If you've been on the Marble Mine Trail in James H. Floyd State Park raise your hand. There might not be many hands raised, considering the park is still a hidden gem within this great state. However, we're here to tell you it's time to plan a trip to Summerville because this is one above-ground cave hike in Georgia that is a sight to see.

James H. Floyd State Park, also dubbed Sloppy Floyd Park, is a beautifully preserved space, surrounded by Georgia countryside in the enchanting town of Summerville.

The park boasts three miles of lake loop trails, an abundance of fishing opportunities, plus a ton of bluebirds to brighten up any morning.

The park was named after Georgia House of Representative James H. "Sloppy" Floyd, who served his state diligently from 1953 until 1974.

However, that isn't the only bit of history to make its way into the park.

The hills surrounding this park were once rich with marble mining opportunities in the 1960s and 1970s.

So much so, that an old marble mine remains within the park today. And guess what, you can absolutely hike to it.

The Marble Mine Trail is an easy 1.7-mile hike through the lush green forest, where you'll run into quite the illustrious flora, fauna, and wildlife.

Native azaleas pop up every spring, and you may cross paths with the turtles making their way to the lake.

But it really is the end of the trail that is superbly worth the trek to get there. Once you reach the end of the trail, around .85 miles in, you'll be standing at the abandoned marble mine entrance, complete with a seasonal waterfall trickling down into a pool below.

This aboveground cave is certainly something spectacular.

So, I bet you're wondering how this beauty was made. Miners created the cavern after cutting through a huge, exposed rock outcrop, thus creating a dramatically inward-arching cave.

With deep depressions on each side of the mine, plus a wooden boardwalk looping inside, you'll be able to get a partial view of the cave. A stream trickles overhead, which tumbles down slowly, about 35 feet, into a light blue pool beneath the entrance.

Just sitting inside the cave and listening to the trickling water is enough to ease all your worries and rest your mind.

Take a look at the quick YouTube video below from All the Biscuits in Georgia, and see why this short hike is well worth the trip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yig6sW-1-Zg

Have you ever been to this above-ground cave hike in Georgia? Was it everything you expected? Let us know about any cave hikes near you in the comments section! Or if you want to find out more information about this state park and the hiking trail, check out the Georgia Department of Natural Resources website.

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/georgia/road-trip-ga-caves-and-waterfalls/