Missouri and Arkansas Caving
Missouri is not nicknamed “the cave state” for nothing. It contains thousands of caves, some of which have not even been discovered yet, and Tennessee is the only state in the U.S. that has more. Northern Arkansas also has many caves. Caves can be divided into commercial caves and wild caves. On a commercial trip, one pays a fee and is led by a guide through a cave that is illuminated by artificial light, usually over walkways designed to keep one relatively clean and dry. Wild caves are just what the name implies, and require a certain amount of knowledge and equipment to explore safely.
Meeting House Cave
Commercial caves
There are over a dozen commercial caves in Missouri, and eight in northern Arkansas. See www.missouricaves.com for more information on Missouri caves. The advantages of exploring a commercial cave are that one can stay relatively clean and dry, walk upright, and learn about the history of a cave from a guide. Find out the times of the scheduled tours and shoot for the earliest or latest tours for the smallest group size.
Twin columns in Fantastic Caverns
Helictities in Fitton Cave
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