Cathedral Cave is located in Onondaga Cave State Park in southeast Missouri. Park staff offer tours of both Cathedral Cave and Onondaga Cave.
The Cathedral Cave tour starts with a one-third mile hike from the campground to the cave entrance via Deer Run Trail. Participants then spend about 90 minutes in the cave before hiking back to the starting point. The tour lasts about two hours overall, including time on the trail and in the cave, and covers approximately 2 miles. Cathedral Cave has a year-round temperature of 57 degrees Fahrenheit. Participants should bring a light jacket and wear sturdy hiking shoes. Those interested in a less strenuous option should consider the Onondaga Cave tour.
Cathedral Cave is hollowed in Gasconade dolomite that was laid down approximately 440 million years ago. The cave consists of two distinct sections: a dimensionally larger and presumably older passage with an entrance high on the campground valley hillside, and a much longer, narrower and younger cave stream passage. The stream passage, which features lower elevation and a lower ceiling, intersects the stream at right angles near the Cathedral Bell, the cave’s namesake column of flowstone.
Check the website for tour times and fees.