Stark Caverns

       

  Calling all local and regional vendors! Are you looking for a great way to share your wares with the public this fall?  Are you an artisan that creates collectibles, carvings, unique gifts, or home decor? Then the Fall Festival at Stark Caverns is the place for you. There will be cave tours, geode cracking, sluice mining, great food, and of course, opportunities to shop. We would love to have you participate. The event will be held on Saturday, October 17, from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm.  To reserve your booth spa ce, go to https://www.starkcaverns.com/vendor-registration  and complete the online registration form. Booths are 10' x 10' and available with ($35) and without ($25) electricity. Location assignments will be made on a first come first serve basis. Please carefully review the guidelines listed on the page for complete details. All booths must be reserved and paid for by September 17, 2020. Vendor setup is from 8:00 am - 9:30 am, and all booths should be ready by...

Experience an evening of educational ideas at Stark Caverns. Educators and youth leaders, as you begin making your plans for the new school year, Stark Caverns wants to support your efforts by inviting you to experience our new education programs inside the cave. Join us on Tuesday, August 4 for an evening of refreshments and preview our learning options for students and youth groups. In cooperation with the Museum at Prariefire, an affiliate of the American Museum of Natural History, Stark Caverns has developed an exciting new curriculum that aligns with Missouri Learning Standards. Students will experience a series of learning stations with lessons in Social Studies, Science, and English Language Arts, designed with auditory, visual, and hands-on elements. Stark Caverns also offers opportunities for youth organizations to earn merits towards their individualized program goals. A few options include exploration, historical research, event planning, and even camping in the cave. Compli...

New to Lake of the Ozarks? Be sure to add Stark Caverns to your summer to-do list. Stark Caverns has been providing guests with tours for seventy years. Open year-round, daily tours are given hourly during the summer from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, and every half-hour on the weekends. Gorgeous formations and waterways can be experienced with ease due to our wide walkways. See the Ballroom and Moonshiner's Dam and learn about Native American artifacts and ancient bear beds. In addition to our daily tours, Stark Caverns offers a variety of specialty tours where you'll see the cave in a whole new light. Learn about the science of fluorescence as you study the colorful array of "glowing rocks" using hand-held black lights. Or, see the caverns the way early explorers did with our Lantern Tour, which includes a sneak peek at our growing museum collection. Problem solvers and adventure seekers will love playing the Escape Room inside the cave. All-new for 2020 is a ...

Rocks that glow. That’s the easiest way to describe  fluorescent minerals . A more technical definition is that certain minerals absorb light, and under the right conditions, release it to reveal a different color. Experts agree the best conditions for viewing fluorescent minerals are in the dark using an ultraviolet light. Putting these thoughts together, Stark Caverns has developed a unique, guided tour that allows you to view a number of these minerals first hand.  Outfitted with helmets, safety goggles, and a hand-held black light, guests are able to experience a variety of colors that naturally occur inside of the cave. Your experienced and knowledgeable tour guide will explain the science of fluorescence while highlighting unique formations and deposits of calcite, iron, manganese , and nickel.  Stark Caverns is one of only a handful of caves in the country able to offer this experience, due to the prevalence of calcite and our wide walking ...

Geodes are like nature’s own Easter eggs. Often spherical in shape, their tough outer layer hides a beautiful lining of minerals that vary in size and color. Formed by a number of different methods, they are most often found in specific geological areas, including volcanic and sedimentary deposits. Popular not just among geologists and rock hunters , people from all walks of life are intrigued to discover what lies inside a geode. To discover the hidden secret, geodes are cracked open in a variety of ways, from chisel & hammer to sophisticated machines. Stark Caverns offers guests a hands-on experience to crack open their own geodes using the pipe cutter method . After purchasing a geode in the gift shop, visitors are able to proceed to the front porch cracking station where their guide will oversee the process. Wearing protective goggles and gloves, guests place their geode inside a segment of chain which creates pressure points around the geode. Pressing the le...

Interested in taking a cave tour, but not sure what to expect? That is often the case as tourists ponder the option of visiting one of Missouri’s amazing caves. Stark Caverns is a great experience for first-time cave-exploration. Our wide, paved walking paths make the cavern 85% wheel-chair accessible, and allow even the most claustrophobic individuals plenty of breathing room.  Stepping inside the cave is always a wow moment as visitors are exposed to the grandeur of Stark Caverns. The vast width and breadth of the cave is immediately visible as folks begin the tour by crossing the boardwalk through the center of the cavern. Surrounded by unique formations, your tour guide will explain how people and wildlife have utilized the cave for shelter, food, and protection across the ages. Carved by water from dolomite and chert , visitors will be able to see formations like soda straws, draperies, and cave bacon. Fossilized seaweed and crinoids offer a glimpse of the M...

A New Adventure Based On The Caverns History With Moonshining! This summer, you are invited to play “Bootlegger’s Bequest”; a new Cave Escape Adventure at Stark Caverns ! Friday and Saturday evenings, the cave becomes an escape room where you and your friends can try your luck to find the clues, solve the puzzles, and unlock the secrets to beat the clock and escape the cave. “Cave Escape has been a fan favorite for the past few years here at Stark Caverns,” says Operations Manager, Chaz Jesiolowski. “With this new storyline, we’re tapping into the history of the cave, which was used by moonshiners in the late 1800s. We want to give players a chance to really immerse themselves into the story which is what makes escape rooms so much fun.” Escape rooms have grown in popularity over the past decade, but Stark Caverns is still unique as one of the only places to play inside an actual cave. Operational changes have been put in place this year amid current health concerns to create...

Come Inside & Enjoy The Great Outdoors! Stark Caverns is excited to announce that we will open for tours on Thursday, May 7, 2020.   The safety and wellbeing of our guests and employees is our first priority, and we will continue to do our part to prevent the spread. Stark Caverns is closely following the recommendations provided by the CDC .   Each tour size is limited, and tickets must be purchased in advance online. Guests will also have the option to purchase the entire tour time. During your visit, we recommend following normal social distancing guidelines, maintaining 6’ between non-family members, washing your hands before and after your visit, and avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Masks and facial coverings are appropriate and welcome. In fact, Stark Caverns is so committed to helping stop the spread, that we are donating $1 to the UnitedWay of Central Missouri’s COVID-19 Response Fund for every paid guest that chooses to wear a mask during t...

Looking for a unique gift? Now you can shop  Stark Caverns  online! Our merchandising team has hand-selected a variety of items for you to choose from!  Our online offering of books, collectibles, jewelry, toys, and tour bundles are perfect for the nature and outdoor enthusiast. We offer shipping and pickup for all of our online items, with the exception of tour bundles which can be purchased in advance and used during regular business hours.  For purchases made online, please allow one business day for processing. You can then pick-up your items during our  pick-up hours, 9:00 am - 11:00 am on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. To shop online, visit www.starkcaverns.com/gift-shop . We hope you enjoy shopping online, and encourage you to stop by and visit our store at Stark Caverns during regular operating hours for an even wider selection of gift ideas.

Tell Us Your Cave Story! Student authors are invited to submit their “Cave Story” for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate and two passes to Stark Caverns. Caves have provided plenty of inspiration for great stories over the years, in both fiction and non-fiction categories. As an education and community-focused organization, Stark Caverns wants to encourage young writers to use their creative writing skills to tell a few more. Stories can be about an actual visit to Stark Caverns, or a completely made up adventure of the writer’s design. Photos of the cave are available on the Stark Caverns website or social media platforms to provide some inspiration, along with a few fun writing prompts if you need help getting started. The contest is open to all students ages 5 – 17 and prizes will be awarded in each grade group: K - 3; 4 - 6; 7 - 8; 9 - 12. Stories can be fiction or non-fiction and must be submitted online by Saturday, May 9, 2020. Selected stories may be shared by S...

At  Stark Caverns , our number one priority is the health and safety of our guests and employees. To do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19, Stark Caverns will temporarily suspend all tours and activities beginning Tuesday, March 24, 2020. Please continue to follow us on social media at @starkcaverns and stay connected with us online. # SlowTheSpread   # SafetyFirst   # LakeOfTheOzarks   # StarkCaverns

Are you passionate about culture, nature, & history? Do you love interacting with those around you about the beauty and nature of Missouri? Put your talents to work at Stark Caverns! Our Operations Team is looking for dedicated, hard-working individuals to add to our growing team. Candidates should have a professional, clean appearance, excellent interpersonal skills, and be comfortable with store technology. The ideal candidate will enjoy working outdoors and educating oth ers about Stark Caverns as well as continuing their knowledge to be the best they can be. Candidates should also be comfortable speaking to groups and enjoy social interaction. Responsibilities include assisting customers in the store, leading customers on tours of the cave, serving customers during educational & entertainment events, and helping with general maintenance & upkeep of the property. Work hours vary based on staffing levels, special event needs, and weather. To apply, go to  h...

Did you know that the state of Missouri is home to over 7,600 caves? Called “The Cave State” , Missouri is a treasure trove of underground exploration. The fascination with caves covers a spectrum of human interest. Some enjoy the occasional cave tour while others spend all of their free time researching and planning muddy crawls through undiscovered spaces. Whatever your fascination, Missouri has plenty of opportunities for you to learn more about caves and caving. Created by time, pressure and water, each cave is unique. Some are small, offering nothing more than a crawl space under the surface; while others are spacious labyrinths that go on for miles. Beautiful formations are made from minerals like dolomite , onyx , calcite , and chert . These delicate creations can stand the test of time or be destroyed by compounds as simple as the oil in your fingertips. That is why conservation is such a big part of the caving discussion in Missouri. Education is necessary to preserv...

When Jeff and Amy Hargroves purchased Stark Caverns, one of their first goals was to erect a new Visitors Center. Their vision was to create a welcoming place where guests could enjoy more than just a tour of the cave. The two-story building has the look of an old-fashioned general store. A wide wrap-around porch features oversized Adirondack rockers that make a comfortable spot for guests to observe the fauna that often visits the property, including hummingbirds, ducks, geese, deer, and turtles. A water tower allows guests to experience old-fashioned sluicing, where they are delighted to discover gems and fossils to add to their collections. Rockhounds are able to crack geodes, a spherical rock that is lined with crystals on the inside, creating their own unique souvenir. Upstairs, there is a multi-purpose room that houses the beginnings of Stark Caverns’ museum. Artifacts on display include arrowheads, cave specimens, and antique advertising materials from years gone by. In...

Most merit badges require plenty of study and preparation. In addition, they also require some hands-on experience. Our goal is to help Scouts working on their merit badges meet a portion of those requirements during their visit to Stark Caverns .   For example, BSA Scouts interested in archaeology can make Stark Caverns one of their research sites. We’re easy to find on a map, our tour offers plenty of information about the Native Americans who used the cave during the Late Woodland Period , including tools, lifestyle, and artifacts. Materials gathered during your visit will help to prepare the required group presentation, and meet the requirements for studying a culture that lived here more than 100 years ago. GSA , Trail Life , and BSA all have camping requirements that can be fulfilled at Stark Caverns. Not only will scouts experience a unique adventure , spending the night inside the cave; but they can also fulfill requirements in expedition planning , cooki...

Educators are invited to enjoy an evening of refreshments and learning on Thursday, February 27. This free event will offer a preview of the new in-cave, hands-on learning program being unveiled this year for elementary and secondary school students at Stark Caverns. In cooperation with the Museum atPrariefire , an affiliate of the American Museum of Natural History , Stark Caverns has developed an exciting new curriculum that aligns with MissouriLearning Standards . Students will experience a series of learning stations with lessons in Social Studies, Science, and English Language Arts, designed with auditory, visual, and hands-on elements. Complimentary appetizers, wine, beer, and beverages will be served. Educators are welcome to stop in anytime between 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm and are encouraged to allow at least thirty minutes to enjoy the experience. Stark Caverns appreciates the investment that educators make in their students, so there is no cost to attend the event, al...

Looking for a way to wow your guests? Create an event they’ll always remember by inviting them to join you at Stark Caverns . Our multi-purpose room located above our Visitors Center is perfect for birthday parties, bridal showers, or group meetings. This open room features hardwood flooring and plenty of light. Tables and chairs can be easily configured for business, food or games. Perfect for hosting 10 - 50 guests. Waterways and gorgeous formations inside Stark Caverns create a unique setting for your event on the in-cave patio. This paved space allows you to host events for 25 - 120 guests. Historically, this space has been used for community gatherings including dances and weddings. Stark Caverns has a number of table and chair configurations for you to choose from. Options for beverages and catering are available, along with projection & screen equipment. Receive a discounted rate when you bundle your event with a group tour.   Getting a quote is...

Have you been to Eldon, Missouri lately? This small town located just a few miles northeast of Bagnell Dam is a hidden gem for those visiting #LakeOfTheOzarks. Known for their diversity in manufacturing and agriculture, Eldon’s entrepreneurial spirit has created growth in the retail and food industries as well. One-of-a-kind stops like Bella Boutique , Brew Brothers Coffee , and IceCream Factory make Eldon a “must-see” on your travel bucket list for 2020. Like many businesses in Eldon, Bella Boutique is family owned and operated. They offer a selection of fashion-forward trends including customized apparel and gifts. Handmade jewelry, home decor, shoes, and accessories are all hand-picked to give you an unparalleled shopping experience. BrewBrothers Coffee offers a friendly atmosphere with the finest handcrafted coffee drinks in central Missouri . Their newest creation for 2020 is the FitFrap designed to help you meet those healthy new-year resolutions. Offering ple...

Each year, school groups from all over the region take trips to learn about the caverns here in Eldon, Missouri . Because education is an essential part of the mission at Stark Caverns , we are always looking at ways of improving the experience for students. In 2020, we are excited to announce the development of a new curriculum in partnership with the Museum at Prairie Fire in Kansas City . Designed to support the education standards of the state of Missouri, the goal is to create a menu of interactive learning experiences for students grades K - 8. Instead of a standard cave tour, students will visit stations throughout the cave where they will experience lessons on history, geology, biology, conservation, and engineering. Each lesson will be designed to have visual, auditory and tactile learning opportunities. Interactive learning experiences improve a student’s ability to retain information. The design of this new curriculum will allow continued expansion of activities...