Popular Blanchard Springs Cavern in Arkansas Back Open Aug. 18

It's been a long time coming but one of Arkansas' best-known caves is back up and running! Blanchard Springs Caverns is located in the Mountain View area in the Ozark National Forest.

The popular cavern for tourists has been closed for over two years and plans to open back up on Thursday, August 18, according to the U.S. Forest Department of Agriculture. While Arkansas has several different caves throughout the state Blanchard Springs Caverns is the most popular and the prettiest of all the caves within the Ozark-St Francis National Forest.

There were several reasons why the cave was closed, safety measures, lengthy repairs, and of course, issues caused by the pandemic two years ago. Officials from the Forest Department along with Caver staff members wanted to make sure that when it did open back up that visitors can enjoy a pleasant but safe experience at the cavern.

When visiting Blanchard Springs Caverns you will marvel at all the different rock formations and be dazzled at the flowstones that continue to change on a daily basis. The cave has handrails along the paved trails and lighted rooms for the safety of its guest.

However, there are some new changes if you plan to visit Blanchard Springs Caverns, tickets must now be pre-purchased at this website. Tours will be offered Thursday-Monday and closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. COVD-19  protocols such as masks will be recommended in case of a rise in cases in the area.

Visitors can enjoy a more enhanced tour on the Dripstone Trail with staff-guided tours. Discovery and Wild Cave Tours are not available during this time.

Make sure you visit Mirror Lake just down below the cave it is one beautiful lake with surrounding forests and a gorgeous waterfall.

For more information about Blanchard Springs Cavern, please visit their website or check out this Facebook page.