Looking for a unique way to explore a cave?
The Mystery River Tour at Bluespring Caverns takes you on an hour-long underground boat tour through a cave that will definitely give you a sense of adventure.
This adventure has been on my list for a while. I was close to crossing an underground boat tour off my list when we visited Lost River Cave near Bowling Green, KY but we were unable to take the tour due to high water levels in the cave the day of our visit.
Take a Hike to see one of Indiana’s Largest Sinkholes
We had a little time before our tour began so we decided to walk the 1/4 trail on the property to see one of Indiana’s largest sinkholes.
The trail is a pretty easy hike and a great way to burn off some energy.
The Underground Boat Tour
Each tour begins inside the gift shop and then takes you around back to begin your descent into the cave.
The cave tour takes you around 150 feet underground.
As you walk through the cave you will learn about the cave’s history and how it was discovered.
We were given safety instructions before our boat tour began. Traveling by boat in a cave really gives you a sense of what cave exploration looked like for early explorers.
The tour takes you up close to the cavern formations but you are only allowed to touch the cave at one part of the tour in an area that won’t damage it.
This tour helps visitors understand the importance of cave preservation and the types animals that can be found in a cave.
I was extremely impressed by our guides boat steering skills as we traveled throughout the cave. He navigated tight corners without hitting anything. He also added a lot of humor which made the tour interesting and fun!
Cave Formations
The hour-long tour was a really fun adventure for our whole family.
After, the tour you end up back in the gift shop. Bluesprings Cavern also has an area where you can mine gemstones if you want to take a souvenir home.
Tips for Visiting Bluespring Cavern
The cave is open 7 days a week and no reservations are needed unless you have a group larger than 12. I would recommend calling ahead to make sure that there haven’t been high water levels from the rain before you go. (812) 279-9471
There is a picnic shelter available if you have a larger group.
The cavern tour requires a 400′ walk down into the cavern to reach the river level. After your ride, you will also need to take the 400′ walk up.
*Temperatures in the cave tend to be around 53 degrees year-round so make sure that you pack a light jacket if you tend to get cold easily.
The tours leave on the hour, or more often during their peak season. The last tour leaves at 5pm EST.
The tour duration is one hour.
You find out more about Bluespring Caverns from their website.
Underground Boat Tour Location
Bluesprings Cavern is located at 1459 Blue Springs Cavern Rd., Bedford, IN 47421.
Disclosure: I received complimentary admission for review purposes. All opinions are my own.
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Hi Nedra,
Really neat images and post! Reminds me a little bit of a cave tour we took in Vietnam, where we swam through pitch dark conditions….yikes!!! Thanks for the fun share.
Ryan