Blanchard Springs Caverns
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Blanchard Springs Caverns is a cave system located in the Ozark National Forest in Stone County in northern Arkansas. It is the only cave administered by the United States Forest Service.
Blanchard Springs Caverns is a three-level cave system, two of which are open for guided tours by the U.S. Forest Service. The caverns were opened in 1973 after ten years of environmentally-conscious development on the Dripstone Trail. The Discovery Trail on the second level opened in 1977.
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The cave contains many impressive speleothems such as the "Giant Column", a united stalagmite-stalactite which towers about seventy feet high, and the unusual "Battleship Formation" which resembles the hull of a ship. Practically every type of calcite formation found in limestone caves can be seen in these caverns, from delicate, hollow soda straws to massive flowstones, rimstone-dammed pools and stalagmites. The temperature is a constant, year-round 58 °F (14 °C) with a nearly 100% relative humidity.
The limestone rock from which the caves and their formations developed was laid down in an ancient sea more than 350 million years ago. It remains a "living" cave in part because of the care given by visitors and the U.S. Forest Service. Living caves are ones in which slow metamorphosis due to minerals deposited by seeping and dripping water is still in process.
Blanchard Springs Caverns is named after the spring into which the cave's underground river empties; in turn the spring is named after John Blanchard, a former Confederate who lived in the area following the Civil War.
The visitor center houses two elevators which are used to descend into the dark world below. In addition, an orientation film and an exhibit titled "Life In The Dark" are also located there.
[edit] Exploration
In 1955, explorers discovered an approximately 1000-year-old human skeleton, the remains of an early Native American visitor, in the cave. How this particular explorer entered the cave is a mystery. There are only two known natural entrances; one is a 75-foot vertical shaft located directly above the cave's underground river, and the other is the outlet of the river. Both are extremely difficult to pass through without proper modern-day equipment. This early explorer is believed to have become lost after his torch went out, and died in the darkness after a fall.
By the 1930s, local residents knew about both entrances and wondered if they were connected in any way. They experimented by throwing corncobs down the vertical shaft and heard them hit the water directly underneath. Twenty-four hours later the corncobs emerged from the river outlet, possibly raising more questions than answers - the two entrances are only a half-mile apart.
Also during the 1930s the first attempts to explore the insides were done by entering through the river outlet; through this path one will eventually reach a point where the water surface comes to within a few inches of the cave ceiling. Later explorations would be done by using rappel equipment to descend down the vertical shaft.
The first systematic exploration of the cave began in 1955 and went for five years. During this period explorers mapped out most of the areas now open to the public on the Discovery Trail, and also found the remains of the prehistoric Native American visitor.
More exploration occurred in the early 1960's and commercial development began in 1963. The highlight of this period of exploration was the discovery of the underground wonderland now known as the Dripstone Trail. In 1973, Blanchard Springs Caverns opened to the public.
Several of the modern-day explorers wrote messages on the cave walls using soot from carbide lamps. These have been preserved and can be seen on the Discovery Trail.
[edit] Trails and tours
The Dripstone Trail runs through an underground fantasy in the uppermost level of the caverns. It is accessible to strollers and wheelchairs with strong assistance. The tour on this level travels in a one way direction and is approximately one hour long with a distance of 4/10 of a mile (0.64 of a kilometer).
The Discovery Trail takes approximately 1.5 hours to complete and runs through the middle level of the caverns in a one-way direction. The trail has approximately 700 stair steps and is not recommended for persons with health problems or mobility disabilities.
The Wild Cave Tour takes approximately 4 hours to complete and is available by reservation only. Visitors must be at least 10 years of age and in exemplary physical condition. 10 to 12 year olds must take the tour with a responsible adult. This trail is an extremely strenuous tour where participants must crawl and climb.
[edit] Of note
Blanchard Springs Caverns has 30 scenic camping areas surrounding it. Beautiful Sylamore Creek is nearby as are the Ozark Folk Center and the Buffalo National River.
Jimmy Driftwood played a major role in preserving Blanchard Springs Caverns and wrote the song that is featured in the visitor's orientation film about the history of this cave system.
Life called Blanchard Springs Caverns "the cave find of the century" in its December 18, 1964 issue. The pictorial essay is illustrated with colorful photographs of the inside of the cave.
