Roubidoux Spring
Cave diving in Missouri · about 1 km from Waynesville
- Max depth
- 82 m
- Trimix from
- 40 m
- Type
- Sidemount
- Certification (estimate)
- Full cave
- DPV
- DPV possible
One of the few public springs for cave divers in Missouri.
One of the few public springs for cave divers in Missouri. Past the entrance under the retaining wall the flow eases in the first big room; after that the cave drops away in a few steps, so you are quickly in deco and trimix depth. Water of 9–13 °C, dark limestone that reflects little light, and visibility of usually ~5 m. Since construction upstream (2002) the visibility has never fully recovered.
- Depth and profile
- Already ~-43 m within ~145 m of the entrance (Scuba Diving) · max ~-82 m · ~3.5 km laid and surveyed (OCDA, 2018)
- Configuration
- Sidemount gets through the small high-flow entrance most easily; backmount works, but you pull yourself in along the floor. Cold and deep: CCR suits it well.
- Access
- Laughlin Park on the south side of Waynesville (100 Historic Route 66). Free; check in before and after diving at the 911 emergency centre with your cave card. The entrance is low under the walkway at the retaining wall; you assemble your gear at the spring pool.
- DPV: DPV possible (estimate)
- Long passage (~3.5 km) but a tight entrance with strong flow; no rules on scooters found.
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Searched automatically, last on 5 Oct 2026.
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Current conditions
Visibility, flow and water levels change quickly. Right before your dive, check what other divers report:
- Ozark Cave Diving Alliance (ocda.org) ↗
Cave diving club that explores and surveys Roubidoux Spring, with practical info on checking in at Waynesville.
- USGS: Roubidoux Spring at Waynesville ↗
Discharge of the spring: more flow and less visibility after rain.
Plan a cave diving trip to Missouri
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Certification requirements, configurations and trimix depths are estimates for planning. Always check them locally and dive within your training. Compiled from web research (City of Waynesville and Visit Missouri, Ozark Cave Diving Alliance, Scuba Diving, USGS, KFMO, Bonne Terre Mine, DAN Alert Diver, Wikipedia; Oct 2026). Roubidoux pin from the USGS records, Bonne Terre from Wikipedia; ~ = estimate. Rules and openings change — check locally.