Riverbluff Cave
The Riverbluff Cave is a paleontological site discovered in the United States, near Springfield, Missouri. Its location is 5 mi northwest of Nixa. Top of the list nearby is Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium, 5.5 mi away.
A museum, 5 mi northwest of Nixa
Springfield is the nearest base
Springfield is 7 miles north, with 104 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Sep and Oct
April, May, June, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 68–84°. When to go ↓
An airport 10 miles away
Springfield Branson National (SGF) has airline service, about 10 miles from Riverbluff Cave.
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures and Wikipedia.
Month by month
Use the months below to time a visit to Riverbluff Cave.
Riverbluff Cave
The Riverbluff Cave is a paleontological site discovered in the United States, near Springfield, Missouri. The entrance is filled with stalactites, stalagmites and columns. The cave is approximately 830,000 years old (making it the oldest known fossil cave site in the US) and 2,000 ft (610 m) long, featuring Pleistocene fossils, notably of the short-faced bear (Arctodus simus) the largest bear species on the Earth (around 5–6 feet tall at the shoulder and weighing in the area of 2,000 lb (910 kg)).
The cave is located in the widespread karst landscape of the Springfield Plateau of the western Missouri Ozarks and developed within the soluble Mississippian limestones of the region. It was unveiled accidentally on September 11, 2001, when engineers were blasting for a new road.
- Type
- Museum
- Wikipedia readers
- 7.3K a year
Where to sleep near Riverbluff Cave
Nearest for a night are Springfield (104) and Ozark (8).
Springfield
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
169,847 people
7 mi north of Riverbluff Cave
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Riverbluff Cave | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield | 7 mi north | 10 min | 104 76 hotels · 11 motels · 5 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 3 campgrounds · 3 RV parks | 169,847 | $178K | D− |
| Ozark | 8 mi southeast | 10 min | 8 3 hotels · 1 motel · 3 lodges & cabins · 1 RV park | 23,544 | $255K | B+ |
| Republic | 6 mi northwest | 10 min | 2 1 hotel · 1 campground | 22,404 | $212K | B |
| Strafford | 16 mi northeast | 25 min | 4 2 hotels · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 RV park | 2,789 | $169K | C− |
| Nixa | 5 mi southeast | 5 min | 1 1 hotel | 26,597 | $259K | A− |
| Galena | 22 mi south | 35 min | 7 2 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 474 | $128K | — |
| Rockaway Beach | 29 mi south | 45 min | 12 5 hotels · 1 motel · 6 lodges & cabins | 816 | $181K | — |
| Saddlebrooke | 21 mi south | 30 min | 3 1 hotel · 1 campground · 1 RV park | 315 | $655K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Pair Riverbluff Cave with these
These lie within 70 miles as the crow flies.
30 mi Theme parkSilver Dollar City
70 mi MuseumCrystal Bridges Museum of American Art
37 mi LakeTable Rock Lake
15 mi Zoo & aquariumWonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium
25 mi National BattlefieldWilson's Creek National Battlefield371K visitors a year
32 mi MuseumTitanic Museum30 mi CaveMarvel Cave
53 mi LandmarkChrist of the OzarksPhoto credits
Silver Dollar City: Nan Fry, CC BY 2.0 · Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art: Charvex, CC0 · Table Rock Lake: KTrimble (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium: Robert Lawton, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Wilson's Creek National Battlefield: National Park Service, Public domain · Titanic Museum: Brad A. Totman, Public domain · Christ of the Ozarks: Bobak Ha'Eri, Public domain
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Questions about Riverbluff Cave
What town is Riverbluff Cave near?
Nixa, MO, about 5 miles southeast.
When is the best time to visit Riverbluff Cave?
April, May, June, September and October, with highs of 68–84°.
What is the closest airport to Riverbluff Cave?
Springfield Branson National (SGF), about 10 miles away. The nearest big hub is Tulsa (TUL), about 155 miles.
Where should I stay near Riverbluff Cave?
Springfield (7 mi, 104 places to stay), Ozark (8 mi, 8 places to stay) and Strafford (16 mi, 4 places to stay).
Inside knowledge from Nixa
Be the first to share a tip in Nixa’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.