Schedule a student group cave experience at Fantastic Caverns to extend your students' learning beyond the walls of the classroom into the resources of community.

Field Trip Opportunities at Fantastic Caverns

Living in Cave Country

The team at Fantastic Caverns has been working to enhance the ever-popular 90-minute educational program. Fantastic Caverns' Living in Cave Country 90-minute program is available at 10AM & 12PM daily during the months of November, December, January, and February. At Fantastic Caverns Underground Classroom, students will be divided into small study groups for hands-on activities. There will be several opportunities for students to really get their hands on cave science.

In this naturally climate-controlled environment, students will observe a cut-away model of a karst landscape to witness how water flows through these Ozarks hills.Next, with lanterns in hand, your students will enter a non-toured portion of Fantastic Caverns. With a little luck, students may catch a glimpse of some of the rarest and most unusual Ozarks wildlife, the cave crayfish or maybe even a blind cavefish. The ways in which we interact with our enviroments on the surface, can directly affect water quality and the environments underground.

Living in Cave Country Program Overview:
1. Experience Duration: 90 minutes - The "Living in Cave Country" program offers a unique 90-minute experience that combines the hour-long ride-thru cave expedition with 30 minutes of hands-on activities at Fantastic Caverns' Underground Classroom.
2. Availability: This program is exclusively available as either a 10 AM or 12 PM departure, and it operates daily only during the months of November, December, January, and February.
3. Group Size: A minimum of 20 participants is required to schedule a departure. A maximum of 50 participants can be accommodated at one departure time. Groups larger than 50 will need to schedule multiple departures to accommodate everyone.
4. Aluminum Can Recycling Discount: For groups visiting during the months of November, December, January, and February, a 50¢ discount per child group rate admission is offered to those who bring in rinsed and ready-to-recycle aluminum cans, with a limit of one can per student.This initiative promotes environmental consciousness and rewards participants for their contribution to sustainability.

The "Living in Cave Country" program is built around the following educational goals...
Exploration and Discovery: Participants will embark on an educational journey to understand the vital connections that exist between caves, natural resources, and our daily lives. By exploring the cave system and engaging in hands-on activities, they will gain a deeper appreciation for the role caves play in the Ozarks.
Environmental Awareness: The program emphasizes the significance of cave conservation and its relationship to the quality of life in the Ozarks. Students will learn about the importance of preserving natural resources and improving water quality.
Interactive Learning: Through the incorporation of hands-on experiences, the program fosters an engaging learning environment that promotes active participation, encouraging participants to immerse themselves in the subject matter.

Reservations Required: Advance reservations are mandatory to ensure that your group can participate. Reservations can be made by calling (417) 833-2010.

Comfort and Recommendations: Fantastic Caverns maintains a constant temperature of 60°F (15.5°C), regardless of the outside weather conditions. This ensures a comfortable and consistent experience. As "Living in Cave Country" incorporates hands-on activities, it's advisable for participants to wear appropriate clothing suitable for the cave environment.

The "Living in Cave Country" program offers a unique and comprehensive educational experience that not only explores the underground world but also connects it to our daily lives, promoting environmental awareness and conservation. This program encourages participants to actively engage with the subject matter, fostering a deeper appreciation for the natural wonders found in caves and their significance in the Ozarks.

Field Trips

Student Field Trips at Cave Science are available throughout the year and are suitable for all grade levels. This 55-minute, all-riding educational cave excursion enhances the understanding of caves, karst, cave life and groundwater.

Your students will learn about surface/subsurface relationships. Here in the Ozarks, caves play an inportant role in our daily lives. The remote regions of Fantastic Caverns are a natural sanctuary for some of Missouri's most rare creatures. Ozark cavefish populations remain in only a few sites. These tiny, white, and blind fish serve as a barometer for our ground-water quality.

Experienced interpretative staff members will generate discussions with the students on these topics as well as the natural and recorded history of caves and the Ozarks. Caves have also played a role in shaping history. From manufacturing gunpoweder to providing shelter, caves have been an active partners in developing this nation.

Field Trip Program Overview:
1. Experience Duration: 1 hour - The hour-long ride-thru cave expedition that covers the cave creation and development process, highlighting how water flows through these Ozarks hills.
2. Availability: This program is available on the hour (9 AM, 10 AM, 11 AM, 12 PM, or 1 PM), and is available 362 days a year (Fantastic Caverns only closes on Thanksgiving day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas day).
3. Group Size: A minimum of 20 participants is required to schedule a departure. A maximum of 50 participants can be accommodated at one departure time. Groups larger than 50 will need to schedule multiple departures to accommodate everyone.

The Field Trip experience at Fantastic Caverns is built around the following educational goals...
Exploration and Discovery: Participants will embark on an educational journey to understand the vital connections that exist between caves, natural resources, and our daily lives. By exploring the cave system on an hour-long educational ride-through expedition, they will gain a deeper appreciation for the role caves play in the Ozarks.
Environmental Awareness: The program emphasizes the significance of cave conservation and its relationship to the quality of life in the Ozarks. Students will learn about the importance of preserving natural resources and improving water quality.

Reservations Required: Advance reservations are requested to ensure that your group can be accommodated. Reservations can be made by calling (417) 833-2010.

Comfort and Recommendations: Fantastic Caverns maintains a constant temperature of 60°F (15.5°C), regardless of the outside weather conditions. This ensures a comfortable and consistent experience. It's advisable for participants to wear appropriate clothing suitable for the cave environment.

Admission Rates

2023 Adult Group Rate: $22.50
2023 Child Group Rate: (Age 12 & under) $7.00
2024 Adult Group Rate: $24.00
2024 Child Group Rate: (Age 12 & under) $7.00

* Group rates are extended to parties of 20 or more paid admissions. All tickets must be purchased collectively in one lump sum.