BLANCHARD SPRINGS CAVERNS
OZARK NATIONAL FOREST
Reaching over six stories (65 feet) from floor to ceiling, the Giant Column stands as a massive pillar in the vast Cathedral Room on the Dripstone Trail.
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Stalactites point from the cave ceiling and stalagmites rise from the floor. When they meet, massive columns, sparkling with moisture and minerals, are formed. |
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The Ghost Room, with its shimmering, crystalline flowstone, is one of the beauties of the Discovery Trail at Blanchard Springs Caverns near Mountain View, Arkansas, where though the Dripstone Trail is open year round, the Discovery Trail operates only in the summer. |
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Developed for visitation within the last 30 years, Blanchard Srpings Caverns is open to the public, offering walking tours on the Dripstone Trail year round. Safety and the preservation of the ecological balance of the cave were the main considerations in the development of this unspoiled cave. |
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The Discovery Trail offers some wonderful views of Rimstone Dams, which form along streams and often build up, trapping water in pools to make homes for tiny cave dwellers. |
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A careful look on your Dripstone Trail tour will reveal small, twisted, curled, spiraled speleothems that seem to defy gravity as they grow. These delicate features are called helictites. |
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Arkansas has many underground streams that hollow out caves and produce sparkling cool water. |
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Located on the Sylamore Ranger District in the Ozark National Forest, 2 miles off Highway 14 near Mountain View, Arkansas, Blanchard Springs Caverns and the surrounding area are filled with natural beauty. Guided tours of the caverns, operated by the US Forest Service, originate in the visitor information center. |
The US Forest Service Blanchard Springs Web Site
Ozark - St. Francis National Forests