Devil's Den Cave

Devil's Den State Park

Useful Information

Location:	Devil's Den State Park. I-540 Exit #53 West Fork, Ark. 170 southwest 27 km. I-540 Exit #45 Winslow, Ark. 74 west 11 km. (35.779240, -94.252832)
Open:	Park: no restrictions. Visitor Center: All year daily 8-17. Caves: closed due to WNS. [2024]
Fee:	free. [2024]
Classification:	Tectonic cave
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours:	L=170 m. self guided
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Devil's Den State Park, 11333 West Arkansas Highway 74, West Fork, AR 72774, Tel: +1-479-761-3325 or 1-800-264-2417 (cabin reservations only). E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1858	crevices used as hideouts by outlaws.
1861	with the beginning of the American Civil War used by bands of Confederate guerillas as a hideout and staging area.
1933	State Park established, infrastructure built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
1970s	extensive renovation of the park.
1994	listed on the National Register of Historic Places for the CCC-related rustic architecture.

Description

Devil's Den State Park offers a picturesque valley in the northwestern Ozarks called Lee Creek Valley. There is a peaceful lake at the center of the park, and the main activities are hiking and backpacking. Although the center of the Ozarks is composed mostly of sandstone, it is at the border between the older limestones and the younger sandstones covering it. At the west end of the park is Farmer's Cave, a small, gated limestone cave. It was visited on special cave trekking tours only after appointment. This was discontinued in 2009 due to the spread of White Nose Syndrome, to protect the bats Farmer’s Cave and Big Ear Cave were both closed. In 2010 Devil’s Den Cave and Ice Box Cave were also closed. As far as we know all those caves are still closed. The disease is a massive threat, and there are few signs that the bats adapt to the disease and recover. The main offer of the park is now hiking, riding, and mountain biking. There are eight trails which are designated mountain bike trails.

The main features of the park, the reason why many outdoor enthusiasts visit Devil's Den State Park, are numerous sandstone formations. The sandstones have a horizontal bedding and are dissected by cracks, as a result, they eroded in strange cliffs with overhanging walls and crevice caves. Numerous caves are located along the 2.5 km long Devils Den Trail. The loop was built during the 1930's by the CCC and on the 90-minute hike Devil's Ice Box, Twin Falls, Cold Springs, and of course Devil's Den Cave can be seen. Originally they could be visited self-guided, but since the closure they are gated.

The Yellow Rock Trail is a little longer, a loop of almost 5 km which takes about two hours. The highlights are more crevices, namely Wild Dog Crevice, The Devil's Teapot, The Devil's Race Track, and Yellow Rock. On summer weekends this trail is much less crowded. It begins near Camping Area 'A' and at the Pavilion on Hwy 170 west of the Dam Area.

The park is today actually most famous for something completely different. In the early 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was created to offer work to the enormous number of unemployed, a result of the World Economic Crisis. This organization created infrastructure, especially for parks in the country. When this State Park was established, the CCC created the infrastructure, like buildings, trails, they even dammed an artificial lake. The infrastructure was renovated in the 1970s, and today it is considered one of the most intact CCC sites in the U.S.A. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places for the CCC-related rustic architecture.