Mystic Caverns and Crystal Dome facts for kids

Mystic Caverns and Crystal Dome are two amazing show caves in Arkansas, USA. They are located near the cities of Jasper and Harrison, right on the beautiful Arkansas Highway 7 Scenic Byway. People sometimes call them "the twin caves" because they are very close to each other. Inside, these caves stay at a cool 58°F (about 14°C) all year round. They are also known for having lots of cool rock formations, called speleothems, more than most other caves in Arkansas! You can visit them almost any time of the year, except for a short period in January when there might be flooding.

Mystic Caverns has been open for visitors since the late 1920s. This makes it one of the oldest commercial caves in Arkansas. Crystal Dome was found much later, in the mid-1960s. It was discovered while people were working on the land for a nearby amusement park called Dogpatch USA. Great care was taken to protect this new cave. Because of this, 90% of its beautiful formations are still growing today! Tours in Crystal Dome started in 1981. There's also a third cave nearby, called Not Much Sink cavern, but it's too dangerous for public tours.

History of the Caverns

Early Discoveries and First Tours

The area around the caves was settled in the 1830s. The entrance to what is now Mystic Caverns was a sinkhole. This sinkhole led down about 10 feet (3 meters) into the cave. It's likely that early settlers explored the cave before the 1850s. The first known visitor left their name carved on a formation:

Adam Kolbe
Wilcockson
April 16, 1919

The cave was first called "Mansion Cave" because of its huge open rooms. Around 1928, the first public tours began. Jim and Bob Gurley owned the cave then. They built a wooden ladder into the sinkhole and made the cave floor smoother for walking. Visitors explored the cave using kerosene lanterns. The Gurleys renamed the cave "Wild Horse Cavern."

In 1930, a man named Singer bought the cave. He continued the tours and even gave visitors coveralls and lanterns. Some of the soot you might see in the cave today came from this time. From 1937 to 1938, Jerry Cannon owned the cave. Mose Arnold managed it and improved the entrance. He replaced the ladder with concrete steps and added a rope to help people go down.

Protecting the Caves

In 1938, an Arkansas state official stopped commercial tours. The steps were unsafe, and there was a risk of rock slides near the entrance. From 1938 to 1949, the cave was unsupervised. Many local people visited, but unfortunately, some also damaged the cave. They took pieces of the formations and sold them.

In 1949, Albert Raney Sr. bought the cave. He owned a nearby trout farm. He saw that the cave could be a great tourist attraction. He cleaned out debris, made a safer spiral path down the sinkhole, and added steps where needed. He also put in handrails and covered the trails with lime for better footing. Raney installed the first electric lights inside the cave and built a new ticket booth. He renamed it "Mystic Caverns," and it reopened in 1950. In 1959, his son, Albert Raney Jr., took over. He managed the cave with his family until 1984.

Connection to Dogpatch USA

In 1966, the developers of Dogpatch USA bought Mystic Caverns. Dogpatch USA was a theme park based on the Al Capp comic strip, Li'l Abner. The plan was to make the cave part of the park's attractions. Jim Schermerhorn, an experienced caver and one of Dogpatch's first owners, oversaw the work.

Before these changes, reaching the cave was tough. Visitors had to hike up and down Mill Creek canyon. Later, a swinging bridge was built, but it was also risky. The sinkhole entrance was still dangerous. Schermerhorn built a safer road across the canyon and a new, man-made entrance to the cave. Other improvements included a new parking lot, landscaping, and a new ticket office and gift shop. The trails inside the cave were changed slightly and made with stone. New handrails and a new indirect lighting system were also added.

Discovery of Crystal Dome

While building the new parking lot, Jim Schermerhorn was using a bulldozer. Suddenly, a new sinkhole opened up! This led to a huge, unknown cavern that no one had ever seen before. This new cave was named "Old Man Moses Cave," after a character from the Li'l Abner cartoon.

Since Schermerhorn knew a lot about caves, he understood how important it was to protect this untouched cave. He even camped at the entrance to make sure no one went in until it could be properly blocked off.

In 1968, Mystic Caverns reopened as "Dogpatch Caverns." "Old Man Moses Cave" was supposed to open as part of Dogpatch, but it never did at that time. In 1981, Dogpatch sold the caves. Bruce Raney, Albert Raney Jr.'s son, continued to manage them. During this time, the "Old Man Moses Cave" project was finished. It was renamed Crystal Dome and finally opened to the public.

Since then, the caves have had a few different owners. Today, Mystic Caverns, Inc. owns them.

Present Day Cavern Tours

Today, Steve Rush manages Mystic Caverns and Crystal Dome. You can take guided tours that include both caves. The tours happen every 35 to 45 minutes and last about an hour and twenty minutes.

In late 2008, Steve Rush decided to sell the caverns. He put them up for auction online. He mentioned he wanted to pursue other interests. Mystic Caverns gets about 15,000 visitors each year.