The Cave Guide
The Giant Flowstone in Blanchard Springs Caverns, ArkansasPhoto: Dave Bunnell, CC BY-SA 4.0

Blanchard Springs Caverns

Stone County, AR
58°F
inside, all year
50
steps on the tour
1 hr
on the main tour

A cave in Stone County, Arkansas with year-round guided tours; the Dripstone Trail covers four-tenths of a mile with only 50 steps.

The story

Local residents knew of the cave in the 1930s, but entrances were a seventy-five-foot drop and an underwater route through the spring. The first documented visit was in 1934 by Civilian Conservation Corps planner Willard Hadley. Amateur spelunkers in 1955 found a human cranium and signs of Native American exploration, and the first professional exploration was in 1960 by Hugh Shell and Hail Bryant. In 1971 scuba divers entered through the spring entrance and mapped five air-filled caverns. The caverns opened to the public in 1973 with the Dripstone Trail Tour after ten years of planning and development, and the Discovery Trail tour opened in 1977.

Found
1934
Open to visitors since
1973

History source: blanchardsprings.org.

What you'll see

  • Cathedral Room
  • Natural bridge
  • Rimstone Dams
  • Ghost Room
  • Natural Entrance
  • Titans
  • Titan Room

Tickets and timing

How long it takes
About 1 hour (Dripstone Trail)
Hours
Open seven days a week April through October; the rest of the year closed Monday and Tuesday, as well as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
Booking
Tour tickets through Recreation.gov.

Getting around underground

The walk
Dripstone Trail: 0.4 mile and 50 steps.
Wheelchairs
The Dripstone Trail is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers with strong assistance.
Strollers
Possible on the Dripstone Trail with strong assistance.

Dogs, weather and what to wear

Temperature
58°F year-round

Good to know

Minimum age
Wild Cave Tour: at least 10 years old; ages 10-12 must be accompanied by a responsible adult
Best time to go
The cave stays at 58 degrees Fahrenheit, making it a popular summertime attraction; open seven days a week April through October.
Elevator
Yes; the Dripstone Tour starts by riding an elevator 216 feet below ground.
Wildlife
Salamanders, frogs, and crickets are commonly found; the Discovery Trail attracts the endangered gray bat and is closed when bats are hibernating; up to 150,000 bats hibernate each winter; the Ozark blind salamander is native to the caverns.
On site
Visitor Information Center, exhibit hall, free twenty-minute movie, nearby campgrounds

Special tours and events

Other tours include the Discovery Trail, the Living Cave and a Wild Cave Tour.

Getting there

BransonLittle Rock

Blanchard Springs Caverns is in or near Stone County, AR.

Directions in Google Maps

Distances are straight-line from each city center.

Questions people ask

How long does a visit to Blanchard Springs Caverns take?

About 1 hour (Dripstone Trail)

How cold is it inside Blanchard Springs Caverns?

58°F year-round.

Can you visit Blanchard Springs Caverns in a wheelchair?

The Dripstone Trail is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers with strong assistance.

Do you need to book Blanchard Springs Caverns in advance?

Tour tickets through Recreation.gov.

When was Blanchard Springs Caverns discovered?

1934, according to the cave's own history.

Is there a minimum age for Blanchard Springs Caverns?

Wild Cave Tour: at least 10 years old; ages 10-12 must be accompanied by a responsible adult

Listed in: wheelchair-accessible caves, caves with an elevator

Checked on 2026-10-22 against blanchardsprings.org (home and Dripstone Trail pages). Prices and hours change, so confirm on the official site before you drive out.

Other caves in Arkansas

See all 8 caves in Arkansas