Bear Hollow Cave

Bear Hollow Cave
Bear Hollow Cave
© Scott Simon/TNC

Location
Bella Vista, Benton County

Size
8 acres

How to Prepare for Your Visit
Visitors are welcome to view the cave entrance and surrounding woodlands; however, the cave itself is gated to protect the extremely fragile karst environment and species. Access to the cave interior is provided during guided field trips and cleanups, which will be posted under Volunteer Opportunities as they are scheduled.

If you see any signs of vandalism or cave trespass during your visit, please notify the Ozark Highlands Office at (479) 973-9110 or arkansas@tnc.org. 

Directions

  • From Highway 71 North in Bella Vista, turn right onto Lancashire Road (Highway 340 East)
  • After about 2.5 miles, turn left onto Derwent Road
  • Bear left onto the dirt road (about 150 feet from the turn-off)
  • The parking area is half a mile down the road

What to See: Plants
Many beautiful water-loving plants can be found in seeps throughout the site, including flowering hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens), giant blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica), and jewel weed (Impatiens capensis).

List of plants at Bear Hollow

What to See: Animals
The cave's most noteworthy resident is the endangered cave crayfish (Cambarus aculabrum). Like many other cave creatures, C. aculabrum is specially adapted to its dark surroundings, exhibiting such features as reduced eyes, lack of pigmentation, a reduced metabolic rate, delayed reproduction, and reduced egg production. The threatened Ozark cavefish (Amblyopsis rosae) is also in evidence here.

Additional creatures found in Bear Hollow Cave include the eastern pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus subflavus), big brown bat (Eptesocus fuscus), cave crickets (Ceuthophis spp.), and several species of salamanders.

List of animals at Bear Hollow

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
Bear Hollow Cave is a karst solution tube with approximately 2,000 feet of passage, most of which is traversed by a cave stream. The cave includes both aquatic and dry habitats.

Bear Hollow Cave is one of only three caves in the world known to harbor the endangered cave crayfish (Cambarus aculabrum), making it a very high priority for conservation.

Bear Hollow Cave was donated to the Conservancy in 1998 by Pat and John Cooper, Jr., and Cooper Communities.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
Neighbors and volunteers have shown their support for the protection of this ecological treasure by keeping watch over the cave site and participating in cleanups.

In spring 2000, a cooperative effort by The Nature Conservancy, Bella Vista Property Owners Association, Bella Vista/Benton County Sheriff Department, and Benton County Jail, resulted in the removal of 100 tons of garbage from the most critical portions of the Bear Hollow Cave recharge area. These illegal dumps included paint and other hazardous materials that leach into the groundwater, affecting not only cave creatures but everyone living downstream.

Conservancy staff and volunteers have also cleared trash and removed graffiti from the cave's interior, repaired the entrance gate, and improved the area around the cave entrance to prevent vehicle trespass.