Meramec Caverns

Meramec Caverns in Sullivan, Missouri is the collective name for the 4.6 mile cavern system that runs through the Ozarks near Stanton. At 400 million years old, it’s probably the oldest attraction in Missouri, though it has only been open as a tourist attraction since 1933. With around 150,000 annual visitors, Meramec Caverns is the most visited cave in Missouri.

A guided tour of the limestone caves takes around an hour and twenty minutes. A guide leads you through the breathtaking natural formations, which are intricately lit one room at a time, so you can appreciate their beauty. Stops include the large Ballroom used for dances, weddings, and community events; the Mirror Room with a stream of reflective water; and the Wine Room with a 6-foot tall onyx table.

The tour ends with the “Greatest Show Under the Earth,” a patriotic musical light show projected onto one of the cave walls.

On the tour you’ll also hear more about the history of the Missouri caves. One of the most popular pieces of trivia is that Meramec Caverns is reputed to have been used by Jesse James and his gang as a hideout.

Meramec Caverns became a popular tourist stop, in part, because of the unique advertising method of the attraction’s founder, Lester Dill. To draw in travelers, he used a simple but effective form of advertising: painted barns. Artist Jim Gauer spent nearly 60 years traveling across 14 states (including Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee,) painting the now-iconic Meramec Caverns Barn Signs until his retirement in 2012. You can still find four Meramec Caverns Barn Signs on Route 66. Look for these painted barn murals in Pontiac, Illinois; Conway, Missouri; St. Clair, Missouri; and Chandler, Oklahoma.