire ride memorable. The decorative formations give a new meaning to magic while allowing holidayers to have a glimpse of what early explorers witnessed. After soaking in the breathtakingly beautiful attractions, travelers can buy some souvenirs at the gift shop to commemorate their visit.

Although the cavern was formed thousands of years ago, it was discovered by John Knox in late December 1862 . He had a hunting bloodhound named Juno, a dog breed known to perceive smell a thousand times better than humans. His excellent sense of smell triggered him to chase a rabbit before getting stuck in an obscured opening. Unaware of the surroundings, Juno barked for help, and the rescue mission led to the discovery of the gorgeous cave.

At this time, there was a civil war, and John decided to keep the treasure a secret to prevent people from using it as a hideaway. Five years later, twelve local women answered a newspaper ad to explore the cave. And their names still exist on the walls to date. There were no traces of human remains or habitation, meaning the spot remained undisturbed until its recognition.

Though private-owned, the owners have done an impeccable job conserving the cavern’s delicate system. Travelers can bring their furry friends for an all-riding experience as the cavern is pet-friendly. After all, there’s no better way to honor Juno, who led to the discovery of this breathtaking gem.

Adventure-seeking travelers looking for a place to try mysterious and hair-raising escapades will love it here. There’s something magical about riding through this cavern. And it’s hard to explain unless visitors explore themselves.

Our Trip to Fantastic Caverns, Springfield, MO

This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy for details.

We received complimentary tickets for our visit to Fantastic Caverns in Springfield, Missouri. All opinions are my own.

My family drove from central Iowa to Branson, MO and back again on our road trip. One of the favorite attractions that we stopped at was Fantastic Caverns in Springfield, MO – less than an hour north of Branson. In fact it was literally less than 10 minutes out of our way to stop and stretch our legs. I’m such a nut about caves and my kids LOVE visiting them.

But what really caught my interest is that Fantastic Cavern’s is America’s ONLY ride-thru caverns! How COOL is that?! Which was REALLY nice because I was exhausted after a busy weekend!! PLUS it’s a fantastic place to visit if you have small kids or handicapped friends and family members since you only need to sit down for this cave exploration tour.

I love that Fantastic Caverns is a small family business and you can really tell they support education – even inside the cave is an entire area dedicated to a classroom underground! In fact if you click on “Education” on their website here there’s an entire page for teachers!

We had surprised the kids and purchased them miner’s hard hats with lights before our trip to Fantastic Caverns so they were just absolutely psyched!! They weren’t paying attention on the drive there so they thought we had pulled into a rest stop! BOY were they excited when they saw the cavern signs!

Above you can see the red “wagon” that we rode in for the duration of the tour which was roughly about an hour. Not once did we get up – and when we got to the back of the cave there was a short movie to watch about the history of the cave.

It was discovered in 1862 by an Ozark farmer who eventually put an ad in the paper looking for someone brave enough to explore the cave. 12 Women answered from a local athletic and began exploration – their names can still be seen written on the cave wall (photo below) which was pretty awesome to see. The caves were used as a speak-easy during the Prohibition, an entertainment center in the 60’s and even just 2 weeks ago the Presley’s held a concert inside Fantastic Caverns.

In the lobby as you walk in there is a place to email a free e-card which was cool and the gift shop was SO reasonable in price! When I was a little kid I wanted to be an archaeologist so I was in heaven in their gift shop – Trilobites for $10, fossil fish, gems and minerals galore!!

I have to admit, I REALLY enjoyed sitting during the tour. I’ve gone on about 6-7 other cave tours around the country and this was one of my favorite. The cave “rooms” were just colossal but still had some incredibly formations that were very well lit.

I had no problems taking photos with my flash off. The tour guide was just fabulous and very generous with time at each stop on the tour. In fact all we needed to do was let her know we wanted her to stop and she would stop for us to take photos.

This was quite an interesting cave system to me as not only were there large cavernous rooms and amazing formations like you see in these pictures that I took but there were also 2 giant sinkholes which we rode right past.

Me, I’m terrified of heights, so I didn’t exactly want to look straight down into the sinkhole with camera, but trust me when I said they were deep! And they actually led into an additional tunnel beneath where we were touring. In the lobby was displayed a huge map of the cave system and tunnels.

One pretty cool thing about this tour was that as we initially entered the cave our bright red wagon stopped for a photo which had our entire group in it. When we pulled out of the cave at the end they had printed the photos, placed them in a nice frame, and were selling them for $10 which is about the most reasonably priced cave photo I’ve seen!

We’ve never bought a cave photo before because they are usually pretty pricey but for $10 and to get a full photo of us in the wagons was pretty stinkin’ cool!

This was the exit of the cave here.

And here’s a quick glimpse of some of the things in the gift shop. On the left was the photo/frame that we bought after the tour. Then you see fossils, colored agates, a cool home decor fossil display, and colored geodes! Our family just absolutely LOVED the tour.

Oh, and by the way, kids under 5 are free! The cave is open pretty much year-round. We would go again in a heartbeat. It’s so friendly for small children, elderly, and handicapped individuals that there isn’t a reason not to go. In fact on our trip there were several people in wheelchairs on our tour.

Here is the section of cave wall that has the names of the explorers listed on it.

For more adventures check out our travel site, Exploration America .

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Did you hear any ghost stories especially the little girl in the polka dot dress?

No I didn’t but it sounds fascinating! Do you have any more information about it?

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9 Amazing Family-Friendly Cave Tours To Explore In Missouri

• Destinations
• United States

The Missouri landscape is dotted with 7,300 documented caves, and more are being discovered. It’s no wonder Missouri is known as “The Cave State.” Caves are particularly popular during hot Missouri summers because their cool temperatures are maintained year round. Most Missouri caves are explored on foot, but some, like Fantastic Caverns, have Jeep-pulled trolleys.

Here are some of the most popular Missouri caves. Check the caves’ websites to verify current opening times, search available tours, and find contact information.

1. Fantastic Caverns

Springfield.

Fantastic Caverns , just north of Springfield, Missouri, is unlike other Missouri caves. Here, you climb aboard a propane-powered, Jeep-drawn tram to roll through the caverns. No stairs, head-bonking ceilings, or crazy climbs; it’s effortless!

Fantastic Caverns lies beneath the rolling Ozarks hills. During the 55-minute, all-riding cave tour, you’ll get an up-close look at giant columns stretching from floor to ceiling, delicate soda straws glowing with minerals, tiny cave pearls hidden in crystal-clear water, flowstones, and drapery formations.

Since the temperature inside the caverns stays about 60 degrees year round, Fantastic Caverns is an all-weather attraction. It’s open 362 days a year (closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day).

2. Marvel Cave At Silver Dollar City

Thinking of visiting Silver Dollar City? A tour of Marvel Cave , a National Natural Landmark, is included in your admission price (a freebie of sorts). This cave, which opened for tours in 1894, lies below the theme park. One of the deepest caves in Missouri, Marvel Cave has one of the largest subterranean entry rooms in the United States. The strenuous, hour-long tour includes nearly 600 stair steps.

Marvel Cave is a wet limestone cave complete with formations that are still alive and growing. First, you’ll travel 300 feet below the surface and enter the beautiful Cathedral Room, which is the largest cave entrance room in the United States. Because the tour is strenuous, it is not recommended for visitors with heart or lung conditions, bad backs, weak knees, or weak ankles. 

After descending nearly 500 feet below the surface, you’ll need to get back up to daylight. Not to worry! In 1957, a cable train was installed to take visitors up the half-mile, 1,070-foot climb back to the surface.

3. Smallin Civil War Cave

Smallin Cave is the first documented cave in the Ozarks, and it holds a wealth of Missouri history. You’ll enjoy the cave’s natural beauty as well as its history, folklore, and geology.

The cave entrance is a jaw-dropping 55 feet tall and 100 feet wide. Hour-long tours travel a half-mile on pathways that are wheelchair and stroller friendly. These concrete pathways have gentle inclines, handrails, and ramps. There are no stairs. Strollers, wheelchairs, and mobility scooters are welcome!

4. Mark Twain Cave Complex

Mark Twain Cave , a national natural landmark located near Hannibal, Missouri, was first opened for tours in 1886. It is one of just a few labyrinth-style caves in the world, where 260 passageways form crisscross patterns. The long-sought signature of a young Sam Clemens was discovered in Mark Twain Cave on July 26, 2019, during the cave’s bicentennial year.

The cave has no stairs, but good walking shoes are recommended for the hour-long tour, which is not wheelchair accessible. This cave is great for a visit during a hot summer day as it is 52 degrees year round.

5. Bridal Cave

See giant columns, delicate “soda straws,” and massive drapery formations during a 1-hour tour of Bridal Cave . Located at the Lake of the Ozarks, near Camdenton, the cave has more onyx formations than any other known cave. Thousands of couples have been married in the stalactite-adorned Bridal Chapel. 

Bridal Cave constantly remains 60 degrees inside, so it’s a great activity no matter what the weather. Guided tours leave every few minutes and last approximately 1 hour. Tours, on concrete pathways, are led by park interpreters.

6. Crystal Cave

Crystal Cave , just 40 minutes north of Branson, Missouri, was probably first seen by prehistoric humans who lived in the region between 8,000 and 1,000 B.C. Tours typically run 80 minutes in the morning. 

You’ll see impressive stalagmites and stalactites in the area known as The Cathedral. At Rainbow Falls, you’ll enjoy the multicolored flowstone formations. You’ll also view ancient Native American carvings and symbols. The Concert Hall is more than 100 feet long; it features hundreds of soda straw stalactites. In the Chimes Room, with its natural dome ceiling, some of the stalactites will produce a musical tone when gently struck. The Ghost Room features 13 pure white stalagmites that are more than 2 feet tall.

Crystal Cave first opened to the public as a commercial show cave in 1893. You’ll enter this spectacular cave through the old iron gates of the original Springfield jail and walk into the cool underworld. The temperature inside the cave is a constant 59 degrees.

7. Onondaga Cave

Onondaga cave state park, leasburg.

Onondaga Cave is one of America’s most spectacular, with 1.5 miles of passages decorated with fantastical deposits like the Twins, the King’s Canopy, the Rock of Ages, the Big Room, and the delicate Lily Pad Room.

Trained guides lead you over electrically-lighted, paved walkways, providing information about the cave’s geologic wonders. With an interesting history and a river flowing through it, Onondaga Cave is a spectacular National Natural Landmark.

Onondaga Cave tours leave from the visitor center. They are walking tours almost a mile long, and they last about an hour and 15 minutes. The cave’s temperature is 57 degrees year round, so bring a jacket and comfortable shoes.

8. Cathedral Cave

Onondaga cave state park.

This is a lantern tour that lasts approximately 2 hours. The Cathedral Cave tour begins at the campground shower house and includes a 0.3-mile walk up Deer Run Trail to the cave’s entrance. The cave tour itself lasts about an hour and 30 minutes. The remaining time is spent traveling on the trail to and from the cave entrance. The cave temperature is 57 degrees, and the tour is limited to the first 30 people.

9. Meramec Caverns

Meramec state park, sullivan.

Reputed to have been used as Jesse James’s hideout, Meramec Caverns is home to some of the largest and rarest formations in the world. The entire cave complex stretches upwards past the height of a seven-story building.

The cavern is Missouri’s largest “show cave” and one of the oldest attractions on Route 66. Tours are 1.25 miles long and take about an hour and 20 minutes. They traverse well-lighted walkways and are conducted by trained rangers. Tours depart every 20–30 minutes starting at 9 a.m. Strollers are not permitted.

Got a hankering to see more caves? Take a look at the following stories:

• Researchers Say The World’s Longest Cave System Is Now Longer
• 10 Key Ranger Tips For Visiting Carlsbad Caverns National Park
• Best Experiences At Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Beth honed her writing skills during 40+ years of writing and marketing for professional services companies. Now, as a retiree, she enjoys writing about and visiting beautiful places. She is especially passionate about national parks and seashores, wildlife preservation, animal rescue, art, and history.

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Smallin Civil War Cave offers big glimpse of Ozarks history

Entering Smallin Cave represents a world of contrasts. Visitors see the cave from light to dark as they enter its mammoth mouth, spanning about 55 high by 100 feet wide, which leads to narrow passages where water frequently flows. 

The contrasts also extend to its history, which represents both early and late: The Christian County cave was documented in the early 1800s by explorer Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, whose pen preserved some of the earliest recorded impressions of the Ozarks region available today. Its owners also believe that there are ties to Native Americans.

Yet, despite this early notoriety, it was not developed as a tourist attraction during Missouri’s “show cave” heyday. That came later — but today it offers visitors a living bridge to history.

“There’s all these layers and layers and layers of history in this cave,” says Kevin Bright, who owns the cave with wife Wanetta. “This cave was kind of the center of that natural commerce and trade as you traveled through the Ozarks.” 

Today, the landmark is known as Smallin Civil War Cave. While no fighting happened within the cavern, it was in the middle of a region torn apart by the war.

“The thing about Missouri Civil War history is our history books don’t do justice to what happened here,” Kevin shares. “Everybody was affected; everybody was involved in the war. Especially in this area around here, Springfield had four forts and a fifth under construction. The road went south across the Finley River just below the cave right here, and there was a camp down here – Camp Brown. It was a 100-men cavalry unit, and their job was reconnaissance, going out looking for Confederates or bushwhackers.” 

Smallin’s early history 

As one walks up to the wooden building with “CAVE” painted in large letters, all to the cadence of bluegrass music, their steps are similar to ones feet have traveled for millennia.

“The archaeological materials that were recovered by the 2014 MSU field school (as well as previous artifacts found at or near the cave) reveal that Smallin Cave has a long history of human occupation, extending back at least 8,500 years,” notes a report in its application for the National Register of Historic Places, to which the cave was added in 2018. “The cave provided a large shelter and a reliable source of water.” 

Much later, it was also visited by explorer Schoolcraft on his 1818-1819 trek through the Ozarks. Today, his journal is revered as one of the earliest written accounts of the Ozarks region. Within its pages is an entry about Smallin Cave, which he and fellow explorers visited on Jan. 1, 1819.

“On leaving Findley’s fork, we followed up a small deep valley, which in a short distance, and after a few windings, terminated suddenly in a cave opening on a hill-side the whole width of the valley, with a stream running from its mouth,” he wrote. “The first appearance of this stupendous cavern struck us with astonishment, succeeded by a curiosity to explore its laden recesses.”

Two centuries, six months and a handful of days later, Kevin met me above those recesses at the cave’s gift shop and visitors center. Guests were already arriving for tours, and panning for gold, watching a video about the cave and perusing the Civil War and Ozarks-related memorabilia while they waited.

The whole thing reminded me of what Marvel Cave — the heart of Silver Dollar City — was like before the development of the theme park that has helped push a pin for the Ozarks on a national map. Turns out, there’s a reason for that: Wanetta worked at the Branson theme park, first as a sign painter, and then as a manager of Marvel Cave.

Before folks visit the cave, they stop at the visitors center and gift shop.

The couple’s foray into ownership themselves began in 2009. It wasn’t strictly a love of caves, however, that led them to take on the project.

In fact, this is an era when the number of show caves in the state is lower than it’s been in the past. Instead, it was a call to ministry: The Brights wanted to buy a cave — not Smallin originally, but that deal fell through — to be part of developing a transition home for teenagers.

When the first sale didn’t work out, they heard about Smallin, which was owned and operated as a church camp by Central Assembly of God in Springfield. Maybe there was a way to join forces for multiple purposes, the Brights thought. 

Central Assembly was open to the idea, Kevin tells me, but ultimately the deal didn’t work out – as a joint venture, that is. But the church still wanted the sale to go through, which it did in 2009. 

Even though the Brights weren’t able to fulfill their dream of having a transition home on the property, they see what they do as a way to be of service to others. 

“That was our dream. That door got absolutely closed, but everything we do is a ministry,” says Kevin of their early plans for the transition home. “The cave has been a ministry; young people come and work here, and families come here all the time. So it’s just kind of an open platform.” 

Smallin’s role as a place of connection has seemingly been a through-line to its history. Young children grew old during Smallin’s heyday as a “local” destination: For picnics, and trips, and for days of washing clothes. (There were also more unconventional moments, like in 1891 when it was rumored that the cave would be transformed into a “ghost resort for spiritualists.”)

Far more often, it was a place for good community memories – ones so long ago that it’s likely few, if anyone, remembers them firsthand today. 

“The Smallin Cave will again be the most popular resort for picnics and pleasure trips this summer,” noted the Ozark Herald in 1897. “Each Sunday, numbers of people drive up to the noted cavern and spend a few hours exploring its mysterious recesses.” 

Change to a Show Cave

Smallin Cave’s start in show business seemingly began in 1950, when it was listed for sale.

It’s surprising that Smallin wasn’t developed in a commercial tourist destination by the early 20th century. This was in Missouri’s show-cave era, when many caves across the state – like Marvel,  Fairy (today’s Talking Rocks Cavern) , Bluff Dwellers Cavern and more – were “developed” and opened to the public as tourist attractions. 

According to author H. Dwight Weaver, author of “Missouri Caves in History and Legend,” 43 Missouri show caves opened by 1960, and just seven between then and 1990.

Smallin was one of the latter. When it was listed for sale in the Sunday News and Leader in 1950, it was advertised as a “resort property,” and, with electricity now available, as “a potential money maker.” 

It appears the cave was sold, and then sold again. In 1962, a Springfield newspaper article notes it was purchased for $150,000 by Tom D. Young, a Wichita oilman who came back to his former home – Springfield – but brought baggage along with him. 

“Young said his purpose is to provide economic security for his family in the next few years,” noted the Springfield Daily News. “His reference was to his sentence to not more than five years in state prison at Lansing, on a Jan. 4 conviction by jury of fraud against four Yuma, Ariz., investors.”

The cave – then known simply as Civil War Cave – did eventually open, although it was later said to be owned by Joseph Bulger, who was not any more constrained by conventionality or ethics.

“Bulger’s interpretation of how the cave was utilized during the Civil War ranged from liberal to outright fantasy,” notes the cave’s National Register application. “For example, he purchased an old train car, placed it on the property and claimed it was President Lincoln’s funeral car. Lincoln’s (real) funeral car was destroyed by fire in 1911.”

Bulger’s influence, however, did not last long: He was killed in an airplane crash in 1966. 

About a decade later, Smallin’s next chapter would begin: As a location for Sonrise, the church camp affiliated with Central Assembly. It would serve as a private retreat for campers for about 30 years. 

Visiting Smallin Cave today 

After meeting at the gift shop, Kevin and I head down to the cave.

Along the way, there are signs that share the history of the cave and the local area, such as of the vigilante Baldknobbers, Civil War stories, and of the Smallin family. Smallin Cave itself isn’t the only cave on the property: Disappointment Cave is there, as is Fielden Cave.

Signs sharing local history are found throughout the property. 

“There’s a spring box in there put by the Fielden family in the 1890s,” Kevin tells me as we pass the latter. “When the Baldknobbers were hung, things had calmed down enough that people had gone back to farming and raising kids again, and the Fielden family showed up. They dug that cave out 20 foot and put a wooden box in there. That was the neighborhood refrigerator for years.” 

Soon past that is Smallin. It’s an easy cave to access: A half-mile walk on a solid path takes visitors straight into the cave, where walkways give an even surface via which to see the sights.

Kevin Bright stands at the entrance to Smallin Cave. 

Those include the green, carpet-like rocks near the entrance where locals, Kevin tells me, once once regularly gathered. Those memories extended to one local woman in particular, who shared childhood memories from the early 1900s.

“She said one of her first memories was walking up, holding her daddy’s hand,” Kevin shared. “She said she remembered walking up and seeing the huge opening, and a patchwork quilt and colorful blankets, and all of the ladies that spread out a picnic. She said that’s what Smallin Cave looked like every Saturday afternoon – until the guy (previous owner) from Chicago showed up. The first thing he did was walk over and tell them they had to pay to use the cave.”

Views inside the cave show history and a unique Ozarks world. 

There are other sights, too: Water that rushes and flows, initials from centuries-ago visitors, and creatures like blind salamanders – a staple at Smallin that were even nationally studied via the cave. Back in 1951, a local college professor took students to the cave annually to study cave life, and that year he took 23 blind salamanders to the Smithsonian Institute.  

“The presentation resulted in a spread in the Washington (D.C.) Evening Star, and a picture sequence spread request from Life magazine which reached the lay-out stage, but was discontinued due to Korean (War) pressures,”

Another creature referenced in that article was the blind crayfish. Both are still present in the cave today – and hopefully, tomorrow. But the increasing development of rural surroundings also brings concern for the Brights, who have noticed changes in the cave, such as a lower crawfish population, and silt and dirt where water formerly ran clear. 

They want the cave to remain an oasis of natural beauty, and a testament to history. 

“There are kids who are from here who don’t realize they have something to really be proud of,” Kevin says of local pride in the Ozarks. “Everybody wants to be us, they just don’t realize it until they start hearing the history.”

Want to visit?

Click here to connect with Smallin Civil War Cave’s website.

Resources 

“Chicago grand jury names cave owner killed in crash,” Springfield Leader and Press, Aug. 2, 1968 “Found: Salamander’s Paradise,” Matt Goree, Sunday News and Leader, July 15, 1951 “Missouri’s Mammoth Cave,” The Troy Herald, Dec. 13, 1876 ” Missouri Caves in History and Legend ,” H. Dwight Weaver, 2008 “New owner of area cave in legal jam,” Springfield Daily News, Jan. 13, 1962 “No ghosts wanted,” Springfield Democrat, Feb. 26, 1891 No headline, Ozark Herald, May 7, 1897 ”Rude Pursuits and Rugged Peaks,” Henry Schoolcraft Smallin Cave , National Register of Historic Places, 2018 “Wichita oilman buys Smallin Cave at Ozark,” Springfield Leader and Press, Jan. 12, 1962

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Kaitlyn McConnell

Kaitlyn McConnell is the founder of Ozarks Alive, a web-based cultural preservation project that shares the legacies of unique people, places and history of the region. Since its inception in 2015, hundreds of stories have been preserved through the website. 

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