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[Junior]

I live in NW Arkansas, and one of the local "show caves" is currently undergoing "improvements." As you all know, Marvel Cave is NOT a down the tower and then back up the tower tour because in the 1950's the Herschends blasted a tunnel out for the exit where the cave train is. Not unheard of "improvements" back in those days, although some conservationists would balk today. However, the local cave I'm talking about, War Eagle Caverns...also a privately owned show cave just like Marvel Cave, is blasting out a 100 foot tunnel so people on their tours can have better access to additional passageways and to some small lakes and streams that previously were not accessible to the general public because you would have to crawl on your bellies in mud with bats inches above your head to get to those sights. When completed, the lakes will have bridges over them, so folks can get back even deeper in the cave. Current tour is about a half mile of walking, but when the improvements are done, the tour will be longer and there will be better access for a bit more of the 4 miles of cave that exist. They are closed for the winter season, and the bats are hibernating now, too, so blasting has been suspended. When War Eagle Cave reopens in March, the new tours will be offered. So what do you think? Is it, in this day, acceptable to blast passages through a natural cave system for the purpose of increasing tourism to the cave? Conservationists, again, might be upset that the fragile cave ecosystem could be disturbed...the bats, and other creatures would be disturbed. What do you think? Legally, the couple that own the cave can do anything they want to with it, it is their private property, after all. Chime in.

[Duelist]

I suppose any cave that is accessible to the public is going to disrupt the ecosystem somewhat.  We all know the importance of the existence of bats so they need to be left alone as much as possible.  We went to OTC at SDC on Dec 15th and took a tour of Hurricane River Cave, just north of Pindall Ark, on the way back to central Arkansas on the 16th.  The guide told us they were planning on putting in a "guest bedroom" in the cave which couples could rent out for the night complete with a bed, home entertainment center, shower and port-a-potty.  Romanitc?

[How-doFolks]

Leave the cave alone!

[MissinTheGreenTrams]

Would the area they are blasting be healthy for cave habitat growth? Or would it cause stress on the cave, invinting a cave in? God made the cave that way for a reason ya know? But as for my opinion......I dont have a diffinitive answer for that.

[chittlins]

They closed the caves at Devils Den off several years ago. There's something going around that's killing off the bats.

[Gilligan]

Are the bats still residing in the cave at the end of March?  The disease that is wiping them out is a fungus called white-nosed syndrome. (according to the hubs)

[Junior]

It's been several weeks since I've heard anything regarding the War Eagle Cavern improvements. Anyone else hear or read anything about them?

[chittlins]

It's been several weeks since I've heard anything regarding the War Eagle Cavern improvements. Anyone else hear or read anything about them?

KNWA had a piece on the cave about a week ago, they are still working on. Doesn't appear if they posted the video online. It showed some of the work and a bat sleeping through all of it. It was an update to this one from DEC.

http://nwahomepage.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=389862

[Junior]

War Eagle Cavern with the improvements is now open. I checked out their Website today and they had some nice pictures. Local TV news station KNWA Fayetteville/Fort. Smith had a story on it, too. I will reccomend this cave tour to you. They have done a  nice job with the cave and with the other surface attractions and gift shop.