Editing Geography of Missouri (section)

== Caves ==
{{unreferenced section|date=March 2025}}
{{See also|List of caves in Missouri}}
[[File:Missouri karst feature distribution v1.svg|thumb|right|Distribution of [[karst]] features in Missouri: darker red indicates greater cave density; [[losing stream]] courses are shown in yellow; blue spots indicate known springs.]]
The Ozarks region has a well-developed [[karst]] topography with numerous areas of [[sinkhole]]s, [[losing stream|stream capture]], and [[cave]]rn development.

Caves, within areas of [[limestone]] and [[Dolomite (rock)|dolomite]] bedrock, occur in great numbers in and near the Ozark Mountain region in the southwestern part of Missouri. More than a hundred have been discovered in [[Stone County, Missouri|Stone County]] alone, and there are many in [[Christian County, Missouri|Christian]], [[Greene County, Missouri|Greene]] and [[McDonald County, Missouri|McDonald]] counties.

[[Marvel Cave]] is located a short distance southeast of the center of Stone county. The entrance originally was through a large sink-hole at the top of Roark Mountain, though now an easier entrance has been made. Marvel Cave has a large hall-like room about {{convert|350|ft|m|abbr=on}} long and about {{convert|125|ft|m|abbr=on}} wide with bluish-grey limestone walls, and a vaulted roof, rising from 100 to {{convert|295|ft|m|abbr=on}}. Due to its acoustic properties the room has been named the ''Auditorium''.  At one end is a large stalagmite formation about {{convert|65|ft|m|abbr=on}} in height and about {{convert|200|ft|m|abbr=on}} in girth, called the ''White Throne''.

Exploration of [[Jacobs Cavern]], near [[Pineville, Missouri|Pineville]], [[McDonald County, Missouri|McDonald]] county, revealed  human and animal skeletons along with crude implements. Crystal Cave, near Joplin, [[Jasper County, Missouri|Jasper]] county, has its entire surface lined with [[calcite]] crystals and scalenohedron formations, from 1 to {{convert|2|ft|m|abbr=on}} in length.

Other caves include Friede's Cave, about six miles (10&nbsp;km) northeast of [[Rolla, Missouri|Rolla]], [[Phelps County, Missouri|Phelps County]] and [[Mark Twain Cave]] (in [[Marion County, Missouri|Marion County]], about one mile (1.6&nbsp;km) south of [[Hannibal, Missouri|Hannibal]]), which has a deep pool containing many eyeless fish.