Cave City, Arkansas
Cave City is a city of 2,090 people in Independence County, Arkansas, founded in 1890.
Why visit Cave City
Townapedia lists 7 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail, 3 places to eat and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Crystal River Tourist Camp and Jackson Prospect.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 89°F; January lows average 24°F.
Weather in Cave City
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Cave City
Cave City is a city in Independence and Sharp counties in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The population was 1,922 at the 2020 U.S. Census. The city was named for a large cave underneath the Crystal River Tourist Camp, which is the oldest motor court in Arkansas. Cave City is known for its award-winning "world's sweetest" watermelons and holds an annual watermelon festival in July.
From the Wikipedia article Cave City, Arkansas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks7
Crystal River Tourist Camp
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Restaurants and cafes3
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History
On March 14, 2025, a devastating EF3 tornado hit the city, causing severe and widespread damage to homes and businesses. Mayor Jonas Anderson issued a state of emergency and a curfew during the overnight hours of March 15. Arkansas governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders visited Cave City the following morning as well to tour the damage.
From the History section of Cave City, Arkansas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship2
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries5
Cave City High Career & Collegiate Preparatory School
School
620 N Main St, Cave City
Cave City Middle School Career And Collegiate Preparatory
School
711 N Main St, Cave City
Healthcare1
Map of Cave City
25 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°F | 24°F | 3.5 in | 1.8 in |
| Feb | 51°F | 27°F | 3.7 in | 2.6 in |
| Mar | 60°F | 36°F | 4.9 in | 1.4 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 45°F | 5.5 in | 0.1 in |
| May | 77°F | 54°F | 5.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 85°F | 63°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 89°F | 67°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 65°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 57°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 71°F | 44°F | 4.1 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 58°F | 34°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 48°F | 27°F | 4.5 in | 0.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Evening Shade 1 Nne (10 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Independence County has had 22 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-05-08: Severe Storms And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2025-04-05: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-08-27: Hurricane Laura (Hurricane)
- 2020-04-03: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Batesville Regional Airport (BVX) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 16 miles away.
- Evening Shade 9 mi northwest, about 15 min by car
- Batesville 13 mi south, about 21 min by car
- Mount Pleasant 13 mi west, about 22 min by car
- Sulphur Rock 14 mi south, about 22 min by car
- Bald Knob 44 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Augusta 47 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Jonesboro 49 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Searcy 50 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Mountain Home 54 mi northwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Brookland 54 mi east, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- High-end EF3 damage to a nearly finished home near Cave City, National Weather Service, Public domain
- EF3 Tornado House Damage SW Cave City AR 2025, NOAA / NWS Little Rock, Arkansas, Public domain
- Crystal River Tourist Camp, Main Building, Valis55, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Crystal River Tourist Camp, Building Detail, Valis55, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 20240408-DSC01424 (53958408404), Lightsplitters Neal, CC0
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