A gasoline or kerosene lantern can easily be broken and should not be carried in a cave. Each person should bring a change of clothes and shoes to be left in the car for the ride home. A large plastic bag to hold your wet, muddy cave clothes and boots is a good idea. Although caves are formed in rock, they are not indestructible. They can easily be damaged by littering, vandalism, or even a careless footstep.
Cave formations are quite fragile due to their crystalline structure.
They grow very slowly over thousands of years, but can be destroyed in an instant. Be careful not to bump formations with your boots or hard hat. Even touching formations can discolor them, and the oil from your skin can disrupt the water film that allows them to form. Removing cave formations, even those that may already have been broken must not be allowed. If you are lucky enough to discover any Indian relics, fossils, or bones, notify the anthropology or science department of the nearest college or university, but don't disturb your find.