The Natural Bridge Caverns offer underground tours of caverns and caves in San Antonio, Texas. The very popular Discovery Tour takes visitors through the first half-mile of upwards of 2 miles of underground caverns. Guides walk visitors past stalactites, stalagmites, and other natural features of the caverns at depths of up to 180 feet underground.

  • What is the Hidden Passages tour?
    • The Hidden Passages tour takes guests into caves to experience true darkness and to see the long “soda straw” stalactites that decorate the caves.
  • What are the Lantern Tours?
    • Lantern Tours take place each day at 9:00 am only. Visitors are given a lantern and use this light to navigate through the underground passages in the dark.
  • What is the Adventure Tour?
    • Adventure Tours are designed for physically fit guests, where visitors climb, hike, and rappel inside the caves, exploring them as they would have in the 1960s before lights, pathways, and handrails were installed.
    • The tour lasts 3-4 hours, and showers and locker room facilities are provided.
  • What adventure activities are available above ground?
    • Natural Bridge Caverns offers several above-ground adventure activities:
      • The Canopy Challenge – A zip line and a 60-foot-tall ropes course featuring 47 different obstacles. A kid’s course is designed for toddlers and young children.
      • The AMAZEn’ Ranch Roundup – A unique maze suitable for all ages. Participants can use a bridge and three towers for a bird’s-eye view.
      • The Discovery Village Mining Company – A mining simulation where young visitors pour bags of mining “rough” into trays in a water trough to sift for gems.
  • What should visitors know before entering the cave?
    • The caves are a damp area, and water drips from the ceilings as they are a “living” cavern. A change of clothes is recommended.
    • The caves maintain a steady temperature of 70°F all year round.
  • What is the history of Natural Bridge Caverns?
    • During the Cretaceous Period, millions of years ago, this area of Texas was covered by a warm ocean. Evidence of ancient sea organisms can be found in the caves.
    • Over time, remnants compacted to form limestone sediments. 20 million years ago, faults caused cracks in the rock, allowing water to dissolve the limestone and carve out the caverns.
    • In 1960, four college students from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio discovered the caverns while exploring under a 60-foot limestone slab.
    • On their fourth expedition, they found an underground passage blocked by rubble, which led to the discovery of 2 miles of caves.
    • The landowners later developed the first half-mile into what became the Discovery Tour.
    • The caverns are listed in the National Register of Historic Places due to the discovery of 10,000-year-old artifacts, including stone tools, a prehistoric hearth, and charred plant remains.
  • What educational programs are offered?
    • All cave tours are guided by an expert who explains the geology, formation, and archaeological discoveries.
    • Private group tours can be arranged for birthdays, church groups, and scouting groups.
    • Christmas at the Caverns decorates the park with holiday lighting, offers hayrides, and features caroling in the underground chambers.
  • What is the Bracken Bat Flight?
    • The Bracken Bat Flight is a tour of the world’s largest bat colony, located a few miles from Natural Bridge Caverns.
    • Guests arrive at dusk to witness the exodus of millions of free-tailed bats as they depart in search of food.
    • The bat tour can be paired with a cavern tour or a canopy challenge.
  • Where is Natural Bridge Caverns located?
    • 26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Road, San Antonio, TX 78266, Phone: 210-651-6144

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