Enjoy cave spelunking? Arkansas is well known for its many caving opportunities. One of our caves was even showcased in the IMAX film Journey into Amazing Caves.
A few have been developed as tour caves while many others still
remain relatively unexplored. One way to see our caves is in their
natural state at one of Arkansas's state parks, where you can often find
a cave tour guide to take you on a guided exploration.
Our state parks allow access into small wild caves on established
trails including Devil's Den State Park and Withrow Springs State Park.
The Buffalo National River allows entry into some caves with a cave tour guide, including Eden Falls Cave at Lost Valley.
Many other wild Arkansas caves
exist around the state though some openings may have grated entries.
These grates are designed to protect the endangered species whose
year-round homes are in the caves.
Cave spelunking requires special equipment and experience so
the best route to learning the ropes is to join a grotto club. These
clubs represent local groups of cavers who share trip reports and also
plan caving trips. There are many grottos across the state that go by
the N.S.S. conservation guidelines and promote the aspect of safe
caving. Information can be found at www.caves.org.
Also find out about the famous Arkansas cave house, located in the Ozark Mountains, where you can host a wedding, dance or reunion inside an actual cave!
