Looking for an unforgettable underground adventure? Natural Bridge Caverns in San Antonio offers the perfect mix of exploration, history, and outdoor fun. From family-friendly walking tours to full-on spelunking experiences, this natural wonder showcases stunning rock formations and ancient geology beneath the Texas Hill Country. Whether you’re here for a guided cave tour or an adrenaline-pumping ropes course, there’s something exciting for every age and ability level.

Recommended For

Natural Bridge Caverns is ideal for:

  • Families looking for educational and interactive outdoor fun.
  • Adventure seekers interested in climbing, rappelling, or exploring underground in the dark.
  • Nature lovers and geology buffs wanting to experience living caves and learn about their history.
  • Groups planning birthday parties, scouting trips, or church outings.

Tour Options

  • Discovery Tour – The most popular tour takes you through a half-mile of massive caverns, showcasing stalactites, stalagmites, and underground chambers up to 180 feet deep.
  • Hidden Passages Tour – Explore areas with true darkness and marvel at rare soda straw stalactites.
  • Lantern Tour – Offered daily at 9:00 AM, guests carry their own lanterns for an atmospheric journey through unlit cavern areas.
  • Adventure Tour – For the physically fit, this 3–4 hour expedition recreates the original cave discovery experience—no lights, no handrails, just climbing, crawling, and rappelling. Showers and locker rooms are available afterward.

Above-Ground Activities

  • Canopy Challenge – A 60-foot-tall ropes course and zip line with 47 challenges, plus a scaled-down version for younger kids.
  • AMAZEn’ Ranch Roundup – A fun and family-friendly outdoor maze with elevated towers and bridges for observation.
  • Discovery Village Mining Company – A hands-on gem and fossil mining experience where kids pan for treasures in flowing water troughs.

What to Know Before You Go

  • The caverns maintain a year-round temperature of 70°F and are naturally damp with dripping water. A light jacket and a change of clothes are recommended.
  • Comfortable, closed-toe shoes are highly recommended for all tours and activities.

History & Geology

  • Formed during the Cretaceous Period under an ancient sea, the caverns are made of limestone sediment shaped by water over millions of years.
  • In 1960, four college students discovered the cave system beneath a 60-foot limestone bridge.
  • They found two miles of underground passages, the first half-mile of which became the Discovery Tour.
  • Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the site has revealed 10,000-year-old artifacts including tools and hearth remains.

Educational & Seasonal Programs

  • All tours are guided by experts who share insights into the geology, biology, and archaeology of the site.
  • Private tours can be arranged for schools, scouts, and church groups.
  • Christmas at the Caverns features caroling in the caves, hayrides, and holiday lights.

Special Experience: Bracken Bat Flight

  • Witness the breathtaking evening emergence of millions of Mexican free-tailed bats from the nearby Bracken Cave.
  • This seasonal tour is best in summer and pairs well with a cave tour or canopy adventure.

Planning Your Visit

  • Location: 26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Road, San Antonio, TX 78266
  • Phone: 210-651-6144
  • Website: naturalbridgecaverns.com

Learn more or reserve your Natural Bridge Caverns tour online

Plan Your Trip