10 Missouri Caves That Feel Like Another World

Missouri is blessed to be a state with many beautiful natural sites, but an argument could be made that some of the most beautiful are underground. No place in America does caves quite like Missouri and there are 10 are must-visit places at some point in your life.

If you look at the 10 highest-rated Missouri caves on Trip Advisor, I've been inside at least half of these. Having been born in Hannibal, Missouri, Mark Twain Cave was an obvious first visit, but my family has road-tripped to caves all over the state including Marvel Cave in Silver Dollar City and Meramec Caverns among others.

I can tell you from my experiences that you want to dress for chilly conditions if you're going on a cave adventure. For example, Meramec Caverns estimates that the temperature inside is a cool 58 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. I also have a distinct memory of visiting Marvel Cave at Silver Dollar City and hearing the tour guide at the end warn that the trolley that takes you out of the cave might not make it and we might have to walk several miles back out the other way. I'm not sure if he was kidding or not, but that was an entertaining experience.