Bridal Cave & Thunder Mountain Park

Cave Salamander There is life inside of Bridal Cave , but much of it is rarely seen.  When you walk through one of mid-Missouri's most scenic cave tours , you are only viewing a small portion of the vast cave that lies beyond.   Biospeliology is the study of organisms that live in caves.  These scientist have provided us with lots of information about the living organisms that live both in and around caves in Missouri.   Biospeleologists seperate the things that live in caves into three categories:   Troglobites - Organisms that would not be able to survive for very long outside of the cave.  (white and blind cavefish, millipedes, crustaceans (crayfish, isopods, and amphipods) and planaria) Troglophiles - Those that live in caves, but are not restricted to them.  (pigmented amphipods, isopods living in cave streams and cave pools, fish that move up streams into caves and many insects) Trogloxenes - Anything that spends a large portion of life inside of a cave, but c

We care deeply about nature here at Bridal Cave and Thunder Mountain Park . Any opportunity that we have to take care of wildlife and the natural resources that make the Lake area so beautiful, we are all for it.  This holiday season you can join us in our efforts by recycling your Christmas tree after you take it down for the season.   The best family attraction at the Lake of the Ozarks has the perfect thing for you to do with your tree after all of the decorations are packed away.  Bring it to us and we will turn it into a fish habitat.  Not only does this offer a happy home for the fish, but it's a great way to attract fish to specific spots in the lake to improve fishing.  It's a wonderful way to make sure the tree is put to good use after the holidays, and it's also a great lesson for children about recycling and caring for wildlife.  Most Missouri landfills do not accept Christmas trees, leaving people with a big, bulky tree to get rid of and no place to ta

All kids love rocks, and the best of us are truly kids at heart.  Recently, Bridal Cave 's general manager, Steve Thompson, had the youthful joy of spending some time in warehouses full of rocks and minerals from around the world.  One of the best features of our Lake of the Ozarks gift shop is the wide variety of incredibly beautiful and interesting rocks, minerals, and gemstones that we have for sale.   Steve traveled to Orlando, Florida to meet in person with the direct rock, gem, fossil, and mineral importers that Bridal Cave purchases our high-quality items from.  Traveling to meet these direct importers lets us hand select every item that we offer you.   Orders have been placed, and by February 2016, our rock and mineral shop will be fully stocked with popular items such as:   Himalayan Salt Amethyst from Brazil Highly Banded Onyx from Pakistan Geodes from Morocco.   We will also be featuring many items from newly found deposits from around the world.   T

The holidays bring families together, but sometimes it's difficult to figure out what to do to keep everyone entertained.  The Lake of the Ozarks is busy with activity during this season, offering up lots of wonderful ways to keep everyone happy and in the holiday spirit.  One excellent activity is to enjoy one of America's most scenic cave tours . (That's our favorite thing to do!)  Here is Bridal Cave 's list of a few of the many family-friendly things to do this month.   Visit Bridal Cave A lot businesses shut down for the winter around here, but not us!   Bridal Cave is the only major attraction at the Lake of the Ozarks  that stays open throughout the winter.  You can escape the commercialization of the holidays for an hour or two by exploring nature at its best.  The cave is always a comfortable 60 degrees inside, and it's fun for all ages.  This is a serene, beautiful experience that is a nice change from the hustle and bustle of crowded stores

Christmas is coming, and finding that perfect gift can sometimes be a challenge. If you want to give the people on your list something unique and special, a visit to our Lake of the Ozarks gift shop should be your first stop.   Bridal Cave has an incredible variety of gift ideas for you to choose from.   In Bridal Cave's gift shop, you will find home decor, beautiful rocks and minerals, gemstones, jewelry, candy, and so much more.  There are even some great books and educational materials for rock hounds of all ages.  One cool gift from here just may ignite a love of caving in a child or an adventurous soul on your shopping list.  Here are a few great choices to get you started.  Onyx Bridal Cave is world renowned for its onyx formations.  Onyx is a Calcite formation.  It takes millions of years to form this beautiful gemstone from water depositing minerals along the ceiling, walls, and floor of the cave.  Traditionally Onyx is one of the best gemstones for

Getting married is one of the most important things that you will do in your lifetime.  Making the experience fun and unique will make it even more special. One of the most incredible places to get married at the Lake of the Ozarks at Bridal Cave.   If you are planning a small wedding of under 100 people and you are a couple with a flair for adventure, then Bridal Cave may be the perfect wedding venue for you.  It is an absolutely breathtaking backdrop for your nuptials with a lot of history.  Over 3,000 couples from around the world have exchanged vows here with us.       Get Married Any Time of the Year Bridal Cave is a perfect place to get married, no matter what time of year it is. Our stalactite adorned chapel inside of the cave is available year round and can fit up to 50 people.  The temperature remains at a constant, comfortable 60 degrees, so you know exactly what to expect on your wedding day, no matter what the temperature is outside.   If you would prefer to

The days are getting colder outside and a lot of attractions around the Lake area have closed down for the season.  Well, the best year-round attraction at the Lake of the Ozarks is still open, and we will stay open, no matter what the weather.  It doesn't matter what's going on outside because Bridal Cave remains a pleasant 60 degrees all of the time.   Bridal Cave has been in continuous, year-round operation since 1948.  It can be freezing in the winter and blistery hot in the summer outdoors, but our cave temperature remains at a comfortable 60 degrees.  This phenomena has a name - the "Mean Temperature."  If you add together the high temperature of each day for a year and average those, you will come up with 60 degrees.  Cool, huh! This constant temperature allows us to host a reliable and fun attraction to visit any day.       COLD WINTER If it gets below freezing outside, you might be tempted to hide in the house, all cozy and warm.  This is fine fo

The most scenic cave tour in Missouri is surrounded by the natural beauty of Thunder Mountain Park .  This incredible Lake of the Ozarks attraction  covers hundreds of acres.  It spreads over more than a mile of Lake of the Ozraks shoreline, a mile of highway frontage along Old Missouri Route 5, and all the acreage in between.  That is a lot of nature to be explored! Establishing the park Thunder Mountain Park was established in 1950 in order to protect the caves within it.  The amazing colors and incredible onyx formations inside of Bridal Cave  are all formed by minerals from rain water that seeps into the ground. This is a process called deposition.  Preserving the natural state of the park above the cave prevents any changes to the surface area, which could have a detrimental impact on the deposition process.  Protecting the surface area protects the water quality, which in turn protects the cave.     Aerial view of Thunder Mountain before 1950 A unique, rural attra