Caves

The Cave State

Updated at October 04, 2006 09:29

By Danita Allen Wood

In addition to “The Show-Me State,” Missouri has also earned the moniker, “The Cave State,” because of the more than six thousand caves on record here.

Missouri became known as “The Cave State,” even though Tennessee has more caves recorded than we do. Most of our caves are formed in dolomite or limestone, but some are in sandstone or other non-soluble rocks. Scott House, the cave database manager for the Missouri Speleological Survey, reports that 6,110 caves have been recorded in 83 counties, with about 145 of those caves having been recorded since January 2005.

Counties with the most caves are Perry, with 657; Shannon, with 548; Greene with 366; Pulaski, with 356; Stone, with 297; Christian, with 220; Crawford, with 210; and Texas, with 182, also according to the Missouri Speleological Survey.

There’s something reassuring about these solid rock walls, the primeval shelters for humans and animals.

As a child, I toured Marvel Cave at Silver Dollar City on school trips, and I still like to take the tour when I’m in Branson, in spite of Tall Man’s Headache. That’s actually the name of a low-hanging roof at a turn. The guide warns you about it, but once, when the children were young and a little afraid because it was their first cave tour, Greg was distracted and ran head-on into it. He fell flat on his back and learned the origin of the name. We were all worried about him, but he was fine.

I’ve also been through Fantastic Caverns, Bridal, Mark Twain, and other caves.

There was also a little-known cave, shut part of the year to protect an endangered bat, which became one of our regular trail-ride destinations in Pulaski County along the Big Piney River, when the cave was open.

Perhaps the most exciting cave tour I’ve ever gone on, though, was in Kentucky at Mammoth Cave, years ago. During a six-hour wild cave tour, which involved crawling through mud and narrow tunnels, I was behind a large guy who got stuck in a tight passage. The tour guide had actually measured the guy to make sure he didn’t exceed the size limit before we left, but maybe he had twinkies in his pockets. He was close to panic, and so were the two of us behind him. The tour guide kept telling him to relax, that tension made the problem worse. Finally he squeezed through, and I rushed through right behind him.

Even that tight spot didn’t cure me. I’d like to go on the wild cave tour in Missouri, at Devil’s Icebox in Rock Bridge Memorial State Park near Columbia. Perhaps it’s the adventure, the mystery —what’s around the next corner? — and the beauty of caves.

We will begin sharing Missouri’s caves with you in every issue. Read about the amazing Onondaga Cave on page 12. I hope you’ll be as fascinated as I am.

April 2006

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