America’s Only Drive-Through Cave System Hides Beneath Missouri Farmland Since 1862

Fantastic Caverns in Springfield, Missouri

Fantastic Caverns, located just outside Springfield, Missouri, is the only cave in America where visitors can take a complete riding tour. A farmer’s dog found the cave in 1862, and soon after, 12 women from the Springfield Women’s Athletic Club became its first explorers.

Over the years, the cave has served many purposes, from a hidden bar during Prohibition to a music venue in the 1950s and 1960s. Nowadays, you can ride through the cave in Jeep-drawn trams, making it easy for everyone to see its natural features.

It Was Carved by an Ancient Sea

An ancient sea that covered Missouri created Fantastic Caverns more than 500,000 years ago. As water moved through cracks in the limestone, it slowly carved out the cave’s tunnels and rooms.

Some parts of the cave reach up to 100 feet high, and the main path is almost a mile long. You can see old sea creature fossils in the cave walls from millions of years ago. Even today, water continues to shape the limestone, though it happens very slowly—about one cubic inch every hundred years.

The Cave’s Steady Underground Climate

The cave stays at 60 degrees Fahrenheit all year, no matter how hot or cold it is outside. This steady temperature comes from the thick rock above the cave that blocks outside weather changes.

In winter, you can see steam rising from the cave entrance as warm air meets cold air. During summer, cool air flows out of the cave like a natural air conditioner. This consistent temperature has made the cave a perfect home for many animals and helps new cave formations grow.

Animals That Live in the Cave’s Darkness

Several unusual animals have adapted to live in the cave’s dark passages. One of these is the bristly cave crayfish, which is see-through and uses special feelers to move around in the dark underwater areas.

Orange and black spotted salamanders live near the cave’s entrance where there’s still some light. The cave is also home to three kinds of bats, including the rare gray bat. These bats help feed other cave creatures because their droppings provide nutrients for many small organisms.

The Underground River That Shapes the Cave

A river flows beneath the tour path, continuing to carve the cave’s passages. This underground stream stays at 58 degrees year-round and is part of the local Little Sac water system.

While touring the cave, you’ll hear the river rushing below, though you can’t always see it. The water carries dissolved minerals through the cave, which build up to create new formations. This river connects to the region’s larger water supply system beneath the Ozark hills.

It Used to Be a Secret Prohibition Bar

During the 1920s when alcohol was illegal, people turned part of the cave into a hidden bar. They built a wooden dance floor and bar in a 250-foot-long room now called the Ballroom.

The cave’s walls made music sound better by creating natural echoes. While the old bar and dance floor are gone now, you can still see marks on the cave walls from this interesting time in its history.

How Minerals Create Natural Light Effects

Different minerals in the cave walls sparkle when light hits them. Pure white crystals shine brightly, while iron in the rocks creates red and orange colors. When tour guides shine lights on certain areas, the walls glitter like thousands of tiny mirrors.

This happens because the cave’s crystals are shaped in a way that bounces light in many directions. One area, called the Crystal Gallery, has an especially large collection of these sparkling minerals.

When the Cave Was Used for Concerts

From 1956 to 1968, musicians performed concerts in the cave’s largest room, which is 400 feet long. The cave’s shape created echoes that lasted seven seconds, making the music sound unique.

A local radio station called KGBX broadcast shows called ‘Underground Missouri’ from inside the cave. Many people came to watch these performances. Though concerts aren’t held anymore to protect the cave, the excellent acoustics remain unchanged.

How Scientists Study the Cave

Scientists use Fantastic Caverns to study how caves form and how underground ecosystems work. The cave’s many passages let them research everything from tiny organisms to underground water movement.

Researchers have found about 1,100 different species living in the cave. They study the bat populations, check how nearby construction affects the cave, and look at how tiny organisms help create cave formations. This research helps them understand other caves in the Ozark region.

The Cave’s Connection to Surface Weather

The cave acts like a giant weather gauge, as its air moves in and out based on air pressure changes above ground. When the pressure outside drops, the air rushes out of the cave. This movement of air creates fog near the cave entrance when weather conditions change. Scientists have placed special equipment in the cave to track these air movements.

How the Cave is Protected Today

The cave uses special touring methods to keep its features safe. The trams run on clean-burning propane fuel, and special lights prevent unwanted plant growth.

The staff changes tour routes when bats are hibernating and carefully monitors the cave’s air quality, water levels, and temperature. These efforts have helped protect the cave while still letting more than 150,000 people visit each year.