Florida Caverns State Park
The only state park to offer public cave tours, Florida Caverns State Park is a natural wonder about an hour's drive west of Tallahassee.
In the Sunshine State, geologic formations dominated by limestone mean that caves are usually submerged. But the Florida Caverns State Park is one of the few cavern systems that is dry and open-air, and the only one of its kind open to tourists.
As water seeps into and dissolves the limestone bedrock, fissures are formed which turn into holes, stalagmites, stalactites and flowstones. Usually in Florida this groundwater erosion stops at the sinkhole stage, and these sinkholes fill with water and become lakes.
Take a look at a map of pretty much anywhere in the interior of the Sunshine State, and you'll see it dotted with lakes of this sort in all shapes and sizes. Karst topography is the technical term.
But at Florida Caverns State Park, the cavern system remained above the water table and stayed dry, resulting in the amazing rock formations that annually draw thousands of onlookers.
Ranger-led cavern tours are available on the hour from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and take between 30 to 45 minutes. The tours are available Thursdays through Mondays throughout the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas, and are considered moderately strenuous.
Once you've been dazzled by the sight of this amazing natural beauty, head to the park visitors center for an audiovisual program and other educational material about how these caves were formed.
But that's not the only feature of Florida Caverns State Park. It also offers hiking trails, camping spots -- 38 with electric and water hookups, including three for RVs -- swimming at the Blue Hole, boating and canoeing, picnic areas, fishing, bicycling and even stables for equestrian campers who want to go horseback riding around the park's pristine 1,319 acres.
A primitive youth camp is also available near the visitors center for $4 per night per person.
Most of the land for the Florida Caverns State Park was purchased in October 1935 through the New Deal, and work on the tour cave and structures within the park were completed by workers from the Works Projects Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Please note, as of Feb. 20, 2011 the Blue Hole Swimming area, created by a river vent, was temporarily closed due to diminished water clarity.
Posted on Mar 4, 2011 by Christopher Lloyd
