4 facts about caves in Missouri
- Cave formations are created from mineral deposits left by groundwater and are known as speleothems.
- Speleothems take various forms depending whether the water drips, condenses, seeps, flows or ponds.
- Some examples of speoleothems include: stalactites, stalagmites and flowstone.
- The Missouri Caves Resources Act prohibits removal of speleothems from caves to be kept as souvenirs.
Missouri, long known as the “Cave State,” has more than 5,600 known caves and Missouri State Parks showcases four of the best for public tours. The four are Onondaga Cave and Cathedral Cave at Onondaga Cave State Park, Fisher Cave at Meramec State Park and Ozark Caverns at Lake of the Ozarks State Park. These caves are open through October. Learn more about Missouri caves