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 o...

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 ge...

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 depos...

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 ...

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.  Traditionall...