Onondaga Cave State Park
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 5, 2025
Onondaga Cave State Park is located in the Ozarks region of Missouri and is home to the Onondaga Cave, one of the most impressive caverns in the Midwest.
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Summary
The park offers a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, fishing, and camping.
The main attraction of Onondaga Cave State Park is the Onondaga Cave itself, which is a natural wonder filled with unusual rock formations and underground streams. Visitors can take guided tours of the cave and marvel at the stalactites, stalagmites, and other unique features. The park also has a visitor center that offers exhibits and educational programs about the cave and the surrounding area.
In addition to the cave, Onondaga Cave State Park has several other points of interest, including the Meramec River, which is popular for fishing, swimming, and kayaking. The park also has several hiking trails that offer scenic views of the Ozarks, and a campground with more than 80 campsites.
Interesting facts about the area include that the Onondaga Cave was discovered in 1886 by a group of boys who were out hunting. The cave was opened to the public as a tourist attraction in 1897, and has since become one of the most visited caves in the United States.
The best time of year to visit Onondaga Cave State Park is in the spring or fall when the weather is cooler and the crowds are smaller. However, the cave is open year-round, and visitors can enjoy the park's many outdoor activities during the summer months as well.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
Related References
Huzzah Conservation Area
Jim Bottomly Park
Meramec State Park
Pea Ridge Conservation Area