The Cave Guide

Mark Twain Cave

Hannibal, MO
1 hr
on the main tour
$29.99
adult ticket

A National Natural Landmark cave in Hannibal with an electrically lit, gentle one-hour walk, and the unlit Cameron Cave toured by flashlight next door.

The story

This is the cave Samuel Clemens explored as a boy in Hannibal and that inspired the cave in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Joseph Nash McDowell bought it in 1847 and, according to the cave's history, kept his dead daughter's body there in a copper cylinder until townspeople made him bury her. Jesse James signed his name on a wall on September 22, 1879, sixteen days before a train robbery in Independence. A signature believed to be Clemens' was found in 2019.

History source: marktwaincave.com.

What you'll see

  • Clemens signature
  • Jesse James signature (off the regular route)

Tickets and timing

Adults
$29.99 (13+); Cameron Cave $32.99
Kids
$16.99 (ages 4–12)
How long it takes
About 1 hour (Cameron Cave flashlight tour 90 minutes)
Hours
Year-round: Jan–Mar and Nov–Dec 10am–4pm; Apr–May and Sep–Oct 10am–5pm; summer 9am–7pm (to 8pm Fri–Sat).
Booking
Tickets at the gift shop or online as anytime tickets.

Getting around underground

The walk
Gentle walking on a lit route.

Getting there

St. LouisKansas CitySpringfieldBranson

Mark Twain Cave is in or near Hannibal, MO.

Directions in Google Maps

Distances are straight-line from each city center.

Questions people ask

How long does a visit to Mark Twain Cave take?

About 1 hour (Cameron Cave flashlight tour 90 minutes)

Do you need to book Mark Twain Cave in advance?

Tickets at the gift shop or online as anytime tickets.

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

Other caves in Missouri

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