FLORIDA CAVERNS
STATE PARK
PANHANDLING ADVENTURES—BRING A SWIMSUIT!
Written by: Ben Knowles
A morning hike at Florida Caverns State Park
seemed to be going nowhere. I had been
walking for over an hour and seeing very
little wildlife to photograph.
Guessing the peak time had passed, I started
walking back to my car.
I had already made the loop around Blue Hole Spring earlier
but decided to revisit the area one more time before leaving
the park. I was kicking myself for not bringing a swimsuit.
The Panhandle had been getting little rain for a few weeks,
so Blue Hole was at the right water level to really show off
its beautiful blue. It would have been a perfect day to enjoy
the year-round 64-degree spring water.
Just as I was calling it a day, I saw something swimming in
the spring run. It took only a few seconds to realize it was
an otter! In all the years of visiting Florida Caverns—which
is northwest of Tallahassee near the Alabama and Georgia
borders—this was my first time spotting an otter at the park.
An otter sighting is always an exciting moment for this
wildlife photographer. Otters can be very elusive and
disappear quickly once they spot a human. Fortunately,
this one did not seem to mind as I stood on the spring run
bridge trying to capture its every move with my camera.
Soon the moment got even more exciting when two more
otters swam into the spring run. All three swam through
the run, stopping now and then to chomp on crayfish.
The crayfish must have been really good because the otters paid no attention to me as I moved to different spots for better views. A half hour passed before the otters casually retreated down the run and out of sight.
Over the next few weeks, I ended up seeing the otters during other visits to Florida Caverns. One morning I watched them for over an hour, swimming, feeding and resting all around the spring area. Once they were gone, I was inspired to change into the swimsuit that I remembered to bring and take the plunge into Blue Hole.
It was cold but felt great! I had the whole spring to myself and enjoyed the peaceful sounds of nature as I swam.
Photographing the otters and swimming in Blue Hole are small samples of the many experiences Florida Caverns has
provided me and my family over the years. The possibilities for outdoor enjoyment are endless at this wonderful park—one day is not enough to experience all it offers.
The biggest draw to the park, of course, is touring open-air limestone caves. Just seeing these spectacular cave formations is worth a trip. But there is a lot more to see and do at Florida Caverns State Park. Multiple trails provide great opportunities for hikers, bikers and equestrians to explore habitats with an array of flora and fauna, for example. And RV/primitive camping are available, as well as horse stalls.
Rent a kayak or canoe from the park to paddle the Chipola River. Baltzell (Bozell) Springs group, a mile or so upstream from the park’s boat ramp, is an area of visually stunning spring vents and very much worth the effort to get there.
AN OTTER SIGHTING IS ALWAYS AN EXCITING MOMENT FOR THIS WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER.
website to learn more about Florida Caverns.
Tip: Pay attention to the cave schedule since
tours are not offered every day. Also keep
in mind that heavy rainfall can affect park
activities.
If you are looking for unique adventures in a
wonderful piece of Florida, plan to visit Florida
Caverns State Park in Marianna. Keep an eye
out for the otters … and bring your swimsuit!
Ben Knowles is an outdoor enthusiast who lives
in North Florida with his wife and two children.
Find his Facebook page “Ben Outside Photography”
to enjoy photos, stories and videos of his outdoor
adventures throughout Florida. FCM
ROUNDUP
Florida Caverns State Park,
3345 Caverns Road, Marianna, Florida
floridastateparks.org, 850-482-1228
Reservations: floridacavernsgiftshop.com,
850-526-2650
