lorida Caverns takes its name from the beautiful Florida Cavern tour cave. Equal in beauty to such famous sites as Mammoth Cave and Carlsbad Caverns, the caves at Florida Caverns State Park contain dazzling formation of stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, columns, rimstones, flowstones and draperies. These fragile formations are composed of calcite, a mineral dissolved from limestone rock when surface water containing carbonic acid percolates through the rock into the caves. As this mineral-charged water encounters the air inside the caves, layers of calcite are deposited. The creation of these stunning formations often take tens of thousands of years, and even the slightest disturbance by humans can destroy these delicate natural wonders. People also may adversely affect a variety of animals that visit or dwell within the caves. The endangered gray bat, found in some caves, is easily disturbed by human voices or ights. If awakened during the winter months, hibernating bats expend valuable energy which they otherwise need to survive. Caves inhabited by gray bats receive special legal protection under the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973.

• Go for a hike while waiting for your tour and keep an eye out for woodpeckers, barred owls, beavers, alligators, rare Barbour's map turtles and alligator snapping turtles.