Measured in geologic time, It's only a microsecond since Luray Caverns was discovered in 1878. After all, it takes between 120 and 300 years to create each cubic inch of rock formation inside the cavern, and Luray has quite a lot of cubic inches. One of the five largest show caves in North America, Luray has been forming for a long time. Its largest formation took shape over 7 million years. Like all caves, the process of shape changing involves water and minerals.
Rainwater becomes acid as it comes in contact with carbon dioxide, and eats away the softer rock.
Over thousands of years, the floor becomes eroded and the water table drops. Meanwhile, water brings mineral deposits down from the ceiling as it drips, or builds up in piles from the floor. These form stalactites and stalagmites, respectively. There's also Dream Lake, whose paltry 20 inches of water are so clear and still that the reflections of rock formations appear hundreds of feet deep. Luray has had a colorful past.