Florida Caverns State Park - Hiking
About
Summary
Florida Caverns State Park is a great place to cool off during a Florida summer, with a 65 degree cave and a river with springs, as well as shaded hiking trails. The park is open year-round and offers many outdoor activities.
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Distance
0.8 miles
The cave tour, which many consider to be the highlight of this park, consists of about a 3/4 mile walk. However, there is another one mile trail that leads from the visitor center, as well as 6 miles of multi-use trails which allow hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding.
Destination Distance From Downtown
52.4 miles
Difficulty
2 of 5 diamonds
The trails in this park are very steep for Florida. This area of Florida is karst terrain, which consists of limestone caves and underground rivers. This also means that the terrain is rocky on the surface and can be hard on your feet compared to the soft sandy soil on many trails in Florida.
Time To Complete
3 hours
The cave tour lasts about 45 minutes. You will need to arrive early to get tickets for the tour and you may want to walk through the museum and visitor center as well. There are many other options in this park, including hiking, biking, canoeing and swimming. It is possible to spend the entire day and there is a campground as well.
Seasonality
All Seasons
The park is open year-round. Cave tours are offered every Thursday through Monday throughout the year except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The inside of the cave remains an average of 65 degrees year-round, making it a perfect place to find relief from the summer heat or to warm up on a cold winter day. There is also a swimming hole that is very refreshing during the summer.
Dog Friendly
On Leash Only
Pets are allowed on the trails on a leash. However, if you plan to go on a tour of the cave while you visit the park, it is best to leave your four-legged friend(s) at home since they will not be able to go into the cave.
Fees Permits
Yes
The park has a daily entrance fee of $4.00 for a single person in a vehicle or $5.00 for 2 or more people. A Florida State Parks Annual Pass is available for $60.00 for an individual or $120.00 for a family. The cave tour fee is $8.00 per person for adults, $5.00 per child 3-12 years old, and free for children 2 years and younger.