Current River Cavern facts for kids
Current River Cavern is a really cool show cave you can visit near Van Buren, Missouri. It's part of Cave Spring Park and is a fun place to explore underground! This cave first opened to visitors way back in 1940.
Contents
Discovering Current River Cavern
How Current River Cavern Formed
What makes Current River Cavern special is how it was created. Unlike many caves in Missouri, this one was formed only by a stream! A river still flows through it today. The cave is carved into a type of rock called Eminence Dolomite. Imagine water slowly carving out tunnels over thousands of years – that's how this cave came to be!
Exploring Inside the Cave
When you visit Current River Cavern, you can explore about 240 feet of passages. This part of the cave ends where the passage becomes flooded with water. But did you know the cave is much bigger? In 1996, explorers mapped out over 2,300 feet of passages! The owners hope to find another entrance soon. They want to open even more of the cave for visitors to enjoy in the future.
Cool Lights in the Cave
Current River Cavern is the first show cave to use special LED lights. These lights are powered by batteries and don't need wires. This is great for a few reasons:
- The LED lights don't cause green stuff, like algae, to grow. This keeps the cave looking natural.
- They are also much safer for the cave's delicate environment and the creatures living inside.
- Without wires, the cave looks more natural and wild. It gives you a better feeling of being deep underground!
