Flippen Cave

Description for Flippen cave

ozark_enjoyer - 18/01/2026

Missouri speleology volume 1 number 1: “The entrance is 14’ H x 22’ W. The entrance room is also about this size, rather dry even though lower than the entrance, and has an extension or side chamber to the right. 100’ from the entrance, there are a couple of broad meanders and then narrower passage to a fair sized room with a niche to the right. Here, the main passage turns abruptly left in a horseshoe bend, but a low (3’) wide passage directly ahead cuts through to the main passage again, leaving the meander to the left. As might be expected, this meander has a floor higher than the cutoff, and it contains the only large breakdown block in the cave. Just beyond the cutoff, and 269’ from the entrance, a side passage turns left. The floor of the side passage, covered with a series of rimstone dams, rises gradually until the passage is only 18” high and was surveyed no further. The main passage continues about 150’ where it narrows from 12’ to 18” due to flowstone on the left. From here on, several groups of formations until 526’ from the entrance, formations completely block the passage. At this point the cave has upper and lower leads that are too small to enter without enlargement. It is said that a section of the new county highway nearby is sinking. This was attributed to flippen cave, however this would demand a considerable extension.”