Although Smallin Civil War Cave (https://www.smallincave.com/) doesn’t have drive through access like it’s Springfield neighbor, Fantastic Caverns, it’s an excellent choice for wheelchair users. And owners Kevin and Wanetta Bright warmly welcome everyone to this historic — and wheelchair-accessible accessible — cave.

Access Down Under

There’s accessible parking near the office, with a barrier-free pathway to the front door. From there, it’s just a short walk to the cave, down the back ramp and over a wide gravel pathway.

Once home to a group of Osage Indians, the cave also served as shelter for traveling soldiers and reportedly housed a Union spy during the Civil War. Today history-buff Kevin leads visitors on an informative one-hour cave tour, which begins at the natural entrance. There is level access to the cave, and the half-mile cement walkway makes it accessible to wheelchair-users and slow walkers. It should be noted that there are a few patches of the trail that have a slight incline, so some manual wheelchair-users may require a bit of assistance in those areas.

Geologically the cave is quite diverse, as you’ll see tufa, soda straws and a variety of fossils (including a shark tooth) on the ceiling; but by far the highlight is Kevin’s’ historical interpretation of the cave. Tours are held every 30 minutes in the summer, but as Kevin notes, “they can be weather dependent.”

The Famous Throwed Rolls

If you’re looking for a fun place to eat after your cave tour, then head on down the road to Lambert’s Cafe (www.throwedrolls.com), home of the “throwed rolls”. There’s plenty of accessible parking out front, with level access to the entrance, and a wheelchair available for loan at the front desk. They serve up everything from steak and ribs to ham, chicken, shrimp and catfish, with the sides all served family style. Then there are the rolls, which are thrown to diners. And according to Wanetta, “It’s a honor to be hit with a roll at Lambert’s.” It’s a very homey place to eat, but don’t forget to bring some cash, as Lambert’s doesn’t accept credit cards.