Name: Cave Spring
Location: Shannon County, Mo.
Rank: 20
Average Flow:
Million gallons per day: 21*
Cubic feet per second: 32*
*Spring is not measurable at high flow since it is almost always backflooded by Current
River.
Recharge Area:
Dye traced from Devil's Well to the northeast, and
nearby Wallace Well, a cave slightly to the southeast. Recharge area lies primarily in a
10 mile area to the northeast. Extensively studied by Jerry Vineyard, and much information can
be found in the book, Springs of Missouri.
Interesting Information:
The spring rises a short canoe paddle into
a large cave opening on the Current River, from a vertical shaft 140 feet deep. The spring itself is
a favorite fishing spot. During underwater survey, a Native American dugout canoe was
discovered on the bottom of the spring. Both Devil's Well and Wallace Well are karst
windows, the first a sinkhole opening onto an underground lake larger than a football field,
and the second, a cave containing access to another conduit which flows to the spring.
Brief History:
Cave Spring has a long history of usage as a fishing,
picnicking and canoe rest spot, but has never been commercially developed. Devil's
Well was first explored in 1952. It was primitively developed and shown by the Wallace family
as a tourist attraction in the 1960's and early 1970's, with a picnic area and gift shop. It was
during Wallace's ownership that Vineyard's extensive study occurred. In the late 1960's, Devils
Well was mapped by Ozark Spring Studies, an effort which required 62 weekends of trips by
divers, cavers and mappers. During this era, Cave Spring was owned by the L-A-D Foundation, a
private conservation group. Devils Well was sold to the National Park Service in 1974.
Ownership and Access:
Cave Spring is privately held by the L-A-D
Foundation, but public access from the river is allowed for viewing only. Canoeists
should be aware of the extremely cold and deep water if taking a look at the spring, which is in
semi-darkness at the rear of the cave. There are no developed roads to the spring.
Both Devil's and Wallace Well are extremely hazardous, and gated, with no access allowed to the
caves themselves. A steep, gravel road leads to Devil's Well, where visitors may look through
the karst window to the water from a viewing platform. Wallace Well Cave is obscure. The gated
entrance is visible only by river.
The picture following was taken by Michael Tatalovich, during the Devil's Well
exploration and mapping in the 1960's while it was still privately owned.
