Looking for a Fun thing to do? Especially in this heat? Head to Bonne Terre Mines... it is a Cool 62 degrees all year around!! The Tour Guides are very knowledgeable and make the tour fun! It is Amazing how the miners back in the day worked underground. Now this is a walking tour with many steps. So if you can not do that then this is not for you. read more

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This was our first time. It was fun and not too bad of a trek. We went on a short boat ride as part of the tour which was really cool (only subterranean boat ride I've ever been on). Most of the floors are slippery so I would careful if you have trouble with this. They also have scuba diving. read more

Our tour guide Levi was very knowledgeable and energetic. The facility, mines and lake are all beautiful. If you are in the area this is a must on the to do list and definitely worth the price. read more

6 of us went today since it was a rainy day. Really enjoyed the tour and our tour guide Levi! He did a great job and took a pic of all of us on a great location in the mine. read more

Just had an awesome tour with Brenton. We will be back with the kids. So much detail on all the mining techniques and the minerals. Great boat tour and discussion on the movie and Red Bull event filmed here.they even have a garden. read more

Bonne Terre Mine - One of the shafts - Diving Near Me - Bonne Terre, Missouri

Super cool!!! Our kids had a blast and learned a bunch! The boat tour was so much better than the walking tour. It was a little scary but we loved it. read more

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Great place to visit! We had a great time and my 4 year old thought it was super cool! We will let other know how cool it is! The guide did a great job and was very welcoming. read more

Excellent weekend diving with Steve and the gang. Was challenging and informative. Great helpful staff. Will be back Mike Reed read more

I took my 3 kids ages 4, 8 and 10. They all had a great time. Dakota was our tour guide. He was super knowledgeable and friendly. The mine and lake were pretty amazing to see. I would highly recommend. read more

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Really cool experience! Hidden gem just outside of STL. The largest underground lake is hidden in Bonne Terre, MO! Dakotah was an awesome tour guide! read more

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One of the coolest places I have been! We met the owner and he is one of the most interesting guys you could encounter. He teaches diving classes here and has a lot of interesting stories, very smart guy and he made our trip and our day a lot of fun! Definitely plan to come back and maybe to take diving classes now! I would recommend Bonne Terre Mines to anyone looking for a lot of fun and an educational place to visit!!! read more

The guide was great, the tour was informational, and the boat ride was calming and beautiful. I learned a lot walking through these mines. Definitely a must see if you live near or are passing through the area. So much fun! read more

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My family wasn't excited to visit the mine at first, but once we were there everyone thought it was cool. Levi gave a great tour filled with interesting information. It was really fun to take the short boat ride on the lake inside the mine. This was a really fun stop. We loved it! read more

Had such a great time learning about this fully man made mine! Levi was a great tour guide, very knowledgeable and made learning tidbits about the mine fun! read more

I've lived 30 minutes away and never got to experience the mine until now. It's totally worth is. Doug was our guide, and he was fantastic. read more

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Great visit to see the incredible mining history of Bonnie Terre mines. Brenton did a fun and enlightening tour to the underground phenomenon. Take time to visit this beautiful wonder. read more

Alright, I have to call out a previous review written by Ms. Bernadette C. I absolutely love Bonne Terre Mines! They clearly state the prices of their dive packages. For the most part, they do a good job bringing everything you need to know to the table. Ms. Bernadette was obviously unprepared, and comes off as very high maintenance (Yikes!). Bonne Terre isn't a big flashy city, so yeah I would say things are different. That doesn't mean it's bad, some people enjoy their style! I can also tell that targeting superficial things like their "freak show / circus style" signs is a game you like to play quite often, perhaps I could point out a few things about your appearance that I find to be tacky sometime. It's a real shame your experience wasn't to your liking, that being said this place is far from a joke. The mine itself has a great historical background, not to mention it is breath taking. The staff has their imperfections, but remember, Ms. Bernadette, they are HUMAN just like you. Fellow Yelpers, this is a real place with real staff members. They're down to earth, if you can't handle that I would not recommend that you visit. If you walk in with a positive attitude, patience, & respect, then I can assure you that your visit to the Bonne Terre Mines will be a good one! read more

Bonne Terre Mine - So beautiful! - Diving Near Me - Bonne Terre, Missouri

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So I'm reviewing the dive shop here, not the diving in the mine (which is awesome). I have kind of mixed feelings about these guys- the instructors were competent and reasonably friendly. Their facilities are OK, they a changing room and a lounge for surface intervals. And did I mention the dives were awesome? The downsides- -$100 for equipment rental (can you say highway robbery? Even in Hawaii I only paid $35). They even charge $15 just to rent weights -They make you watch a super boring safety video, even if you are already certified. They also make you mask clear and buddy breathe on your first dive, even if you are already certified. - The first couple of dives they force you to do the baby dives so they can check you out. - It's very unclear when they do the more interesting, deeper dives- it's not on their website and the shop didn't have a schedule- you basically have to call them and fish, seemed a little disorganized. - Early start- be there at 7:30 for a 9:00AM dive - It's a hike down to the mine and there are no facilities (also, the water is cold- bring a dry suit if you have one) read more

Today started out cold and rainy so my boyfriend and I decided this was a great day to spend in a mine that is constantly 62 degrees. This place is very cool! Our tour guide's name was Elvis (seriously) and he was knowledgeable explaining the methods used to mine the lead ore and the mineral composition of the formations on the mine walls and ceiling. First, we descended down a steep walkway and about 65 steps into the man-made cavern. After a 1/2 mile walking tour we were introduced to Bonnie, the lake's sole occupant, then we boarded a pontoon boat to explore the underground lake. There were divers in the lake and the water is very clear with a beautiful green-blue hue. We could see old mine carts under the water as the boat slowly navigated through the monstrous pillars. After the boat tour we began our ascent on an even steeper walkway that led us to the garden where we rested before trekking up those 65 steps. The awesomeness of this place may motivate me to seek SCUBA certification in the near future so I can explore the underwater areas of this mine. read more

Bonne Terre Mine - Diving Near Me - Bonne Terre, Missouri

Quaint little place. Easy to find. Guides were friendly and knowledgeable. Beautiful scenery. Tours every hour limited to about 20 people. Get there early to sign up. read more

So much fun! Tour guide is the best since I'm deaf and he uncovers mask since I'd read lips when he talks about mine down deep. I'd go back again thank you! read more

This was a neat experience and we enjoyed it. My only suggestion would be to not let Dakota be your guide. I'd honestly like to go back some time and see if a more professional guide would enhance the experience. He started fine then showed a lot of attitude to the divers. Even if he had a right to be angry which I don't know if he did. He took his anger too far. To the point of shit talking and wouldn't even let it go carried on with talking about it until our tour was over. He seemed very immature and literally douched his way right out of a tip. We felt very rushed and didn't seem to really see much of the mine. We would've liked to see a lot more of the lake. read more

just finished a weekend with Steve at Bonne Terre. excellent and challenging diving and a very helpful and fun crew.

Dakota did a great job! thanks for making it a good time

Did trail 1 through 4 over the weekend diving. Staff are great and very knowledgeable . Would totally recommend these guys read more

Intimate easy one hour tour, walking and boating through an immense mine that was operational until 1960. Guide Brinton was passionate about the history and sites. Not as flashy as Meramec Caverns (lacking the huge stalactites) . I enjoyed this more. read more

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We decided on a staycation this year and one of the places we visited was Bonne Terre Mine. It was very cool and I would recommend this tour to anyone who is looking for something a little different. It was 100° on the day we went so the 65° mine/cave felt amazing! We had a small tour group of only eight people so the tour felt really personal. The mine is slowwwwwly becoming a cave, so there are small stalactites and the very beginnings of stalagmites. The walking portion of the tour was interesting and informative. A lot more to see than I was expecting. There are a lot of cement steps leading down to the mine (and back up) so wear comfortable shoes. I also suggest taking a light jacket or sweatshirt. The pontoon boat tour was SO relaxing and beautiful. I could have stayed in the boat for hours. The water is crystal clear blue. AMAZING. There are restrooms a few buildings down from where to buy your tickets and I suggest using them before your tour begins. They sell bottled water and soft drinks, hoodies, tshirts, and other various things in the gift shop. All in all, a neat place to see. Highly recommend. read more

We had a great time at Bonne Terre mines. The tour guide was very informative and knowledgeable about the mines. It was such an interesting and different thing to see. They have a walking and boat tour, and if you are into Scuba diving this place is supposed to be amazing. read more

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Levi is the best tour guide. very funny and so knowledgeable and patient with our questions. so much fun and such a cool place. totally recommend!! read more

Wow, this was an affordable never before seen adventure and I will definitely be back for diving. I highly recommend this small town gem for people who like caves, tours of unique places, mining history, or diving. read more

Bonne Terre Mine - Diving Near Me - Bonne Terre, Missouri

This is a review for the dive operators, not the general mine facilities. This was the most expensive dive day we ever did even compared with Hawaii, Fiji, etc, and we were expecting a certain level of service and quality of equipment as well as good dive experience. Overall it was sadly a disappointment. There were multiple issues with equipment which the operator was very reluctant to address, and only after repeated requests. Highly recommend the divers to thoroughly assess the rented equipment safety. Between multiple people in our group, the dive master promised to address concerns which then were ignored. It was a very fast moving dive. We weren't allowed to use lights with exception of very occasional moments. The dive leader's flashlights weren't enough to see well in many dark areas, especially with our group turning out to be much larger than they stated at booking (12 divers not including masters vs 8). Majority of the dive is very dark and one can't see the info on the rental computers like the current depth, which felt unsafe. After getting to the diving dock, entry and exit were very easy if a bit challenging in extra gear and weights. The trails were unique by definition but due to lighting, rather hard to appreciate. Features on one of the trails were interesting to observe; another trail seemed just darkness and rocks... Giving it 2 out of 5 stars for the uniqueness of the site and environment that couldn't fully offset the poor operations; and glad we did it but would not recommend to every diver. Perhaps with improved customer focused operation it could be a much better treat. read more

It's great the gift shop has great items ranging from crystals to tee shirts. Not only that but the prices weren't that bad. ‼do not go if you have lung issues‼ the only problem I had in the cave was that there was to much moisture and pressure. Keep in mind I have asthma. But the people I went with also said that the breathing conditions were an issue. I had to turn around and leave immediately. Go with caution. read more

I just got done touring the Bonne Terre Mines, and it was such an amazing experience! It was breath taking and I really recommend, especially if you're a tourist and don't live in Missouri. Dakota was my tour guide and he was really good at his job, I also recommend him! He'll make sure you have fun :)) read more

The mine tour and boat ride were outstanding. This mine is man-made and it is enormous - very different from a natural cave. The 62 steps into the mine is doable, even my friend with a bad hip managed it. Our guide, David, gave excellent commentary. And getting a boat ride as part of the tour was the icing on the cake. The Bonne Terre mine is definitely worth visiting. read more

LET'S GO SPELUNKING Hhaaha just kidding, I still don't even know what spelunking is. I love caves, yet I had no idea that we had a freakin' lead mine in Bonne Terre that you could tour. Why don't people tell me these things?? So basically in the 1800s someone found lead in them there hills (well not exactly hills but you know what I mean) and for about a 100 years the fine people in Bonne Terre mined the crap out of that area. They dug and dug and dug and created huge caverns. 200 people would work 12 hour shifts a day blowing stuff up to get that lead. Then in the 60s people starting spreading propaganda that lead is "dangerous" and they shut up shop and got the heck out. I tried to use quotation marks sarcastically, please get my humor. So now Bonne Terre is kind of a depressing town of like 4000 people. Oh and a huge freakin' prison. But at least they have an awesome mine right...? You can tour the mine. It's a beautiful sight with rich history. I won't give you all the of the details so I won't spoil your fun, but I will say this. The Discovery Channel has been there twice, and Nickelodeon (wtf) has been there once. Now for the best part: that mine hosts the largest underwater lake in the world. Yep. It's gorgeous. You can scuba in the lake. That's a whole separate can of worms that I obviously won't review or get into because I don't know a damn thing about scuba diving. HOWEVER, it is DEFINITELY a destination spot for divers. Anywho, for non-divers like myself you still get to experience the sheer beauty of the lake (lake is such an unimpressive word, isn't it? I swear it's not boring) because for part of the tour YOU'RE ON A BOAT *cue lonely island song.* You get on a boat with your tour guide, they spout out more interesting information about why the frick there is so much water in the cave and what that water is covering and it's lovely. Now for the cons, and hell yes there are cons: YOU CHARGE ME 25 DOLLARS FOR LESS THAN AN HOUR OF TOUR. I've been to several caves and that is WAY MORE EXPENSIVE than any others. No wonder there were only six people on the damn tour! You expect us to spend 30 dollars in gas just to get to nowheretown Missouri and then want us to fork out 25 dollars for a tour by someone who has worked there three weeks? And yes, our tour guide told us at least 76 times that she has worked there for three weeks. I don't care if you've worked there 2 weeks or 20 years, you'd be better be able to answer every damn question I have for the price. She simply was not able to answer many of the group's questions, and it was frustrating to say the least. So yeah. Lower your price, get more knowledgeable people in there, or at the least give us a new tour guide discount. But i"ll say it, I regret nothing! It was a fantastic experience and I'm so glad I went. It *really* makes me want to learn how to dive. I saw some YouTube footage of the stuff that is inside of the lake and it's awesome. This is definitely something you should consider checking out because it's one of the most unique things you will ever see. Save up some money & check it out! read more

Zero stars. I don't recommend diving here at all. It was highway robbery and not even worth the experience. I really like diving and I was very disappointed. First, you have to sign up for 2 dives. There are absolutely no refunds or exchanges or even changing dates. When you call the shop they recommend 3 dives, don't do it. Half the group we dove with wanted to be done after the first dive, including us. So they basically make a ton of free money because over half the people there were supposed to do 3 dives and only a couple people ended up doing the third one. The rentals and the dives itself were extremely expensive and they are only around 30 minutes long. Second, they don't inform you beforehand what the dives are like probably because they know most people won't dive after they find out. I know I wouldn't. It's boring, cold, damp, extremely dark, nothing to see, and crowded with at least 15 people a group. It's basically a dive factory. Last, the instructors treat you like children. It's like you are doing your first open water cert dive. You have to do a buoyancy test, mask clear, and buddy breathing before the first dive and they make you wear an unnecessary amount of weight. Anyway, if you like that sort of thing then this place is for you. Otherwise, don't even bother. read more

I'll post my sincere recommendation to the owner at the end of this review. First, YES it is expensive and you are paying for the unique opportunity to dive in a one of a kind location. The experience is great, the site is safe, clean, and most of all, consists of highly qualified staff that takes your safety first. Hats off to Katie, Buzz, Paul, and the tall long haired pink cammo dry suit wearing safety. :). Overall I had a great day diving 3 dives, trails 1,2 and 4. 4 being my fav by far. The walk down to the dive location isn't as bad as I had expected. It is doable, just take your time, no races here. The water is 59ish, I dove in a BARE semi dry Arctic and was plenty warm. Each dive was an hour each, well worth the money spent. The water is crystal clear and each trail offered something unique. Recommendations: ok here is the elephant in the room, (1) please make a dive video briefing that consists of video of the trails. The current video is by far not applicable to this dive site. I'll take the video for you for free. It's not hard to do. (2) lets get a sandwich shop or small deli on site, we need to eat and snacks are not cutting it. Ha (3) offer snorkeling experience, you will increase your revenue and could possible drop the price on dives. (4) offer the surface tour to the divers during surface intervals. This will add to the experience. Great job overall, I look forward to returning. read more

Incredible, spooky, and informative! There is so much history in this mine and the boat tour. All of the people were really nice and eager to answer questions. Bonne Terre Mines is a great day trip from St. Louis and if you scuba dive, even better! There are 100 levels of dives that can be experienced, that people come from all over the world to see and they also have classes to learn how to scuba dive. read more

This place is awesome the guides went out of their way to make sure we got to see plenty of sites Make sure you get a good nights sleep before you go The entrance is a bit of a walk bring plenty of snacks The water is pristine once you get past the initial plunge it's not bad at all I suggest walking to the stairs to get a feeling for water temperature Safety is paramount at this site be patient with the staff as they take you through all of the safety checks read more

This is a great place to road trip! From Columbia Missouri its about 2:45 minutes. I don't think I've ever seen a mine like this before my life! Then jump on a pontoon boat and go deeper in the mine. If you're into scuba diving this is a place to come! read more

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