Talking Rocks Cavern Tickets in Branson, MO

How often do tours depart?

Tours depart about every hour.

How long is the tour?

Each guided, walking cave tour is an hour in duration. Consider planning extra time around your cave tour to experience a variety of on-site outdoor activities including: Gemstone mining, or sluicing, Speleo Boxes, Nature Trails, and the Family Games Area.

How big is the cave? How far do we walk?

The cave's main chamber is roughly 100-feet tall and 225-feet long. Taking stairs and walkways, you'll be guided all the way from the front to the back, down to the bottom, and back to the front again, and up and out of the cave. The entire walk is about 750 feet.

What is the temperature in the cavern?

It is a comfortable 62 degrees of cave air.

What should I wear?

You will want to wear clothes you will be comfortable in while walking for around an hour (or more if you plan to enjoy the hiking trails). Some people prefer exercise attire while others prefer shorts or jeans. You will also want to wear comfortable footwear i.e., tennis shoes or boots. Closed-toed shoes with good traction are suggested, but not required. Flip flops, sandals, and high heels are NOT suggested. The amount of water in the cave is directly tied to the amount of rain outside, so if the week you visit is rainy you may want to bring shoes that keep your feet dry.

Is the cave wheelchair / stroller accessible?

Due to the 265 stairs within the cave, the tour cannot accommodate for wheelchairs or strollers.  However, the Rock and Gift Shop, outdoor patio, and family game park are wheelchair / stroller accessible. For small children going on the cave tour, you may carry or allow your child to walk, or bring a “low profile” carrier (bulky carriers may be difficult to maneuver through some areas of the cave).

Are there any small / tight spaces that we move through in the cave?

The cave is essentially one huge room that you will traverse through. Within this room, for a short time, you will walk into an elevator-sized space inside a formation. This space does have an "almost" doorway-sized entrance on one side and a similar sized exit on the other. The foot space of the entrance and exit is narrow (for about 3-feet each) and you walk one foot in front of the other. However, you still have the doorway-sized amount of room from the knees up. Similar to the entrance/exit of this room, there is one additional area when we are walking under a formation that the foot space is once again narrow for a few feet, and you still have moving room from the knees up. In these three narrow areas, they do allow guests to hold the walls of the cave at waist height to keep your balance (and feel a little more confident). Additionally, there are a couple of rock ledges you will briefly duck your head under to move past. During the rest of the tour, you are in the big open room on concrete walkways.

Can I bring my camera?

Yes.

What is included in my admission ticket?

Talking Rocks Cavern tickets include a guided walking tour into the cavern, as well as numerous above ground activities including the SpeleoBox Maze, nature trails and Lookout Tower.

How long are the nature trails?

The Springhouse Trail is .2 miles in length and takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. The Stone Pancakes is .4 miles in length and takes approximately 20-25 minutes to complete. The Lookout Tower trail is another of the moderately difficult trails. It is .5 miles in length and takes about 30 minutes to complete. Your destination on this trail will take you to the 40-foot Lookout Tower. Be sure and climb to the top for a one-of-a-kind view before you head back to the cave. The most difficult of the 4 trails is known as The Waterfalls. This trail is .8 miles long and takes 45 minutes to complete. Although this is the longest of the 4 trails it provides you with a visit to Lookout Tower and then down by the waterfalls.

What is Gemstone Mining?

Gemstone mining, also called “sluicing,” is another fun and educational activity at Talking Rocks Cavern. You can purchase a bag of “mining rough” in the cavern's gift shop and head to the Sluicing area. Using the sluicing troughs and screened sluice boxes you will learn how to recognize semi-precious gems and minerals from around the world. The excitement of discovering a treasure is fun for everyone.

Is Cave Country Mini Golf included in my Talking Rocks Cavern ticket? 

No, this costs extra. The Mini Golf tickets can be purchased at the Cavern.

Can I bring my dog / service dog on the tour?

Only service dogs are permitted in the cave. However, some dogs have a hard time adjusting to the cave environment and do not want to walk the stairs throughout the cave. When you arrive, please visit the front counter in the gift shop so an employee can help you introduce your service animal to the cave.