Blanchard Springs Caverns – Mountain View, Arkansas

Blanchard Springs Caverns – Mountain View, Arkansas

Entering the world of the underground is always a thrilling experience.  At the Blanchard Springs Caverns you will be going into a three-level system, but only two levels are open for guided tours.

There are three types of tours available.  The Dripstone National Recreation Trail tours are available year-round. The time you should allow for this tour is 1 hour. On this tour you will experience a constant 58 degrees F (so bring a sweater or light jacket) and know that the humidity is close to 100 percent.  This trail is accessible to strollers and wheelchairs with strong assistance. Tours depart often; the last tour is at 4:15 PM.

This tour covers 4/10 of a mile in an hour.  It is an easy walk with two seating areas along the trail for you to rest should you need to.  There are only 50 stair steps to be negotiated on the entire tour but for those that can not manage them there are alternate trails that can be used, bypassing some formations.

In this section of the cave bats are rare so don’t worry about running into them.  There are tiny cave creatures such as salamanders and crickets for you to see.

You will be able to see nearly every type of calcite formation found in limestone caves.  This includes delicate, hollow soda straws to massive flowstones and stalagmites.  You will be touring the two major rooms in the upper level of the cavern system.  The cathedral Room is long enough to hold three football fields and still have space left over.  There are many snow-white formations of pure calcite (or calcium carbonate) in the Coral Room.
You are walking through an area that was laid down in an ancient sea more than 350 million years ago.  These beautiful formations have taken years to be made, no one knows for sure how long it has taken but may be thousands, hundreds of thousands or millions of years for the dripping water to deposit the calcite and other minerals into these fabulous formations.  Now you know why you are told to not touch anything.  By touching any of the stonework you will kill off the ability for the cave to keep creating the beauty you have come to see.

A vast amount of dripstone is found in this portion of the Caverns for two reasons. First, this section is higher than the other, allowing air-chemistry changes which cause the dripstone to form, and second, this portion is older than lower areas, giving the features more time to develop.

The Discovery Trail is another of the tours that is available at Blanchard Springs Caverns. This tour will last 1 1/2 hours. This one is a bit more complex than the Dripstone Trail.  It is in the lower portion of the Caverns. There are nearly 700 stair steps on this tour so if you have walking or health problems this one isn’t for you.  Tours depart often with the last tour at 4 pm.  The Discovery Trail Tour is only open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.

On this tour you’ll take the routes of the early explorers and pass through campsites of their early expeditions. You’ll look up through the natural entrance where those early explorers dangled from ropes on homemade harness. You will see the underground stream which eventually gushes from the Blanchard Springs. This section of the Caverns is not filled with the formations of the Dripstone Trail, it is the first place where you will see the stream that runs through the caverns assisting in the creation of the caverns.  Maybe in time there will be the formations but for now, just enjoy the experience.

The final offering is the Wild Cave Tour where visitors go to the undeveloped sections of the middle level.  This is a 3 to 4 hour tour. In order to participate with this tour you will need to be in good physical shape, wear sturdy boots, and be ready to get dirty!  You will climb very steep slopes, crawl on hands and knees, pass under low ceilings, and travel through red clay.  If this isn’t something you are prepared for, pass on this tour.  Otherwise, join in and have a blast!  The tour ends at the Titans, a group of tall spectacular columns. Hard hats, kneepads, gloves, lights, and belts are provided, along with a souvenir t-shirt. The Wild Cave Tour is limited to a minimum of 3 but no more than 12 people per tour. Participants must be at least 10 years old. A responsible adult must accompany children 10 to 12 years old. The Wild Cave Tour is available by reservation only and is open every day from April through October. From November through March, it is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, as well as on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

Location: Blanchard Springs Caverns is located 15 miles northwest of Mountain View off Arkansas 14.
 
Rates are subject to change. Please call 1-888-757-2246 between 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. CST for current rates.
Adults – $10.00 for Dripstone/ Discovery Tour
Children age 6-15 – $5.00 for Dripstone/ Discovery Tour
Golden Age Passport Holders – $5.00 for Dripstone/Discovery Tours
Wild Cave Tour – $75.00; $25.00 non-refundable deposit, balance on day of tour; no other discounts apply.
Golden Age Pass – $10.00
Season Pass – Adults $25.00; Children 12.50; Golden Age Passport holders $12.50
Special Rates: Half price discounts are available to senior citizens aged 62 and up with a Golden Age Passport, disabled visitors. Complimentary tours are available to ex-prisoners of war and Purple Heart recipients with a POW/PH card, available at the Visitor Information Center.
Pets are not allowed in the Visitor Center or Caverns – seeing-eye dogs and service dogs are an exception. There are no kennels. Pet are welcome in the recreation areas, outside the swimming areas, as long as they are leashed.

Phone:  Blanchard Springs Caverns (888) 757-2246
 

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