Blanchard Springs Caverns is a three-level cave system, two of which are open for guided tours by the Forest Service. The caverns were opened in 1973 after ten years of development on the Dripstone Trail. The Discovery Trail on the second level opened in 1977.
The Dripstone Trail 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 4/10ths of a mile.
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 those with health problems.
The Wild Cave Tour takes approximately 4 hours to complete and is available by reservation only. This trail is a strenuous tour where participants must crawl and climb.
Blanchard Springs Caverns has 30 scenic camping areas surrounding it. Beautiful Sylamore Creek is nearby as are the Ozark Mountain Folk Center and the Buffalo National River.