Everyone knows that Florida sits on a huge slab of limestone that creates an abundance of freshwater springs in the state. But what many don’t realize is that it also creates a large quantity of underwater and above-ground caves. To explore some of these underwater caverns, you’ll need to be certified, but the dry caverns are pretty easy to access. Find your next adventure at these 14 hidden caves around Florida.
Devil’s Den Prehistoric Spring
5390 NE 180 Ave., Williston, 352-528-3344
Enter here and be met with an underground spring that is inside one of North America’s most prehistoric caves. This spring is exclusively for snorkeling and scuba diving with rental gear available for your convenience. Be sure to get here early during the summer months as the cave reaches capacity almost every day.
Photo via Devil’s Den Prehistoric Spring/FacebookGinnie Springs
7300 Ginnie Springs Road, High Springs, 386-454-7188
This Florida Aquifer is home to beautiful and massive underwater cave systems for divers of all experience levels. The crystal clear water here stays at a crisp 72 degrees Fahrenheit year-round.
Photo via Ginnie Springs Outdoors/FacebookBlue Grotto Dive Resort
3852 NE 172 Court, Williston, 352-528-5770
Holding one of the largest clear-water caverns, divers will be able to reach depths of up to 100 feet at Blue Grotto. Certified cave divers can take a crack at the pristine and relatively untouched cave on the property.
Photo via Blue Grotto Dive Resort, Williston Florida/FacebookFlorida Caverns State Park
3345 Caverns Road, Marianna, 850-482-1228
Take a guided cave tour through this state park’s underground, limestone caves – a rare experience in Florida. As you become surrounded by the naturally occurring geological formations such as stalactites, stalagmites, columns and flowstone, cave critters may greet you on your journey through the passageways.
Photo via Florida State ParksFalling Waters State Park
1130 State Park Road, Chipley, 850-638-6130
Come visit Florida’s highest waterfall and watch as it falls over 70 feet and disappears into the sinkhole at its base. Visitors can stand on the viewing deck to watch, but it still hasn’t been determined where the water’s final destination is once it enters the hole.
Photo via Florida State ParksWes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park
180th St., Live Oak, 386-776-2194
Come here and explore the nearly 33,000 feet of surveyed underwater passages. There’s no shortage of underwater fun here with a spring run and six sinkholes.
Photo via Florida State ParksBlowing Rocks Preserve
575 S. Beach Road, Hobe Sound, 561-744-6668
If you visit this barrier island you’ll find one of the rarest surviving landscapes in our state. Blowing Rocks Preserve boasts the largest Anastasia limestone shoreline in the Atlantic coast. You may also be able to catch a glimpse of endangered loggerhead, green and leatherback sea turtles.
Photo via Sahar R./YelpMadison Blue Spring State Park
8300 NE State Road 6, Lee, 850-971-5003
This spring was voted the No. 1 watering hole in the country by USA Today in 2015 for its large spring that merges with the Withlacoochee River. The bodies of water are bordered by scenic woodlands making it a picturesque location to spend the day.
Photo via Florida State ParksEdward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park
465 Wakulla Park Drive, Wakulla Springs, 850-561-7276
Edward Ball Wakulla Springs is the world’s largest and deepest freshwater spring and has been the backdrop for movies in the 1940s and 1950s. Guests are free to snorkel, swim or scuba dive the many waterways and sinkholes in the park.
Photo via Florida State ParksLeon Sinks Geological Area
2564 Wildflower Road, Tallahassee, 850-643-2282
This recreation area has a very specific type of terrain called “karst”. Its defining features are the sinkholes, both large and small in size, that scatter the property as a result of eroded limestone underground which, when it collapses, can cause depressions, natural bridges and even a disappearing stream.
Photo via Brandee S./YelpIchetucknee Springs State Park
12087 SW U.S. Highway 27, Fort White, 386-497-4690
Exploring the Blue Hole in this park is a must if you stop by here. Even from the top of the water, you can catch a glimpse of the over 600 feet of cave systems that begin 40 feet from the surface.
Photo via Florida State ParksWeeki Wachee Springs State Park
6131 Commercial Way, Spring Hill, 352-592-5656
As one of the most unique water experiences in Florida, Weeki Wachee Springs is home to the deepest freshwater cave system in the country. They also have an on-site water park for the kids and a mermaid show where performers dance and act underwater in a submerged stage.
Photo via Florida State ParksManatee Springs State Park
11650 NW 115 St., Chiefland, 352-493-6072
As its name suggests, during the cooler months of the year this spring will get you up close and personal with Florida’s beloved sea cows. Great for scuba diving and snorkeling its depths, another identifying feature is its boardwalk that runs through the park’s cypress forest.
Photo via Florida State ParksMorrison Springs County Park
874 Morrison Springs Road, Ponce De Leon, 850-892-8108
The most well-known feature in this county park is the 250-foot diameter spring pool. The pool’s water is sourced by three huge cavities, the deepest of which is 300 feet.
Photo via Beth B./Yelp
