Lisa Browder

As a child, I wanted to discover a cave. I’ve always loved (a) a good challenge and (b) the thrill of discovery. I think the whole cave thing probably took root right after a childhood vacation to Carlsbad Caverns. My memory may be faulty but it seems to me there was a rickety ladder leading down into darkness somewhere in the cavern and the guide said there was a second cavern on an even lower level that remained unexplored. Really? Hand me a flashlight.

I headed out to Dames Cave in the Withlacoochee State Forest. And I almost missed it. When I think of “state forest,” I think of the other places I’ve been with nice paved roads, big signs at the turnoff and probably a booth with forest service personnel to collect my fee for a day of exploration – maybe even a visitor center. In this instance, I was zooming down the two-lane highway and even though my GPS said the entrance was on the left, I passed it because all I saw was a spit of dirt and a few posts stuck in the ground in front of a trail.

As I got out of the car, there was a lone woman strolling past with her little dog. I asked if I was in the right place. Turns out, she was a volunteer for the forest service and stopped by every day to make sure the trails were clear of fallen branches. She said there were 37 identified caves in the area but many were unmarked because they didn’t want the type of graffiti I’d see on these popular sites.

I asked if any were explored beyond the entrance and she said yes but that they were tight spaces. When I shrugged like that didn’t deter me, she pointed me in the direction of Dames Cave and indicated I could go ahead of her. It didn’t occur to me until later that she was keeping track of my whereabouts.

I walk very fast and the trail was not a short one. Nevertheless, she and her little dog kept arrived perhaps a minute behind me at Dames Cave. I’d already determined the hole was interesting but unexplorable so I asked her where Peace Cave was. She indicated the proper trail and I set off. Once again, I wasn’t there more than a minute before she appeared, dog in tow. Really? It was sinking in that she was keeping tabs on me.

Peace Cave looked like there might be more to it than just a giant hole in the ground. She said she’d never explored it but had been told you could feel cool air coming out in the summer and warm air in the winter. When I expressed an interest in slipping down to see how far I could get and what I might discover, she pointed out the issue was not getting down but getting back up. She went on to explain that if something happened, the fire department was called and they had to hike in with a stretcher. No small feat. The wait could take hours. I decided perhaps she was right. I gave up. That must’ve made her happy because she sent me up the trail to Danger Cave and Sick Bat Cave, neither of which had spaces that were explorable beyond what you could see from the surface. Her surveillance of the amateur spelunker was done.

In any case, it was an interesting day and ignited the curiosity of my inner explorer. I ventured up the trail and even headed out on a couple of side paths to see where they might lead. Maybe I’d happen onto one of those other caves that hadn’t yet been ransacked by graffiti-minded kids. Although I didn’t find any other caves, I discovered someone’s jacket perched on a branch by the trail (an SOS?) and a lone horseback rider. You never know what your hikes will bring.

• 10701 S. Lecanto Highway, Lecanto, Florida
• No admission fee
• No guided tours – but watch out for Deb and her dog if you’re hoping to explore inside the caves