Devil's Slide Cave...North of Hillcrest High School

Urban exploration in Springfield, Missouri
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spelunker
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Devil's Slide Cave...North of Hillcrest High School

Post by spelunker »

This is a nice little cave that is easily accessible just off of north Grant St. Go past Hillcrest High on north Grant and go past several nice housing developments. After starting down a long hill note the cleared field on the left with a dirt road and a cattle grate. Turn left here (I think there is a mailbox with 4155 on it at the gate. I dont believe this is private property....if it is ....I have never had a problem there. Go over the hill on the dirt road and proceed west approximately 3/4 of a mile....there is a small path that turns to the right ....the cave opening is about 100 feet off the main road on the right. Back in 1967 (when I was in high school) we had a hellacious Halloween party in this cave...with a couple hundred people attending. About 15 of us spent three evenings prior to the party carving pumpkins....we lit the entire cave with Jack O' Lanterns, it was spooky !!. We probably had at least 75 of them with candles lighting the crags and ledges above the main room. This is a pretty clean cave and please keep it that way if you decide to explore it. Anyway...the cave is good sized...no crawling necessary....check it out. If you need more info email me. Later......"Wild Bill"
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Re: Devil's Slide Cave...North of Hillcrest High School

Post by White Rabbit »

spelunker wrote:Back in 1967 (when I was in high school) we had a hellacious Halloween party in this cave...with a couple hundred people attending. About 15 of us spent three evenings prior to the party carving pumpkins....we lit the entire cave with Jack O' Lanterns, it was spooky !!. We probably had at least 75 of them with candles lighting the crags and ledges above the main room.
That's awesome! Thanks for the info, too. Do you still have any pictures of your Halloween party?
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atron
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RE: Devil's Slide Cave...North of Hillcrest High School

Post by atron »

Ya thanks for the info def. putting that on my todo list.
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RE: Devil's Slide Cave...North of Hillcrest High School

Post by Mindscape »

Not sure if that's where I think it is, but if it is, I've been in there, and yes it's private property. Just, lots of people trespass there.

It may not be where I'm thinking of, though.
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RE: Devil's Slide Cave...North of Hillcrest High School

Post by Sertile »

Someone owns everything, technically, but it's easy to get confused, especially when people don't take the time to put up/maintain any signs or fences. Caves that are just on the side of the road somewhere are probably state property, but if it's in a field or in the woods it's almost certainly private property. Doesn't really make that much of a difference, though. Usually if the owner actually cares they'll do something about it.

The one in Ash Grove, Skylight Cave, is particularly ambiguous. It has three entrances, one of which appears to be on city property, while the other two would seem to be on private land. Cave ownership goes to whoever owns the mouth of the cave, so figure that one out.
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RE: Devil's Slide Cave...North of Hillcrest High School

Post by Willard »

They must have a threeway thing going ;-)
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RE: Devil's Slide Cave...North of Hillcrest High School

Post by Mindscape »

Ooh baby, ooh baby.
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RE: Devil's Slide Cave...North of Hillcrest High School

Post by caver »

If you have a cave entrance on your property
and the cave goes under my land next door, I can make my own entrance.
It's been done before when the landowner got tired of trespassers and gated the cave or sealed it off.
A few years ago a group of cavers blasted through 100+ feet of rock over a period of time to gain legal access to a large system that had been closed by the original entrance owner.
Caving impaired,,,too old, too fat, don't care.
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RE: Devil's Slide Cave...North of Hillcrest High School

Post by 81k »

I attempted to go to this cave tonight, but there is a trashcan at the end of the drive and there is a house on the driveway (didn't make it past the house, turned around), I intend to go back and ask permission to see the cave
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RE: Devil's Slide Cave...North of Hillcrest High School

Post by pdx_prog »

I grew up very close to Devil's Slide. My brother in law took me there when I was around 10, and I have probably been in it 20 times. If you take Grant down passed Hillcrest and past Lyons road you will go down a hill. About 100 yds before the first stream there is a field to the left with a cattle gate. Park there and climb the fence, walk up the clearing and keep looking to the right. If I remember correctly you should see the rocks fairly close to the road that form the opening.

Also, if you keep traveling down Grant you will take a sharp left, then go about 1/8 of a mile and take a sharp right. Right there in the turn you can look over and see a rock face. In the rock face there is a very small cave called "Cozy Cave". Back in about '57 some Hillcrest guys built a rock door over the opening and built a small fireplace into it. This used to be a favorite camping spot for us when we were growing up.
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Re: RE: Devil's Slide Cave...North of Hillcrest High School

Post by bluecookies »

pdx_prog wrote:there is a field to the left with a cattle gate. Park there and climb the fence, walk up the clearing and keep looking to the right.
tell me if I'm wrong, but isnt' that a little noticable?
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RE: Devil's Slide Cave...North of Hillcrest High School

Post by pdx_prog »

people have been going in there for years and years....I don't think they mind by now unless it's posted of course. I remember some of the spots in the cave where it was belly crawling for maybe 15 ft or so....only about 18" clearance. Very nice little cave. I roamed the woods all around there for a lot of years. There are countless little caves and holes everywhere.
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RE: Devil's Slide Cave...North of Hillcrest High School

Post by Mindscape »

Actually, the location described is the cave on the property that is referred to as Owens Farm. It is private property, but I've been on it extensively. At OTC, back when I was in high school, one of the VoTech classes was a conservation class, and we used it for field studies. I've hiked all over that property, and it's pretty nice.

There is a cave there, which isn't half bad, but it's a bit muddy. One of our last trips of the year was to go out there. It was really nice. Anyway, yeah, I've been in the cave.
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RE: Devil's Slide Cave...North of Hillcrest High School

Post by RaccoonCC »

I went on a field trip there last spring.....it was my first cave. I have to say, once I got in there I was hooked. I really want to go back now.

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Re: Devil

Post by trenthutson »

any way someone could help me with better directions to this cave?
im just trying to get lost.
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