Cosmic Cavern

Cosmic Cavern, a limestone cave near Berryville in the Ozarks, is known for its unusually warm, humid, steady sixty-four-degree temperature, dense speleothems, and two underground lakes whose bottoms divers have not found. Its formations include stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, cave popcorn, cave bacon, soda straws, and helictites, with the Silent Splendor chamber famed for exceptionally long soda straws. The cave also shelters specialized Ozark wildlife, including the endemic Ozark blind salamander. Discovered in 1845 by prospector John Moore, it was first used for onyx mining, later passed through many owners, gained renewed attention after Silent Splendor was found in 1993, and remains a tourist destination.

Arkansas · United States