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This web-site was last updated on 5. 1. 2013

Welcome to the  Hurricane River Caverns  web site.
 (also known as  Hurricane River Cave )


Late breaking news: check out the Channel 5, CBS affiliate, 3 part documentary, out of Fort Smith, AR., on youtube:

http://youtu.be/JEecLGJSAiI
http://youtu.be/NgnsDn4_iQc
http://youtu.be/onKQ4Nj5htY


This cave is a hidden jewel, deep in the Ozark Mountains, and is very close to
the Buffalo National River.

Fun, free activities for couples or families
available officially, for the first time in 2013, on the Hurricane River Cave property.


Bear Cave, in the abandoned Big Hurricane Zinc Mine, can be visited free of charge, at your own risk: in other words, you will have to assess the risks involved. If you can find this cave, there is a room that is about 30' high. I personally have been in that room a number of times, but it has been a while. Another cave, we call, Potential Cave, only has a cleared entrance way: and a short ways inside, the passage is blocked off by clay. Digging this clay out, can be a fun project for any cave enthusiast. You could potentially be the first person to dig your way into a new cave system. We are now, also, allowing free access to our West Passage, in the Hurricane River Cave itself, to select people. This is another digging project, that is very promising.
This is the first time we have officially made these activities available to the public. And since there is no charge, these projects are at your own risk. If you choose to involve yourself in any of these free activities, please sign in, at our Gift Shop, so that we know where you are, on this some 200 acre property; and also, so that we can give you directions. You might be required to sign a liability waver.
You will get dirty, so bring a change of clothes. Also bring some digging tools: the real challenge is removing the very sticky clay from your digging implements. Obviously, you will need a reliable headlight. A good pair of plastic type gloves, might be a help. For visitors who involve themselves in these free activities, hot showers are available, at no charge.
 

Details of our regularly scheduled, guided cave tour:

On this regular cave tour ( versus our wild caving tours ) your guide will take you along a mostly level trail ( only one small hill, and two optional staircases:17, and 27 steps respectively ) that follows the course of an ancient underground river bed ( A former river carved out the cave, eons ago ). These fantastic water-eroded passageways, are enlivened with  year round springs, which converge at the cave entrance, and become known as the Hurricane Branch, which flows to the Buffalo National River: the #1 local attraction, and only about 10-15 minutes away. These serpentine passageways are the most unique of their kind, among American show caves. The cave formations, or speleothems, on this cave tour, include stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, draperies, soda straws, rimstone dams, cave popcorn, columns, moonmilk, stalactoflats, canopies, along with rare, horizontal and vertical,  shields, and more!

Native Americans have had a long history at this cave, going back some 8000 years. The most recent Indian tribe were the Quapaw. They have their own official web-site now, at: http://www.quapawtribe.com/  Many Indian artifacts have been discovered over the years: mainly arrowheads, and scrapers.

Outlaws used this cave as a hideout: notably, Cole Younger, who was a member of the Younger Gang, that rode with Jesse James. He also hung around with Belle Starr, who was known as the " Bandit Queen ". You will visit the actual room they hid out in, during the tour; it is called the " Outlaw Room ". We plan on converting this cave room  into a bedroom, complete with toilet, and shower, for couples who would like to spend the night in the cave. Included, will be an entertainment center, with surround sound, so that our overnight guests, can watch movies, or documentaries, that are cave related. This will be an unforgettable experience. Imagine watching " The Descent ", inside the cave.

As a side note, Jesse James was not shot in the back, as portrayed by Hollywood, but lived to be one hundred and three years of age, and is buried in Granbury Texas, under the pseudonym of " Dalton ". In recent years, we met a grandson  of Jesse James:  " Vincel ", who hails from Missouri, and who has published a book entitled: " JESSE JAMES THE REAL STORY ". If you would like a copy, it is $14.95 plus shipping, from: Simmons Publications 25131 Shannon Road Hughesville, MO 65334. It is a well documented book, chock full of historical pictures, including one of Jesse James, cutting his birthday cake, at the age of 102 !!! Vincel is wanting to make a movie about the real story of Jesse James, to set the record straight, so if there are any directors, or aspiring directors, out there, please get in touch with him, at the above address. The real story of Jesse James is amazing, and would make a fascinating movie.

Old historic Zinc Mine
This mining operation opened up in the late 1800's, and was open till around world war 2. It is in a deep canyon, in the hollow below the cave. You can walk to it in about ten minutes. If you find any zinc you can keep it. It is very rugged and picturesque. Hopefully you won't meet a bear, or the Ozark Howler, the current monster that is roaming around the Ozarks: there is an article on him at : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozark_Howler
This is where Bear Cave is located, and their is no charge to explore this cave, but at your own risk. 

Crinoid fossils
Along our bluff line, on each side of our waterfall, you will find lot's of these fossils. Some are loose for the taking, others will require a mason's hammer, to extract them; and you are welcome to keep what you find. 


Adventure Trail, Kid's Climbing Wall, Kid's Astro-turf Trail
Families have especially enjoyed our new " Adventure Trail " in the cave, that provides for a "family bonding experience "; this is an optional upper level spelunking cave tour, for which we provide headlights or flashlights, at no additional cost. It provides a hands-on, up close and personal, experience. To our knowledge, we are the only show cave in the United States, that offers an actual spelunking experience, on a regular cave tour. It is immensely popular. It is a teaser, to tempt our visitors into booking one of our extreme cave tours. Inside the cave we also have a climbing wall, and a green carpet adventure trail, just for kid's.

The cost of this regular cave tour is $11.75 for adults, and $5.75 for children ( age 5-12 ).

  Group discounts are available. Call us for rates.
Check out our wild caving tours below.

Check out the Hurricane River Cave ( same as Hurricane River Caverns ) reviews, at the following internationally recognized web-site: 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60749-d1069575-Reviews-Hurricane_River_Cave-Harrison_Arkansas.html


A number of unusual skeletons have been discovered in Hurricane River Cave. Among them is a saber-toothed tiger: Smilodon Floridanus; many bears: including the prehistoric, Ursus Americanus Amplidens; and, in 1989, the tragic remains of a native American boy: which are still in their final resting place.

     





The caverns are spectacular, and so are the grounds. The cave entrance is at the base of a towering bluff which is graced by a much photographed waterfall. This waterfall flows at the rate of 150 to 300 gallons per minute. Green manicured lawns, flowering shrubs, flower gardens, and ornamental trees, complete the scenery.  Especially pretty in the early spring, are the native Arkansas red bud, and dogwood trees. Our friendly dog will probably greet you: Great Pyrenees breed : " Nicky". At present we also have 16, exotic SilverLacedWyandotte chickens, roaming around: many of them quite tame. Be careful not to run one over, when you are driving down to visit us.

  
Our basic season is from March 1st to October 31st. Our cave tour(s) are also generally open during the winter months, unless the cave is flooded, or our 1- 1/2 mile road off of Hwy 65, has icy conditions. Call, to check on conditions. Guided tours take approximately 45 minutes, and our regular cave tour leaves about every half hour. The distance covered is about ¼ mile, and is not strenuous: however one has to duck, in some low spots.

 

In addition to our regular cave tour, we offer two extreme cave tours:  

The Deep North, or the East Passage cave tours. 

These cave tours can be somewhat customized, to accommodate different fitness levels.

 

Our extreme cave tours ( by reservation ) feature a combination of the following: vertical climbs; slipping, sliding, stumbling; hands and knees crawls; belly crawls; tight squeezes; contortionist positions; tortuous, irregular terrain; gooey, sticky clay; soupy clutching mud; disconcerting ravine crossings, of indeterminate depths; wading, and or swimming; a short boat ride; bear beds, and numerous bear claw marks; sites where a sabor tooth tiger, and many prehistoric, short faced bears, were discovered; and human remains, which are still there, in their final resting place, as of 2013. See the next to last picture below. The cave entrance is right next to the waterfall: you will walk right by it.

 Duration: 3-5 hours. Each extreme cave tour, covers about one and a half miles: although you will feel like you've done 5. 

The cost of these cave tours is $89.00 per person, plus state and local taxes: currently at 9 % ( 2013 ). Group rates, and family rates, are available.
  
For this cave tour, you will be supplied with a Petzl caving helmet, with a headlight, along with knee pads, and gloves. You will be accompanied at all times by a guide, for your safety, and the protection of the cave. Prepare to get extremely muddy on this trip. Lace up boots are best; however, tightly laced up sneakers are also OK. A long sleeved shirt is necessary; a belt is very important to hold up your jeans, as they will loosen up and sag, when they get wet and muddy; and you should wear a swim suit underneath your clothes: so that you can strip off all your muddy clothes, at tour end, before you use our hot showers: for which, we supply towels. We encourage the use of waterproof cameras, and sport cams, such as the following: 


Kodak PlaySport Zx5 High Definition (HD) Camcorder,
GoPro HD HERO2 High Definition (HD) Camcorder,
Canon Contour + High Definition (HD) Camcorder
HF M40 High Definition (HD) Camcorder.

And there are many others. Do your research, and compare the many on-line reviews. Keep in mind that you will want a unit that is best in low light situations.

We reserve the right to any footage, for advertising purposes, as long as no one is recognizable: unless, with the persons consent. Participants will be required to sign liability waivers. 

These wild cave tours are available mainly by reservation, although we have occasionally, if we are not too busy, taken a wild cave tour on the spur of the moment. There is a minimum booking requirement of two people: a single person, can book a cave tour, and participate in a wild cave tour if it is already scheduled. Call, or e-mail us, for more information.

For picnickers, we currently have seven cedar picnic tables, that all offer a splendid view of our waterfall. These are free to use: each table seats four.There is ample parking space, with sufficient space for large RV's to turn around.

Our gift shop, offers rocks, and minerals, from around the world.

 

We look forward to meeting you.

We are located in northwest Arkansas on Highway 65, halfway between Harrison and Marshall (about a half hour drive either way), and about an hour south of Branson, Missouri. And only 10-15 minutes from the popular Buffalo National River, right in the heart of the Ozark Mountains.

     

 

Mileage to Cave from
Little Rock, AR	120		Branson, MO	50
Hot Springs, AR	170		Springfield, MO	85
Eureka Springs, AR	55		St. Louis, MO	320
Texarkana, AR	300		Kansas City, MO	245
Mountain Home, AR	50		Tulsa, OK	220
Harrison, AR	16		Memphis, TN	211

 

Directions to Hurricane River Cave

From the South:
Take 65 North in Conway, AR to Hurricane River Cave

From the North:
Take 65 South in Springfield, MO to Hurricane River Cave

OPEN DAILY
From 9:00 AM
March through October
We are usually open during the Winter: call for schedule

 Group Rates are available!
Call us at: 870-429-6200

Hurricane River Cave
P.O. Box 240
585 Impulse Drive
Pindall, AR 72669
U.S.A.
E-Mail: cave@hurricanerivercaverns.com

Our cave attracts visitors from around the world.
The current owner, speaks French, passable German, and is learning Spanish.
He has lived in the following countries:

Switzerland: Randa ( near Zermatt ): 1 year 
Switzerland: La Tour de Peilz ( next to Vevey ): 3 years
France: Paris : 1 year
Germany: Berlin: 1 year
England, London: 1 ½ years
Scotland, St Andrews: 7 years
[Puerto Rico, a commonwealth: 1 ½ years]

Also, he has traveled to Mexico, Holland, Luxembourg, Iceland, Denmark, Hungary, the Ukraine, Italy, San Marino, Monaco, Slovenia, Greece, Spain, and Morocco, and he is looking forward to visiting your country, if time and finances, permit.

The FLAG COUNTER below, in the yellow window, or box, that says CAVE ENTHUSIASTS, is a visitor counter that we recently set up. You can click anywhere on it, to get the details of where visitor's to our web-site, come from. To our knowledge, we are the first cave in America, to set up this Flag Counter. We hope other caves will follow our lead, since these statistics are very informative, and useful.

Click on the Flag Counter yellow box below, and the OVERVIEW tab will appear. For details on a country's regions, click on the tab ( at top of page ) that says DETAILS. A list of the countries that have visited this website, will be displayed. Pick the country that interests you, and go way over on the right side, and click on the corresponding magnifying glass icon, and the regions, and regional flags, will be displayed, if they are available. 

Our cave tours have attracted many international visitors over the years



Here are the words for "cave" or "cavern", in many different languages:


JASKINIA, JAMA, 
洞穴, 洞窟, مغارة, hule, grot, grotte, koobas, luola, σπήλαιο,
ગુફા, מערה, गुफा, barlang, hellinum, uaimh, grotta, 동굴, ala, urvas, غار, peșteră, пещера, пећина, jaskyne, cuevapango, குகை, ถ้ำ, mağara, печера, hang, ogof, haitzuloa, քարանձավ, пячора, গুহা, špilja, jeskyně, Höhle, gua, antrum, пештерата, cueva, y caverna.


The next picture displays a section of the Ghost Room: our model is creating an eerie shadow effect. See if you can spot the large, elongated skull, on the back wall: it has two visible black eye sockets, a nose indentation, a mouth with visible upper teeth; and a lower jaw, or mandible, that is slightly unhinged. This skull is staring at the upper right side of the room, from the viewer's perspective. Next try to spot the full length silhouette of an old bearded man, with a cane in his right hand, wearing a backpack. ( Hint: he is leaning way over ) Lastly, spot the dog's face: two black eyes, a big squarish black nose, and an open mouth that's skewed to the right ( viewer's perspective ).