Bluespring Caverns

Useful Information

Location:	Near Bedford. I65 exit Seymour, 90 km south of Indianapolis, 78 km north of Louisville. U.S. 50 west through Bedford. Trun off 8 km south of Bedford to the left, 1 km by paved road off of U.S. 50. Signposted.
Open:	APR to Memorial Day Sat, Sun, Hol 9-17, tours hourly and on demand. Memorial Day to Labor Day daily 9-17, tours every 40 min and on demand. Labor Day to OCT daily 9-17, tours hourly and on demand. [2004]
Fee:	Adults USD 12, Children (3-15) USD 6. Not recommended for infants and very young children. [2004]
Classification:	Karst cave River cave
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	T=11 °C.
Guided tours:	L=2,500 m, 500 m by foot, 2,000 m by boat. D=60 min.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Bluespring Caverns Park, RR 11 Box 988, 1459 Bluespring Caverns Road, Bedford, IN 47421, Tel: +1-812-279-9471, Fax: +1-812-279-9472. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1800s	cave visited by locals through the natural spring entrance.
1913	dam on the White River built and entrance blocked off.
1940	a natural collapse of the cave happened on the Coglazier Farm, which is todays entrance.

Description

Bluespring Caverns drains a karst area southwest of Bedford in Lawrence County, nearly 40 square kilometers of sinkhole plain. A scenic countryside of farmland, rolling pastures, and woodlands, dotted with thousands of sinkholes. Most side passages of the cave sytem, more than 30 km of passges, converge to a large underground river. This is the place where the show cave is located. The tour consists mainly of an impressive boat ride on the longest subterranean river in the United States, called Myst'ry River.

The cave and its waterways is famous for an abundance of troglobitic life. Fish, crayfish, salamanders, crickets, spiders, beetles, and other forms of animal life which have adapted to the darkness and constant temperatures of the cave. Most common are rare albino blindfish and crayfish. Several types of bats inhabit the cave, but they are generally rare. Most bats are found during winter. However, they do not like the water very much and this is a very active river cave.

The tour starts with a 250 walk steep down into the cave to the landing stage. At the end of the boat tour you will have to walk up again. The boat tour is made on specially designed flat-bottomed boats seating 17 visitors. It is a 2 km long boat trip on the underground river. The river is navigable even further, but this would make the tour too long.