Texas Caves

Location:

San Antonio, TX

Highlights:

If you’ve ever dreamed of witnessing one of nature’s most awe-inspiring spectacles, Bracken Cave is the place to be. Located just outside San Antonio, it’s home to the largest bat colony in the world—a phenomenon you won’t soon forget.

We Recommend This For:

Nature enthusiasts, wildlife photographers, and anyone curious about bats, ecology, and seeing one of the world’s most incredible natural sights.

What we Love:

The staggering sight of 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats soaring into the evening sky, and the opportunity to visit this unique site through Bat Conservation International’s guided tours.

• Witness the world’s largest bat colony—over 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats roost in the cave from March to October.
• Explore the cave’s entrance, accessed through a 100-foot-wide crescent-shaped opening at the bottom of a natural sinkhole.
• Take a guided tour to the cave entrance where you can watch the bats take flight each evening in summer—a mesmerizing sight.
• Support Bat Conservation International, which owns and protects Bracken Cave and has restored the surrounding land with native vegetation to help support the local wildlife.

Address:

25101 Natural Bridge Caverns Rd, San Antonio, TX 78266

Location:

Boerne, TX

Highlights:

If you're drawn to history, geology, and a little adventure, Cascade Caverns offers an unforgettable underground journey just outside of Boerne. This limestone cave, rich with prehistoric and cultural significance, invites you to explore stunning rock formations and chambers.

We Recommend This For:

History buffs, geology lovers, families, and anyone eager to step back in time while exploring one of the area’s most unique natural wonders.

What we Love:

The stunning Cathedral Room, the history of the Lipan Apache, and the preserved remains of prehistoric creatures like mastodons and saber-toothed tigers.

• Explore one of the oldest show caves in Texas, with guided tours available since 1932 (though the cave was known to locals as early as 1875).
• Discover remnants of the past—mastodon and saber-toothed tiger remains, along with 18th-century artifacts from the Lipan Apache tribe.
• Enjoy a comfortable 60-65°F constant temperature as you descend 132 feet into the spectacular Cathedral Room.
• Take a guided tour that covers half a mile of corridors and chambers, making it a fascinating 45-minute journey into the earth.
• Experience a cave that has been used by native peoples for thousands of years—part of the rich history of the Texas Hill Country.

Address:

226 Cascade Cavern, Boerne, TX 78015

Location:

Boerne, TX

Highlights:

If you're looking for one of the most beautiful and accessible caves in Texas, Cave Without a Name offers a breathtaking underground experience. Known for its stunning formations and live concerts in the Cave Throne Room, this natural gem is a must-see.

We Recommend This For:

Nature lovers, families, photographers, and anyone seeking an easy-to-explore cave with jaw-dropping formations and unique acoustics for live music.

What we Love:

The impressive stalactites and stalagmites, the comfortable temperature, and the one-of-a-kind musical experience in the Cave Throne Room.

• Explore six of the most beautiful rooms in the cave, each showcasing stunning formations like soda straws, cave drapery, flowstones, and rimstone dams.
• Enjoy a comfortable, easy walk through the cave with well-maintained pathways and bright lighting, all at a pleasant 66°F temperature.
• Experience the unique acoustics of the Cave Throne Room, often home to live concerts—an unforgettable underground music event.
• Marvel at the cave’s natural beauty—renowned as one of Texas’ most spectacular living caves, tucked into the Texas Hill Country just outside Boerne.

Address:

325 Kreutzberg Rd, Boerne, TX 78006

Location:

Sonora, TX

Highlights:

Located between San Antonio and Big Bend National Park, Caverns of Sonora is one of the world’s most magnificent show caves. Known for its stunning calcite crystal formations and rare helictites, it’s an underground treasure that draws visitors from all over the world.

We Recommend This For:

Geology enthusiasts, families, hikers, and anyone fascinated by underground wonders and the beauty of nature’s artistry.

What we Love:

The cave’s incredible formations, the serene setting in the Chihuahuan Desert, and the fun activities available around the cave entrance.

• Explore one of the most beautiful caves on Earth, with tours that take you deep inside to witness its jaw-dropping calcite formations.
• Admire the rare helictites—delicate, twisted formations found here in stunning purity and complexity.
• Enjoy hiking trails for nature lovers and try your luck at gold panning stations just outside the cave entrance.
• Shop for homemade fudge and unique souvenirs at the local shops, perfect for remembering your cave adventure.

Address:

1711 PR 4468, Sonora, TX 76950

Romantic Texas Caves:

Location:

Georgetown, TX

Highlights:

Discover a hidden world beneath Georgetown at Inner Space Cavern, a stunning show cave that was discovered during the construction of Interstate 35 in 1963. Known for its fascinating prehistoric discoveries and miles of underground passages, it’s one of the most exciting cave adventures in Texas.

We Recommend This For:

Families, history buffs, caving enthusiasts, and anyone seeking an exciting underground experience with guided tours ranging from easy to advanced spelunking.

What we Love:

The fascinating prehistoric remains, the diversity of tours offered, and the opportunity to explore both beginner-friendly paths and deeper, more challenging tunnels.

• Explore the cave’s miles of tunnels, some of which remain blocked and undiscovered—making this adventure truly one of a kind.
• Learn about the prehistoric animals that once roamed the area, as evidenced by remains found in the cave.
• Choose from three exciting tours: a basic guided tour, an adventure tour through deeper passages, or a spelunking tour for experienced cavers looking for a challenge.
• Experience more than 1.2 miles of fascinating underground formations, all while keeping the non-public passages closed to preserve the cave’s integrity.

Address:

4200 I-35, Georgetown, TX 78626

Location:

Wimberley, TX

Highlights:

Located in the scenic Texas Hill Country, Jacob's Well is a perennial spring that flows from Cypress Creek. Known for its striking blue waters and deep cave system, it’s a popular spot for swimming, exploration, and even cave diving—though not without its risks.

We Recommend This For:

Outdoor enthusiasts, cave explorers, swimmers, and anyone looking to cool off in one of the Hill Country’s most unique natural spots.

What we Love:

The beautiful, clear waters of Jacob’s Well, the challenging and thrilling dive opportunities for experienced cave divers, and the fascinating cave system that has been explored and mapped by experts.

• Swim in the crystal-clear waters of Jacob's Well, a 12-foot wide opening in the earth that forms a popular natural swimming spot.
• Explore the cave system that drops nearly 120 feet deep, with two main passageways extending 4,500 feet and 1,000 feet respectively.
• Learn about the cave’s complexity through the Jacob’s Well Exploration Project, which has mapped this underwater labyrinth.
• Be cautious—while the well is a dream for cave divers, its deep, complex system makes it dangerous and not recommended for inexperienced divers.

Address:

1699 Mt Sharp Rd, Wimberley, TX 78676

Location:

Brackettville, TX

Highlights:

Just 22 miles from Brackettville, Texas, Kickapoo Cavern offers visitors a chance to explore 20 caves, some of which are large enough to be considered significant. This state park, which opened in 1991, is a hidden gem in the heart of Texas, perfect for outdoor activities and cave exploration.

We Recommend This For:

Cave enthusiasts, hikers, mountain bikers, birdwatchers, and nature lovers seeking a peaceful retreat in Texas Hill Country.

What we Love:

The opportunity to explore fascinating cave systems, enjoy mountain biking and hiking trails, and spot wildlife and bird species in the park’s diverse natural habitats.

• Explore over 20 known and explored caves, with two significant ones that provide fascinating views and geological wonders.
• Hike or bike on 14 miles of mountain biking trails and 18 miles of birding and hiking trails, all set against the park’s beautiful landscapes.
• Join a guided cavern tour every Saturday to discover the mysteries of the caves with an expert guide.
• Spot wildlife like white-tailed deer, gray foxes, raccoons, and rabbits, while birdwatchers can enjoy spotting gray vireos and varied buntings.

Address:

20939 RM 674, Brackettville, TX 78832

Family-friendly Texas Caves:

Location:

Burnet, TX

Highlights:

Longhorn Cavern State Park is a natural wonder located in Burnet County, Texas, and opened to the public in 1938. This historic park is home to stunning limestone formations and a fascinating history, having once served as a hideout for outlaws and a speakeasy during Prohibition.

We Recommend This For:

History enthusiasts, nature lovers, adventure seekers, and anyone looking for a unique underground experience in Texas Hill Country.

What we Love:

The incredible history of the cavern, including its use by Native Americans, Confederate soldiers, and outlaws, and the beautiful underground formations that can still be explored today.

• Explore Longhorn Cavern, formed by the erosion of a fast underground river, with guided tours showcasing incredible limestone formations.
• Discover its fascinating history—from Native American use to its time as a speakeasy during Prohibition, where locals gathered for nightly live music.
• Appreciate the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) who constructed Texas Park Road 4, pavilions, and an observation tower, and improved the cavern's accessibility with walkways and stairs.
• Attend events like concerts and theatre performances that are held within the cavern today, offering a unique underground music experience.

Address:

6211 Park Rd 4 S, Burnet, TX 78611

Location:

San Antonio, TX

Highlights:

Natural Bridge Caverns are the largest commercial caverns in Texas, located just outside of San Antonio. Known for their stunning limestone formations and active geology, these caverns offer a breathtaking underground experience.

We Recommend This For:

Adventurers, geology enthusiasts, families, and anyone looking to explore one of Texas' most unique natural wonders.

What we Love:

The fascinating limestone formations, the chance to explore 180 feet below the surface, and the fact that the caverns are still forming and changing over time.

• Marvel at the 60-foot limestone bridge that forms the entrance to the caverns, created by a sinkhole collapse over thousands of years.
• Explore unique speleothems, including stalactites, stalagmites, flowstones, and soda straws, all within the caverns' stunning underground rooms.
• Enjoy a comfortable 70°F temperature as you descend 180 feet below the surface, with undeveloped sections reaching as deep as 230 feet underground.
• Witness the caverns’ active geology, as rainwater continues to seep through the limestone, dissolving calcite and forming new stunning speleothems.

Address:

26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Rd, San Antonio, TX 78266