Natural State News

The Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism is inviting adventurers to come and see what the underground Cosmic Cavern has to offer.

Discovered on Sept. 4, 1845, Cosmic Cavern is the largest, privately-owned show cave in the state. It is one of the states’ most beautiful natural attractions and features the Ozarks' largest underground lake.

At a consistent 64 degrees, Cosmic Cavern is the warmest cave in the Ozarks and features a nine-foot soda straw, the longest known in the Ozarks. The cave contains two bottomless cave lakes populated with trout. Some of the trout have gone blind and most have lost their color as a result of the subterranean conditions. Visitors can take photos of pristine cave formations in the Silent Splendor room to remember their visit. In the winter months, golden and bald eagles are in abundance around the cavern area.

The actual cave tour takes about one hour and fifteen minutes at a very comfortable pace to cover approximately one-third of a mile.

In addition to General Cave Tours, visitors can also choose to take part in a Wild Cave Tour which are offered after normal cave hours and offer an exclusive look into parts of the cavern rarely seen.

Visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy gem panning and shop at the canyon's exclusive gift shop.

According to Randy and Anita Langhover, the cave’s private owners since 1980, the cave was discovered by prospectors John Moore and his two sons who were looking for lead in the Ozark Mountains near Indian Creek. Over time, explorers continued to excavate and develop the parts of the cave. In 1993, Randy Langhover discovered a whole new section of the cave which contained over 1,000 feet and another subterranean lake, doubling the tour area of the Cosmic Cavern.

Located in Berryville, Arkansas right between Eureka Springs, Arkansas and Branson, Missouri, Cosmic Cavern was awarded the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence for 2014 and is a must stop tourist destination for those wishing to visit the area.