Camping/Float Trip

Round Spring, Eminence, Missouri

This year marked the 4th annual float trip with my friends. We decided to try the Current River, but ended up going to Jack's Fork River due to reservation constraints. It was a really fun time, and I hope to enjoy more in the future.

On the way back home, Eric and I explored the surrounding scenery by visiting the Round Spring and then did an impromtu visit of Saltpeter Cave now known as "Meramac Caverns." It was neat and eerie all at the same time. I had never really been in a cave and I'm just glad that at least my first experience was somewhat commercial so that when we hope to revisit the Round Spring cave, the non-commercial tour will be more exciting. I highly recommend a float trip. It's fun, not too expensive, and a good way to enjoy the company of friends.

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Things I learned about the Round Spring: It is 55 ft deep (shown in picture) and pumps out about 25+ million gallons of water each year. The most recorded was something like 333 million gallons in one year.

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Things I learned in the "Meramac Tavern:" It has a natural onyx area. Jesse James used it as part of his hide-out. The ballroom was originally used for square dancing and is the largest open area of the cave. Part of Lassie and Tom Sawyer were filmed there. A couple was given a 10 night stay prize and they 'lived' in the cave for 10 days (while the cave was still having tours) until they found a key planted by a game show (on the last day) where they won a real honeymoon. They have a stalagtite/stalagmite that grew so large it 'killed itself' and is starting to rust. It is about 25 million years old (I think.) A part of the cavern that was once underwater is known as the wine garden. The rock formations look like grape clusters. This area also has the 2nd largest table rock in the world. It is a type of rock that grew up from the bottom of the water and then formed it's own little island. It has four legs. Now it has to be supported by a beam to keep it standing (from age.) The 'Greatest Show Under the Earth" is a light display in an area where the rocks formed a kind of theater with the billion? year old rock formation (still 'alive'.) It was really hard to get pictures to show up well, so you should check it out :)

Glimpse of "Greatest Show Under the Earth" Rock Formation