CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. – The Withlacoochee State Forest is over 150,000 acres, making it a tough place to navigate if you don’t know where you’re going.
But for those who find just the right spot, they can explore one of the oldest caves in the state.
There’s a small makeshift parking lot on the side of the road along County Road 491 near West Lone Court. After parking there, the caves are just a short walk away into the trees.
After parking there, it’s a simple 1/2-mile walk along the nearby trail to find the caves.
The trail eventually leads to a small clearing with a rope fence. This is the “Dames Cave” complex.
The Withlacoochee State Forest has over 30 caves, though not all are accessible to the public. But Dames Cave gives hikers passing through a chance to explore underground.
Even before going in, Dames Cave can be seen from above via a large hole in the ground where the cave ceiling collapsed years ago. It’s easily a one-story drop, so it’s important to be careful when walking through this area.
[CLICK IN THE MEDIA PLAYER BELOW TO GET A BETTER LOOK AT DAMES CAVE FROM ABOVE]
Appropriately enough, the cave has also been given a nickname — “Vandal Cave” — thanks to the large amount of graffiti covering the walls.
Going along the side, hikers can find a small slope that leads further into the cave.
It’s a tight squeeze, but once you’re through, you’ll find yourself in an underground clearing looking through the same hole you just looked down into.
Thanks to the colorful graffiti lining the walls, the cave’s not as quite drab as it might otherwise appear, though.
While not much information is known about Dames Cave’s exact age, the caves on the Citrus County tract of the forest are considered to be among the oldest in the state, according to the Citrus County Chronicle.
However, Dames Cave isn’t alone. There are three other caves nearby that are part of the same cave system:
- Peace Cave
- Danger Cave
- Sick Bat Cave
Sick Bat Cave is just south of Dames Cave, and Danger Cave is out to the east. Both of those caves have narrow passageways that can be tough to traverse — especially for those who have problems with tight spaces.
Finally, Peace Cave is a bit harder to track down.
While walking along the main trail, hikers will spot a tree with a peace sign and arrow graffitied on its trunk. It points toward this cave, which can be found a short way down the path.
If you follow the path far enough, you’ll come across another small clearing with a large tree that has peace signs graffitied along its base.
These peace signs mark the entrance to Peace Cave (and are responsible for its name).
On the other side of the tree is a small entrance into the ground.
Just like with Dames Cave, it’s a tight squeeze to get inside.
Those who delve in will likely want to keep a flashlight handy, as the cave is pitch-dark.
And you’ll want to see where you’re going, as the ceiling hangs low to the floor toward the start of the cave passage.
But once you make it through a few feet, the cave opens up into a large space — with tons of its signature graffiti plastering the walls.
The 50-foot-long cave continues even further, though the passageway becomes increasingly narrow, forcing some visitors to get down on their bellies if they want to make it through. It’s certainly not a venture for those with claustrophobia.
It can also be a huge risk for those who don’t know what they’re doing.
In 1999, two teens became trapped in one of Peace Cave’s hairpin turns just a couple of days after Christmas. They were ultimately rescued just hours before they would have died from asphyxiation, according to WFLA.
And while Dames Cave is found along the main trail, many of the surrounding sub-trails aren’t marked quite as well, which means getting lost in the woods is a real possibility for those not paying attention.
For those who still want to head out for themselves, the Withlacoochee State Forest is open year-round from sunrise to sunset.
Just be sure to bring water and use the restroom ahead of time, as there aren’t any facilities in this area of the park for visitors.
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