Caves

Located on the Current River, Cave Spring has a long history of usage as a fishing, picnicking and canoe rest spot, but has never been commercially developed. The spring rises a short canoe paddle into a large cave opening on the Current River, from a vertical shaft 140 feet deep. The spring itself is a favorite fishing spot. During underwater survey, a Native American dugout canoe was discovered on the bottom of the spring.

One of the recharge areas for Cave Spring has been traced to Devil’s Well. Located off Route KK near Akers, this is a sinkhole opening into an underground lake larger than a football field! A steep, gravel road leads to Devil’s Well, where visitors may look through the karst window to the water from a viewing platform. In the late 1960’s, Devils Well was mapped by Ozark Spring Studies, an effort which required 62 weekends of trips by divers, cavers and mappers. Devils Well was purchased by the National Park Service in 1974.

Located approximately 13 miles north of Eminence on Highway 19 is Round Spring. The spring flows into an almost perfectly circular cavern that has collapsed, and from there it travels through a natural tunnel before it emerges into the spring branch. It is believed that a portion of the spring’s recharge area is to the northeast of Spring Valley, which means that the water would have to flow under the Current River to reach the spring.

The incredible “doorway” to Jam Up Cave stands eight stories tall and is more than 1,000 feet across. Due to the indirect light reaching deep into this North-facing opening and the large lake within the cave, conditions are perfect for preservation of plant species that have not been seen elsewhere in the Ozarks since the last Ice Age. Access to the cave is only by canoe from the Jacks Fork River. Follow the path about half way up the bluff and you will find the entrance to this long cave.