America's Ride-Thru Cave in Missouri

WELCOME TO FANTASTIC CAVERNS

America's ride-thru cave

Fantastic Caverns is America's Ride-Thru Cave! It was discovered in 1862 by an Ozarks farmer - or more precisely, by his dog, who crawled through a small entrance in a hillside. It wasn't until five years later that the first exploration took place: twelve women from Springfield, answering a newspaper ad seeking explorers, ventured into the cave. Their names remain on a cave wall today.

Because the beauty of Fantastic Caverns is vulnerable, the cave is toured in Jeep-drawn trams. Since you ride all of the way through, you experience the magnitude, the stillness, and the splendor of Fantastic Caverns while preserving its natural features. Wise stewardship is integral. Preservation efforts ensure the cave will be available for future generations to explore.

Fantastic Caverns, just northwest of Springfield, Missouri, is one of more than 7,300 documented caves that dot the Missouri landscape, and more are still being discovered. It’s no wonder Missouri is known as “The Cave State.”

” Branson vacation Must see! “

Our sinkholes connect the toured portion of
Fantastic Caverns with the lower level of the cave system, which is a sanctuary for unique cave species.

Latest Blog Posts

The latest about our Missouri cave, and other Fantastic Caverns news.

Travel and tourism are inextricably part of the fabric of the Ozarks’ culture and economy. And caves have been a part of the tourism industry in the Ozarks for a very long time. Find a list of caves in Missouri and Arkansas participating in the Missouri Caves Association’s Ozarks Cave Explorer Passport Program.

Ozarks Cave Explorer's Club

3/23/2022

Fantastic Caverns is pet friendly. Fantastic Caverns was discovered by an Ozarks farmer, or more precisely, by his dog. While tracking an animal, the famer's bloodhound disappeared into a small hole at the base of a bluff.

Discovered by a Dog

5/29/2021

Stormwater run-off can easily pick up pollutants and cause erosion. Plants and trees help filter stormwater run-off and prevent erosion. The water flowing through the lower levels of Fantastic Caverns, began as stormwater on the surface. Create your own terrariums and monitor water quality.

Build Your Own Terrarium and Monitor Water Quality

5/10/2020

Create your own cave treats following these simple recipes. Caves provide habitats for unique species. Make your own edible cave habitats in the form of hollow meringue cookies or dessert rolls.

Create Your Own Cave Confections

5/1/2020

Find cave animals in these photos. The karst terrain of the Ozarks provides habitat for unique life. There is a very delicate ecosystem beneath our feet.

Cave and Karst Picture Finds

4/24/2020

Create your own miniature aquifer in a cup. The limestone present in the Ozarks has cracks and voids that allow water to permeate and pass through it. Water flowing through the limestone passages of Fantastic Caverns, began as rainwater.

Create Your Own Aquifer in a Cup

4/17/2020

You can easily grow your own crystals using sugar, salt or alum. Many crystals are minerals, and occur naturally. Minerals are the building blocks of rocks, like the limestone of Fantastic Caverns.

Create Your Own Crystals

4/10/2020

Find words related to caves and cave life in these fun Cave and Karst Word Searches. Missouri is known as the Cave State, boasting more than 7,500 caves and counting.

Cave and Karst Word Searches

4/3/2020

You can find fossilized remains of ancient creatures within the limestone of Fantastic Caverns. Create your own limestone-inspired fossils in the form of sugar cookies.

Make Your Own Limestone Fossil Sugar Cookies

3/27/2020

Create your own cave. As water flows beneath the Earth's surface it dissolves and erodes the rock, forming the cavities that become caves.

Create Your Own Cave in a Cup

3/20/2020

The health and safety of our guests are top of mind as we continue to offer our memorable ride through cave experiences. We have increased the frequency of our everyday health and safety protocols and procedures, and we are taking precautions to keep everyone safe and healthy.

Health and Safety at Fantastic Caverns

3/13/2020

Climb aboard the underground fleet at Fantastic Caverns and explore the world beneath your feet. Touring Fantastic Caverns by Jeep drawn trams helps preserve the cave. America's Ride Thru Cave may not be inhabited by humans but the cave system does have a thriving ecology of small critters that call it home.

The underground fleet

1/28/2020

Testimonials

"What an amazing adventure!
Such a cool sight to see and the stories the cave has produced are straight out of a movie.
To hear the stories and then see the 12 names on the cave wall signed by
the actual 12 female explorers from 151 years ago was the most surreal experience!"
Jaye Murray

"The tour guide was very knowledgeable and very
funny, with some of his stories about the history of
the caverns, and did a great job leading the tour."
Jeffrey Greene

"Being able to go inside the caverns was an amazing
experience. This is the only ride through cavern in the U.S and we loved hearing about all
the bands and past events that happened in there."
Samantha Nobles

Come visit us year-round

The year-round 60 degree temperatures inside Fantastic Caverns means the cave feels warm in the winter and cool in the summer. When summer fades into fall, Fantastic Caverns is still an ideal destination continuing into the holiday and winter travel season. The warm mood of the holidays extends inside America's Ride-Thru Cave where temperatures linger at 60 degrees all year. And as spring turns to summer, with temperatures rising outside, the cool comfortable 60 degrees of the cave becomes a welcomed respite.

Fantastic Caverns is Open 362 Days a Year

Fantastic Caverns is an all-weather, all-seasons natural attraction. Regardless of the weather outside, visitors can sit back, relax and get away from it all by boarding Jeep-drawn trams and experiencing the natural beauty of America’s Ride-Thru Cave.

All-Riding Cave Experience

Modern innovation opens the door to cave science and history. Jeep-drawn trams equipped with pull-out ramps make Fantastic Caverns a natural adventure accessible to all individuals, regardless of physical limitations. As visitors board a comfortable Jeep-drawn tram and tour America's Ride-Thru Cave, they begin a journey back in time. People are very recent additions to this picture. Human history adds up to little more than a few ticks on the geologic clock by which caves count their age.

Stalactites point their craggy fingers from the ceiling towards stalagmites struggling up from the floor;

when they meet columns are formed

Mildly acidic rainwater seeps through cracks leaving behind a calcite trail

forming the Cave's formations

Century after century water persisted against rock;

as stone gave way the Cave was born

Regardless of mobility, the ride-thru allows the Cave to be seen by everyone

at a leisurely pace

Giant pillars of stone, delicate soda straws,

and shimmering rimrock abound inside the Cave