Tumbling Creek Cave

Tumbling Creek Cave is located in the Ozark Mountains of rural Taney County, Missouri. It contains approximately two miles of mapped passages, many of which are highly decorated with speleothems including stalactites, stalagmites, columns, flowstone, and cave coral. Among the more spectacular features in the cave is the Big Room, which is 60 feet high and 170 feet directly below the crest of Cave Ridge.

While there are many beautiful and spectacular caves in the United States, the use of Tumbling Creek Cave is unique. The cave is a critical component of the Ozark Underground Laboratory, a research and education field center founded in 1966. Since its establishment, about 45,000 college students and professionals have been guided through the cave on educational field trips. In addition, many research projects have been conducted or are currently in progress in the cave. 

The cave contains approximately 2 miles of accessible passage, with a field trip trail traversing about 20% of cave. The main aquatic feature in the cave is Tumbling Creek, a perennially flowing cave stream that provides habitat for a variety of cave adapted aquatic species (stygobionts).