cave tours in texas

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8 Popular Guided Cave Tours In Texas

Venture underground on one of these popular guided cave tours in Texas.

Texas has about 3,000 caves, but as you can imagine, not all are open to the public for guided tours or for anyone going in alone. This article covers guided cave tours in Texas available for touring. Most caverns of Texas are around 68-70 degrees year-round, so sweaters are not necessary, but ensure you wear the correct shoes (closed-toes are the best) and no high heels.

TIP: Buy your tickets online to save time waiting in line.

Fun Facts About Caves:

From May through September, near downtown San Antonio, the witness of the cyclone of bats emerging from the Bracken Cave can be seen. Visitors plan their vacations to the beautiful Texas hill country during this time to see the flights of bats.
Airman’s Cave in Austin is gated and closed to the public. Backdoor Cave in Austin is not gated and is a 25-mile walk to the cave entrance. Enter at your own risk.
Tennessee has the most caves in the US, with the majority located in the eastern part of the state.
Kentucky holds the title of having the largest cave in the world, called Mammoth Cave. It comprises cave systems with several entrances and tours ranging from easy to complex.

Bat in the Longhorn Caverns

Who Offers Guided Cave Tours in Texas?

There are quite a few caves in Texas that offer guided tours. I don’t know too many public caves that don’t, but I bet there are a few, like the Enchanted Rock cave inside the Enchanted Rock State Park. There is a fee to enter the park, and you can walk inside the granite formation cave on your own.

1. Inner Space Caverns

Georgetown, in the Texas Hill Country, right up the road from Austin, is home to Inner Space Caverns . My grandson and I visited this cave a couple of years ago, and what I remember most was these two siblings with their grandparents asking the tour guide question after question. It was a little annoying, but the tour guide kept his cool and answered all their silly questions. So we had a few laughs about that.

The second thing I remember and appreciated was that the cave was not humid like some I’ve been in, so it was much easier to breathe.

2. The Cave Without A Name

I visited this cave on a recent sponsored trip to Boerne, TX . Visit Boerne boasts about The Cave Without A Name , and I am so glad they selected it for me. My tour guide was spot on, and her attitude and love for the cave made me love it more. She enjoyed telling the other family and me about the cave’s history. What’s cool is that marriage ceremonies, as do cave concerts, happen in the cave. How cool would it be to get married in a cave?

After your cave tour, there are hiking trails, outdoor games, and a sluicing machine to do right outside. I had no idea mining for fossils is also called sluicing. But, if you like mining for gold, as they say, plan to visit this cave and go sluicing as I did. My sluicing bag was full of crystals and beautiful rock formations that started my rock collection at home.

3. Cascade Caverns

Cascade Caverns is another cave just outside of Boerne that offers cave tours. This cave is not accessible for wheelchairs, and there are areas where crouching is required.

4. Longhorn Caverns State Park

While on a weekend getaway to Marble Falls , a cave visit was on our must-do list. This cavern is in the town of Burnet, which is up the road from where we were staying.

I hope you’re OK with walking like a duck. We literally had to crouch over to make it through several areas of the cave. It was OK for me; however, you may want to sit this cave tour out if you have back problems.

Aside from crouching, this cave is one of my favorite guided cave tours I’ve been on so far. Plus, we were able to see bats in the cave. Never before have either of us seen a bat in a cave. So that you know, bats love caves and should not be spooked. And, when taking a photo, do not use the flash.

Longhorn Caverns offers several tours, including a wild tour for the experienced caver. They mentioned the tour to us and showed us several holes where this tour goes. Oh. My. Goodness. not for me!!

5. Natural Bridge Caverns

Haven’t we all been to this cave in New Braunfels a time or two? If not, do not worry. Natural Bridge Caverns is the largest commercial cave in Texas and receives millions of visitors yearly. From the looks of things, they’ve added a zip line course and mining for fossils since our last visit. They also have a wonderful gift shop full of rocks and crystals. I love picking their brain about the crystals.

If my memory serves me correctly, it was very humid inside the cave, and hard for me to breathe. My grandson and husband had no problem.

6. Wonder World Cave And Adventure Park

San Marcos is home to Wonder Cave and Adventure Park . There are several ticket options for adventure – cave only, train ride only, or the all-in-one ticket. If we went, I would go with my grandson; I would have to break out for all of it. From the looks of the website, various events happen at the park throughout the year. This cave will soon be on our list to visit.

7. Caverns Of Sonora

This popular touristy cave lies 80 miles south of San Angelo and in between Big Bend National Park and San Antonio. According to House Beautiful, in 2017, Caverns of Sonora was number 8 on the 30 Most Beautiful Caves Around the World. Another cave to put on your list if you haven’t been.

8. Kickapoo Caverns State Park

Near Del Rio, in Brackettville, TX , Kickapoo Caverns State Park hosts a natural wonder cave. They offer a 3-hour guided cave tour every Saturday at 1 p.m. No other entry into the cave is allowed. The cost is $10 per person and the park entrance fee. Reservations are required. There are also other outdoor activities at the park, such as hiking, mountain biking, bird-watching, and geocaching.

To find guided cave tours in Texas, be sure to Google “guided cave tours near me” to find the one closest to you – it might not be on this list!

About Kim Croisant

Kim Croisant is a freelance writer and owner/writer at Texas Travel Talk and a native Texan living north of Fort Worth. When not writing about travel destinations (not just in Texas), restaurants, and hotels, she is most likely juggling family life, caring for her mother, and raising her grandson. She loves red wine, chips & dip, and travel magazines. Follow her on Instagram @texastraveltalk.

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Hidden beneath the rolling landscape of the Texas Hill Country are thousands of caves and caverns with vast chambers, waterfalls and even fossils of ancient animals. Read on to learn more about some of the state’s most notable caves along the Balcones Fault Line between Austin and San Antonio.

Go on an expedition through some of the best caves and underground caverns in the world, right here in Texas. It’s a great way to escape the heat and discover a hidden side of Texas that most people don’t know about. Descend deep into the Earth and explore their unique and amazing formations today.

Inner Space Cavern

In Georgetown just about an hour north of Austin, Inner Space Cavern is one of the best-preserved caves in Texas and one of the few places where prehistoric remains are found. You can find three different tours at this attraction. The cavern’s standard cave tour is the Adventure Tour through Inner Space’s living cavern along a well-lit pathway. The Hidden Passages tour is for the more adventurous explorers and goes through an undeveloped trail of the cave. Tour guides provides guests with flashlights in order to explore delicate formations including columns, flowstone, waves of transparent calcite called drapery and soda straws, thin hollow tubes of slowly dripping calcite.

The cavern’s most challenging tour is the Wild Cave tour, which occurs on Saturdays and Sundays and is available to guests 13 years and older. The tour features off-trail spelunking through undeveloped sections of the cave, so visitors can’t be afraid to get dirty! The Wild Cave tour requires no previous caving experience.

Longhorn Cavern

Longhorn Cavern is an hour and a half northwest of Austin and home to some truly spectacular cavern tours. Particular spaces of note within the cavern are Crystal City, where hundreds of calcite crystals sparkle from every wall, and the Indian Council Room, where Comanche Indians communed hundreds of years ago. The cave is 68 degrees year round and available tours include a guided walking tour exploring the geology and history of the cave, a wild cave tour exploring less developed areas of the cave and an evening paranormal tour delving into the cavern’s unexplained happenings.

The cavern itself has a colorful history. Legend has it that in the 1800s, the outlaw Sam Bass used the cave as a hideout, and during the Civil War, the Confederate Army made and stored its gunpowder there. In the early 1900s, it was used as a dance hall and place of worship by a local church.

On select weekends, Longhorn Cavern features live concerts inside the caves. The larger rooms have wonderful natural acoustics, making the sounds of cymbals, flutes, and voices reverberate in ways that both concertgoers and musicians have described as “spiritual.” Concert dates and details change, so check the cavern’s website for current information.

Natural Bridge Caverns

Located in New Braunfels , Natural Bridge Caverns is the largest commercial cave in the state. The Castle of the White Giants has the largest formations in the cavern, yet the Hall of the Mountain King is equally majestic and is 100 feet high with spectacular formations covering the ceiling, walls and floor. You can venture into the cavern with the Discovery Tour, and go 180 feet below ground in this original tour, and see ancient formations that are still growing today, such as amazing stalagmites, stalactites, flowstones, chandeliers and soda straws.

If you get there bright and early, take the Lantern Tour, the first tour of the day and only offered in the morning, guests explore caverns with only the light of their lantern, just as discoverers did decades ago. If you're feeling adventurous, try the Hidden Passages Tour, serious spelunkers will enjoy a demanding exploration in which visitors will climb, crawl and rappel through the caverns. For another challenging excursion, try the Discovery Adventure Tour. Visitors will travel a one and a quarter mile path through both paved trails and wild passages, climbing, hiking and repelling the caverns.

In addition to the caverns, visitors can take part in the Canopy Challenge, a high ropes course and zip line over the Texas Hill Country. Other activities include the family-friendly above ground maze or gem and fossil mining.

The Cave without a Name

North of San Antonio in Boerne, Texas, The Cave without a Name was designated as such in 1939, when a local student won the town’s naming contest. The student explained, “The cave is too pretty to have a name,” and it has been called the Cave without a Name ever since.

A National Natural Landmark, the Cave without a Name has six rooms of extraordinary formations, including the Grapes, calcite formations that look like a bunch of grapes and have been observed only in the cave’s caverns. Tours depart throughout the day and are about an hour long. Similar to Longhorn Cavern, the Cave without a Name features live concerts in the caverns on select weekends.

Caverns of Sonora

The Caverns of Sonora are an oasis along Interstate 10 and mark the halfway point between San Antonio, Texas and Big Bend National Park in west Texas. Bill Stephenson, founder of the National Speleological Society, said, “The beauty of the Caverns of Sonora cannot be exaggerated, not even by a Texan.”

One of the caverns’ beautiful tours is the Crystal Palace Tour, an intimate, guided walking tour for 12 people or less through almost two miles of highly decorated cave passages. Adventure-seekers will love the cavern’s four-hour Discovery Challenge, an unforgettable adventure through a maze of off-trail passageways. Those partaking in the Discovery Challenge rappel fifty feet into the Devil’s Pit to experience firsthand the thrill of navigating the cave.

After a long day of exploring, visitors are invited to camp on the ranch like grounds above the caverns, in tents or RVs.

From north of Austin down to San Antonio, let the caverns of Texas show you that the state is just as beautiful below ground as above. Whether you prefer to follow a guided path or crawl through uncharted territory, Texas caves have just the right amount of adventure for you.

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All Material © 2024 Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without the written permission of the publisher. Office of the Governor, Economic Development & Tourism 1100 San Jacinto, Austin, Texas 78701, (512) 463-2000

THE 10 BEST Texas Caverns & Caves

Caverns & caves in texas.

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5.0 of 5 bubbles
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Good for Couples
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Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Natural Bridge Caverns

2. Cascade Caverns

3. Inner Space Cavern

4. Cave Without a Name

5. Caverns of Sonora

6. Enchanted Rock Fissure

7. Enchanted Rock Cave

8. Frio Cave

9. White Shaman Cave

10. Eckert James River Bat Cave Preserve

11. bracken cave, what travelers are saying.

10 Coolest Caves in Texas (+ Map to Find Them!)

Texas is packed full of natural beauty, from swimming holes to deserts. To admire some of the most unique aspects of Texas’ landscape, though, you have to dive deep–literally–and explore the best caves in Texas.

Here are the most interesting caves and caverns in Texas, plus a map to help you decide which ones to visit!

10 Best Texas Caves to Visit

Natural bridge caverns.

Named for its stunning, naturally occurring, 60-foot limestone bridge, Natural Bridge Caverns have been delighting visitors for decades, and it is the largest cavern in Texas that you can visit!

Natural Bridge Caverns offer a variety of different tours, so no matter what kind of caving in Texas experience that you’re looking for, you’ll find something here!

Interior of Natural Bridge Caverns in Texas

Some links in this post may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more detail.

Caverns of Sonora

Widely considered one of the most beautiful caves in Texas and even in the world, the founder of the National Speleological Association, Bill Stephenson, once said this about the Caverns of Sonora: “This is the most indescribably beautiful cave in the world, its beauty cannot be exaggerated, not even by a Texan.”

With a sales pitch like that, it’s not hard to see why the Caverns of Sonora are among the most famous caverns in Texas–even if they are located a few hours from any of Texas’ larger cities.

For a peak inside the Caverns of Sonora, check out the top photo on this blog post!

Longhorn Cavern

Located in the aptly-named Longhorn Cavern State Park, Longhorn Cavern was formed by an ancient river, and has a distinct appearance that separates it from many of these Texas caves.

While the state park can be visited at any time, touring the cavern–either on a basic walking tour or on the more-adventurous wild cave tour–requires booking a guided tour .

Interior of a cave in Longhorn Cavern State Park, one of the best day trips from Austin Texas

Devil’s Sinkhole

Unlike most of these caverns in Texas, you can’t actually go inside the impressive Devil’s Sinkhole, but staring down into the gigantic shaft (50 feet wide by 140 feet deep) that opens into the cavern is impressive enough to be worth a visit.

And, that’s even before you add in the most popular reason to visit the Devil’s Sinkhole: the bat colony that lives there from late spring to early fall.

Cave Without a Name

Featuring beautiful, intricate formations, some would argue that the Cave Without a Name is the most beautiful cave in Texas–which is part of how it got its (lack of) name.

In 1939, a contest was held to name the cave, and a boy won with the suggestion that the cave was simply too pretty to have a name. Ever since, this cavern outside of Boerne has been referred to as the Cave Without a Name.

Interior of Cave Without a Name near San Antonio, one of the best caverns in Texas

Caves at Colorado Bend State Park

Colorado Bend State Park is home to over 400 caves, including the beautiful Gorman Cave, and with advance reservations and a guided tour, you can explore some of them for yourself!

Inner Space Cavern

In 1963, a Texas Highway Department drilling team accidentally discovered the magnificent Inner Space Cavern while working on one of the most constant and ubiquitous of all Texas construction projects–the expansion of I-35.

Just a few years later, in 1966, this gorgeous cave opened to the public and has been greeting guests ever since!

Interior of Inner Space Cavern near Georgetown Texas, one of the best day trips from Austin TX

Cascade Caverns

Located in Boerne, Cascade Caverns has been an informal, and later formal, tourist attraction dating back at least to the 19th century, and it is incredibly beautiful.

An adventurous spelunking tour of its lower cave systems will take you all the way to the aquifer that lies beneath the cave–but more traditional tours, showing off the stunning Cathedral Room, are also worth a visit.

Bracken Cave

Each summer, Bracken Cave hosts 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats–making Bracken Cave home to the largest bat colony in the world!

If you’re visiting at the right time of year, you’ll never forget visiting to watch the bats fly out from the cave near sunset (advance reservations are required).

Mexican free-trail bats flying out of Bracken Cave, one of the best Texas caves to visit

Kickapoo Caverns

In 2010, Kickapoo Cavern became the namesake for the newly-formed Kickapoo Cavern State Park.

While the park is home to around 20 small caves, Stuart Bat Cave and Kickapoo Cavern are the most significant.

Unlike many of these caverns in Texas, Kickapoo Cavern is undeveloped, making the tours you can take there a bit more like an adventurous hike than a simple stroll.

Tours are given only on Saturdays, you can make reservations here .

Bonus: Carlsbad Cavern

Located in Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Carlsbad Cavern actually isn’t in Texas at all–it’s in New Mexico!

However, since it’s located just a hop, skip, and a jump over the border (or to be more precise, half an hour from Texas’ Guadalupe Mountains National Park), it’s an easy addition to a west Texas vacation and worth mentioning here!

The national park features over 100 caves, but is named for the incredibly impressive Carlsbad Cavern, which is where you’ll find the popular and aptly named Big Room that measures a whopping 4000 feet long and 225 feet high!

Big Room of Carlsbad Cavern in New Mexico, a fantastic Dallas road trip idea

Tips for Visiting Caves in Texas

Check if you need reservations before making the drive..

Many of these caverns in Texas require a bit of advance planning to visit, such as joining a tour and/or booking in advance. Some also have limited hours.

Be sure to check before setting off, as many of these Texas caves no doubt require quite the drive to reach!

Consider taking an adventure tour.

Many of these Texas caves offer adventure tours, where you can duck, crawl, climb, and explore the less-developed parts of the caverns in a small-group setting.

Generally, you’ll need a bit of athleticism and a distinct lack of tendencies toward claustrophobia in order to complete an adventure tour, but no caving experience.

We count our adventure tour of Cascade Caverns, which took us all the way down to swimming in the underground aquifer, as one of the most memorable adventures we’ve ever had in Texas!

Kate Storm and Jeremy Storm wearing muddy clothes after an adventure tour in Cascade Caverns, one of the best caves in Texas

Dress for the (cave) weather.

Caves in Texas tend to maintain constant temperatures and very humid weather–check on the weather specifics of the cave you plan on visiting before setting out.

Map of the Best Caverns in Texas

2 photos of caverns in Texas, Caverns of Sonora on bottom and Inner Space Cavern on top. black text on a white background reads "10 coolest caves in texas"

2 thoughts on “10 Coolest Caves in Texas (+ Map to Find Them!)”

Hi, I was wondering if you have a section on pet friendly places.

Unfortunately, I don’t know of any pet-friendly caves in Texas. Some of these, like the Caverns of Sonora, have boarding options nearby.

The National Cave of Texas

Due to an expected area-wide increase in eclipse tourists, Longhorn Cavern State Park will have special operating conditions in effect on April 8, 2024.

The park will be open to solar eclipse package reservations only. There will be no scheduled cavern tours so guests and staff have the opportunity to safely view the eclipse from start to finish.

UPDATE: Solar eclipse packages are sold out for April 8, 2024.

"the scenic beauty, the splendors which time and water have wrought...defy description.", national park service, 1934.

World of Caves

UnderGround Cave Adventures Await

Ultimate Guide to Natural Bridge Caverns, Texas (Tours, Pricing, History, Map)

We may have been compensated for this post. Please keep in mind that it affects you in no way financially. If an item is being reviewed, we are not obligated to give a positive review and always use our own words. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. If you would like a review done contact Dannelle at [email protected]

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Natural Bridge Caverns is probably the most popular natural attraction in Texas. The breathtaking caves are only 30 minutes away from downtown San Antonio and are Texas’s most extensive cave system. It is the largest show cavern in Texas, formed over thousands of years.

The underground cavern tours are the main highlight here as people get a chance to look at the caverns through these tours closely. It is a state historical landmark known for its astounding beauty and should be visited whenever you are in the state.

History of Natural Bridge Caverns

In the March of 1960, four students of St Mary’s University – Orion Knox Jr, Preston Knodell, Joe Cantu, and Al Brandt – got the desired permission to explore an area now famous Natural Bridge Caverns. The four students discovered the caverns on 27th March, and on their 4th trip to the caverns, they explored a shade over a mile of passages. Further explorations revealed an additional 2 miles of passages which are now known as the North Cavern. The excavation of the entrance trail revealed the discovery of a human tooth and arrowhead that dates to 5000 BC. It is believed that early people used the uppermost parts of the cavern.

After the discovery, one of the students, Orion Knox Jr, assisted the landowner in making plans to develop the caverns as she wanted the world to see the caverns under the property. Orion approached both National Park Service and Texas Park System, but neither could help them as they did not have the required funds to meet the demands of such an endeavor.

The landowner herself decided to fund the development, and she was being assisted by Orion, who dropped out of school for the cause. The developmental work began in 1963, and work on the lights and trails continued till July 03, 1964. The cavern has been opened to visitors ever since and is operated by family members. In 1971, the Natural Bridge Caverns got registered as a US National Natural Landmark.

Geological Cave Formations

During the Caverns tour , the guide will take you to 180 ft below the surface and through different sections of the caverns, where you will get a chance to view the unusual rock formations such as stalactites, soda straws, flowstones, chandeliers, and stalagmites. The unique part is that these formations are constantly evolving and changing, and even photos taken weeks apart could be different.

The porous nature of the limestone allows the rainwater to travel downwards through the various layers of rock. Here it dissolves calcite, a weak mineral that helps form the speleothems at the Natural Bridge Caverns. After it exits the limestone, the water enters the caverns where it flows and drips consistently, causing the geological formations to retain waxy luster.

There was never an active bat colony, and only one or two bats would wander into the caverns occasionally. However, recent evidence shows that bats reside in Natural Bridge Caverns, and there are roosting areas and a collection of bat guano.

Are Natural Bridge Caverns Haunted?

Natural Bridge Caverns are not haunted by any means, and it is the most popular underground tourist attraction in Texas.

How Big are Natural Bridge Caverns?

The length of the cavern is 3/4th mile and descends 180 ft below the surface.

Natural Bridge Caverns Tours

The first-timers should always opt for the Discovery Tour. The visitors would be asked to follow a guide 180 ft below the surface through rooms filled with flowstones, soda straws, and other interesting geological formations. There are many things to see here, so do take photos of what you like to create beautiful memories.

Are you looking for a detailed tour of the caverns? You should go for the Hidden Passages Tour. It is a 70-minute excursion that would take you to the colossal chambers furnished with cave ribbons and unusually long soda straw stalactites. The guide would turn off all the lights to allow the visitors to experience the caverns in their natural state.

The Adventure Tour is more comprehensive which spreads over three hours. In this tour, you get a chance to walk through the undeveloped portions of the cavern system. You need to follow the light on your headlamp as you hike, climb, slide, and repel through the narrow sections of the cave. The tour will let you feel like the explorers who had discovered the caverns in the early 1960s. Whatever tour you choose, you will pass under the beautiful limestone bridge (60 ft) from where the Natural Bridge Caverns got its name.

Tour Prices and Discounts

The tickets prices at the Natural Bridge Caverns are:

Discovery Tour

Adults USD 29.50
Children USD 19

Hidden Passages Tour

Adventure tours .

USD 399 for 2 a minimum of 2 persons

The prices of different surface attractions are –

Twisted Trails Ropes Course USD 24.99
Twisted Tykes USD 7.99
Clip and Climb Course USD 10
Amaze’ Ranch Roundup USD 9.99
Discovery Village Mining Company USD 8.99 to USD 29.99

Is Natural Bridge Caverns Cold?

The cavern tours are always available irrespective of the weather. However, some of the surface attractions can be dependent on the weather. The cavern experiences a temperature of 70 degrees F throughout the year with a relative humidity of 99%. The real – feel inside the caverns would be 80 degrees F. The majority of the visitors would be comfortable in shorts and a T-shirt while inside the cavern.

What to Wear?

Light outdoor clothing with comfortable walking shoes is highly recommended for your trip to the caverns. However, the Twisted Trails activities would require closed-heel shoes.

Natural Bridge Caverns Hours

The caverns are open from 9 am to 4 pm but is closed on Easter, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

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What to Do at Natural Bridge Caverns (Beside Tours)

Natural Bridge Caverns is a fun place in San Antonio that is perfect for all ages. There is much to see underground, but there are even better things to see and do on the surface. The adults will enjoy it, and the kids will love it.

Twisted Trails

It is the largest outdoor sky trail and sky rails course where you get to test your strength and balance in more than 50 obstacles. It has four levels of rope ladders, weave walks, double beams, and lily pads. The 60 ft tall course has one straight and seven curved ziplines covering 685 feet.

You will feel that you are on a heart-pounding roller coaster ride when you ride them. The younger kids would love the Twisted Trails Tykes course because it has many confidence-building challenges.

Natural Bridge Mining Company

If you have kids in your group, come to Natural Bridge Mining Company to uncover fossils and gems like emeralds and amethyst. Just take a bag of mining rough in the tray and dip it into the water from a wooden water tower. When you bring the tray out, you will be delighted by what you unravel.

Amaze n’ Ranch Roundup

It is a 5000 sq ft outdoor maze that has three towers and a bridge to help you through the maze.

Big Daddy’s Sweets

When you feel a bit hungry, you can come here to treat yourself to cold beer, wine, hand-dipped ice cream, and a range of tasty treats.

Cavern Café

Cavern Café is another place where you can fill up your tummy with mouthwatering pizzas, chicken strips, and hot dogs.

A visit to Natural Bridge Caverns would be incomplete without shopping for souvenirs. It has the best collection of rocks and minerals in Texas, along with a healthy collection of fossils, shirts, and collective minerals.

Best Time to Visit

They can be visited any time, although many visitors prefer to come here in summer.

How to Get to Natural Bridge Caverns

The caverns are around 25 miles northeast of downtown San Antonio. The area is not serviced by public transport, so you need a car or a cab to reach the destination. When you are on I-35, head North and exit # 175, take a left turn on Natural Bridge Caverns Road, and the location would be at a distance of eight miles on your left.

Hotels Nearby

Most of the best hotels in San Antonio are around 7 miles away. La Quinta Inn & Suites and Candlewood Suites are some of the best options. Many campgrounds are nearby, such as Stone Creek RV Park and Landa RV & Campground.

Visiting Natural Bridge Caverns

Do you need more information before visiting? Call (210) 651-6101 or email Natural Bridge Caverns for an information packet.

1 thought on “ Ultimate Guide to Natural Bridge Caverns, Texas (Tours, Pricing, History, Map) ”

[…] also used and explored parts of the cavern as far back as 5,000 BC. Uncovering items such as stone tools, arrowheads, human teeth, knifes and more sparked an interest […]

Reach us by Email:

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A designated stroller parking area is provided while on tour.

Pets are welcome. Only Service Animals allowed inside caverns. Free outdoor kennels available.

MILITARY DISCOUNTS

Thank you for your service. See details here .

REFRESHMENTS

Meals, snacks, and beverages are available at the Cavern Café and Big Daddy’s Sweets & Treats .

TRANSPORTATION

Uber and Lyft services are available, however we suggest scheduling pickups in advance.

Questions? See our FAQs

The Top Caverns and Caves in Texas

If you think Texas Hill Country is beautiful, you must explore the subterranean wonderland below it. Check out these amazing caves in Texas!

Texas is famous for its wide open plains, vibrant cities, and country-western culture, but if you prefer to get your kicks underground, the caves in Texas offer up serious adventure too! From guided tours in epic show caves to undeveloped wild caves only fit for contortionists, The Lonestar State has a cavern for every type of caver. From San Antonio to Rocksprings, and Austin to Georgetown, we’ve gathered them all!

Explore Texas with Let’s Roam!

Let’s Roam loves Texas, and that’s why we’ve created a Texas-sized list of adventures in the state. From small-town jaunts to big-city bar crawls, our app-guided tours help you explore the area in a unique and fun way. Grab your crew and sign up for a hunt. Gather points as you complete trivia and photo challenges, and see if you can top our citywide leaderboard!

The Texas Cave Trail

For the ultimate caving experience, take on the Texas Cave Trail . Pick up your passport at any of the caves on the list. Then, visit all five caves, and you can exchange your passport for a free T-shirt. The trail covers five of the best caves in Texas: The Cave Without a Name, Caverns of Sonora, Longhorn Cavern State Park, Natural Bridge Caverns, and Inner Space Cavern. You have officially been challenged!

The Best Caves in Texas for Exploring

Beneath the rolling landscape of Texas Hill Country, there are 3,000+ subterranean wonderlands just waiting for you. If you include sinkholes, some of the estimates range up to 9,500 caverns! Here are a few of the best.

1. The Cave Without a Name

Located near Boerne, 40 miles north of San Antonio, the Cave Without a Name is one of the most famous in the state. It’s been commercially operated since 1939 and is designated as a National Natural Landmark. In 1938, the cave’s owner, James Horne, held a contest to name the cavern. The winning name came from a small boy who said the cave “was too beautiful to be named.”

The guided tour descends 126 steps to a retreat from the heat, 80 feet below ground. The caverns maintain a cool 66 degrees year-round. The natural artwork in the cave is some of the most impressive in Texas. A series of large stalactites and stalagmites are joined by cave grapes, soda straws, flowstones, and draperies. The tour is approximately 60 minutes and explores the six major rooms. The trails are well-marked and well-lit.

Online reservations are not available at this time. You may make a reservation by phone, or get a ticket at the gate, and you will be placed on the next open tour. Also, check the events calendar for concerts in the cave’s Throne Room. The acoustics are incredible, and many guests rank a concert in the caves as the highlight of their tour.

Boerne is one of the most adorable small towns in Texas, and it boasts an interesting history. From World War I Memorials to the oldest German band outside of Germany, you can explore the joys of this hidden gem on our “ Boerne Bonanza Extravaganza ” scavenger hunt!

2. Caverns of Sonora

On the edge of the Chihuahuan Desert, buried under grazing lands, sits one of Earth’s most impressive subterranean wonderlands. The Caverns of Sonora is just 15 miles southwest of Sonora. The founder of the National Speleological Association, Bill Stephenson, famously said “The is the most indescribably beautiful cave in the world. Its beauty cannot be exaggerated, not even by a Texan.”

The cave system offers many tours, including the Crystal Palace Tour, a guided walking tour with intimate groups of 12 or less through the most decorated two miles of the cave. For more of an adrenaline rush, hop on the Discovery Challenge, a four-hour wild cave tour that explores all the hidden passages, including a 50-foot rappel into Devil’s Pit.

The park also offers a fantastic gift shop, a chance to pan for gemstones, hiking trails, and tent and RV campsites.

3. Natural Bridge Caverns

Natural Bridge Caverns is located in New Braunfels, north of San Antonio. It’s the largest commercial cave in the state and is family run. The cave system is listed on the National Register of Historic Places due to prehistoric finds including arrowheads in animal remains from species that became extinct approximately 12,000 years ago. They also found stone tools, a cooking hearth, knives, and scrapers. The cave gets its name from the impressive 60-foot natural limestone bridge at the entrance.

The first tour of the day is the Lantern Tour, which allows you to explore hidden passageways by lantern glow. The Discovery Tour is the most popular tour. It descends 180 feet below ground to explore the first 1/2 miles of the cave including the Castle of the White Giants and the Hall of the Mountain King. Extra points for the epic names! The Hidden Wonders Tour is for seasoned spelunkers and involves rappeling, climbing, and crawling.

In addition to the caving experiences, the park offers the Canopy Challenge, a sky-high ropes course and zip line, as well as gem mining and fossil hunting, and a 5,000-square-foot outdoor maze!

Discover the rich German history and incredible urban art of New Braunsfels on our “ New Braunfels Boot Scootin’ Scavenger Hunt. ”

4. Wonder Cave

The Balcones Fault Line Cave or Wonder Cave is located in San Marcos, about an hour northeast of San Antonio. Situated within Wonder World Park , the cave is one of the earliest show caves in Texas and is the only known “dry cave” in Texas that is open to the public. This means the cave was not formed by the underground rivers and karst geology of Texas Hill Country, but was instead the result of an earthquake.

A tour of the cave entreats you to strata of fossilized remains and a massive boulder suspended in mid-air. The guides are experts in the geology of the fault, and the tours are very informative. The tour does consist of several steep staircases.

The park is open year-round and includes caving adventures, an anti-gravity house, an arcade room, gem mining, and train rides! Tours and POGO passes are easily booked online .

5. Cascade Caverns

Like the Cave Without a Name, Cascade Caverns is located outside of Boerne. It claims to be the oldest public touring cave in Texas, but so does Wonder Cave, so who knows? The cave was discovered by the Lipan Apache in the 1700s as far as we know. Their artifacts are still on display today. The cave has been open for private tours since the 1870s and public tours since 1932.

They offer three distinct tours of the cave system . The Downunder Tours explore the first 1,100 feet of the upper level. You’ll explore the coldest room in the cave, the Lake Room which is home to the Cascade Caverns Salamander, and the Imagination Room where you’ll wander the Soda Straw Rain Forest and the Diamond Ceiling. Then, enter the dramatic Storm Canyon and marvel at the 50-foot ceilings of the Cathedral Room.

The Aquifer Tour is a 3–4 hour spelunking tour of the lower cave system. It must be booked in advance and is for physically fit, capable swimmers. The tour will not proceed for groups of less than ten. The Flashlight Tour is a 1.5-hour flashlight and candle tour, and this tour focuses on the blind salamanders that lurk in the cave system.

6. Devil’s Sinkhole State Natural Area

Most of the thousands of sinkholes in Texas are on private property and not available for tours. The massive Devil’s Sinkhole is the exception. From the moment you step into the massive 50-foot-wide mouth, the sinkhole fills you with awe. It immediately drops straight down to depths of 140 feet and terminates in the largest chamber room in Texas. In addition to the epic geology, the cave is also home to millions of Mexican Free-Tailed Bats. If you get a chance to watch them leave the cave at sunset to hunt, take it! It’s an awe-inspiring sight!

Devil’s Sinkhole is located in Rocksprings. Bat flight tours are run from Wednesday to Sunday, May through November. Reservations are required and should be made by phone .

7. Inner Space Cavern

Inner Space Cavern is one of the most pristine caverns in Texas. It was discovered by the Texas Highway Department’s cord drilling team in the early 1960s, mapping it to more than 7,000 feet. The cave was opened for public tours in 1966. The beautiful cave system features prehistoric bones, grand formations, and large caverns.

The cave is located in Georgetown, just an hour north of Austin. They offer four cave tours . The Adventure Tour wanders along a well-lit path while the Hidden Passages Tour is for explorers that want to adventure into undeveloped portions of the cave. The most challenging tour is the Wild Cave Tour which is available for 13 and older. It features more in-depth spelunking in undeveloped passages. It entails 3–4 hours of climbing, rappelling, and crawling. The Ice Tour is led by a paleontologist and explores the Ice Age fossils and geological features that formed Inner Space Cavern.

Explore gorgeous fountains, learn the secrets of Lady Justice, and dine in historic cafes on our “ Georgetown Giddy Galavant ” scavenger hunt!

8. Bracken Cave

Bracken Cave is within a preserve of the same name, containing 1,458 acres that protect the largest colony of bats in North America. The cave is located 20 miles east of San Antonio and is a must-visit for wildlife lovers. The bat colony contains more than 15 million specimens and is ever-increasing. Bat flights are offered on certain nights during the summer months and often sell out months in advance!

9. Caves of Kickapoo Cavern State Park

Kickapoo Caverns State Park , located 20 miles from Brackettville, is home to about 20 small caves. Stuart Bat Cave and Kickapoo Cavern are the two most impressive. Unlike all the caves we’ve seen so far, Kickapoo is totally undeveloped. There are no excavated walking paths, lighting rigs, or fancy antics, just an adventurous walk through a stunning cave system.

It’s fairly easy to explore Kickapoo Cavern though, as the bulk of the speleothems are located in the main passage. The entrance is no more than a slit in the side of a hill, but the main passage is one of the largest in Texas at 1,400 feet. It features massive columns and stunning helictites. The side passages are nearly blocked by the large columns, but you can sneak through into smaller, but still very manageable mazes. There isn’t much organic life in the cave, but you should watch out for scorpions. Guided tours are available every Saturday at 1:00 p.m., and you must make advanced reservations . The tours last for three hours and can be booked up to three months in advance. Like most Texas parks, Kickapoo also offers birding, hiking trails, and camping.

10. Caves of Longhorn Cavern State Park

Ninety minutes north of Austin, in Burnet Country, Longhorn Cavern State Park has a rich history. The primary cave was carved by an ancient river and was used by the Comanche as a water source and shelter. It was later utilized during the Civil War for gunpowder storage and was once the hideout of outlaw Sam Bass. It was then used as a dance hall and even as a worship space for a local church congregation.

The park offers two guided tours. The Walking Tour explores the archaeological history of the main passages, and the Wild Cave Tour is a primitive experience in the lower levels of the cave system. Tour tickets can be acquired online up to three months in advance. After your cave tour, enjoy one of the hiking trails or learn how the Civilian Conservation Corps excavated the cave and constructed the park in the exhibit located in the original administration building.

After a long day of caving, you deserve a drink… or two! Check out our “ Raging on Rainey ” Bar Crawl for a fun and interactive way to explore the best watering holes in Austin!

11. Caves of Colorado Bend State Park

Beneath the ground in Colorado Bend State Park looms more than 400 caves! Guided tours are offered for Dynamite Cave and Gorman Cave with advanced reservations. The Discovery Tour is a family-friendly experience in Dynamite Cave. It’s suitable for all skill levels and features stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstones. Helmets are provided, but you’ll need to bring a flashlight or headlamp and closed-toed shoes.

The Adventure Tour is an intermediate caving experience that involves some crawling and going deeper underground. It isn’t technically difficult, but there are a few claustrophobic spots, and you will get very dirty!

Wild Caves in the Park

The Circuna Cave is small but is one of the best places to experience fauna in the park. It contains rattlesnakes, a sleeping cave myotic bat, and multiple species of millipede and spiders. The cave is sometimes available for weekend wild tours.

Gorman Cave features a scenic slit entrance on a bluff overlooking the Colorado River. The cave is a maze of calcite crystals and travertine pools, where sometimes fish can be found. It is the most visited non-commercial cave in Texas. You can tour the Big Room, but it’s gated after that and requires a special permit to enter the tunnels that veer off from there.

The Lemon Ranch Cave is a series of crawling tubes and dead-end pits that often suffers from bad air. If you want to explore this baby, you need to bring a Drager or an oxygen meter. Guided tours are offered occasionally and by special request.

12. Sorcerer’s Cave

Located in Terrell County, Sorcerer’s Cave, at 567 feet, is the deepest cave in Texas. Cavers must traverse multiple steep drops totaling more than 50 stories. Once at the bottom, you’ll encounter the rapidly flowing Sirion River. The river is traversable for about 70 feet and features two small waterfalls. The cave is on private property and is only available via special permission from the owner.

Exploring Wild Caves in Texas

Most of the remaining caverns and sinkholes in Texas are on private land and do not offer public tours. Some of them can be explored with special permits, however. The best way to get access to these wild caves is to take a field trip with a formal grotto club. These clubs are formed by spelunkers and specialize in education on caving techniques and exploring local caverns as a group. They also participate in conservation and research efforts. Due to their expertise and commitment to conservation, they can often gain access to private caves. There are around a dozen caving grottos in Texas . If you’re interested in wild spelunking in Texas, make contact with the closest grotto.

Closing Thoughts

We hope you enjoyed this list of caves in Texas! From dramatic sinkholes to epic show caves, The Lonestar State has it all. Pick one to add to your road trip, or take on the Texas Cave Trail and explore them all! Most of these cave experiences can easily be paired with city adventures, Route 66 attractions, or dude ranch experiences to form a well-rounded Texas vacation!

Did you know that Texas is home to the second-largest canyon in the United States? Yep! Palo Duro Canyon, just outside of Amarillo, is a stunner, and you can find details for it and all the rest of the best canyons in the United States on our new canyon guide !

For more awesome Texas experiences, get off the beaten track with these “ 30 Top-Notch Small Towns in Texas .”

Frequently Asked Questions

Measuring cave systems is notoriously difficult, but the largest known commercial cave system in Texas is Natural Bridge Cavern .

Texas has more than 9,000 caves and sinkholes. Some of the most popular for touring are the Cave Without a Name , Cascade Caverns , and Inner Space Cavern .

The best caves to tour in Texas are the Wonder Cave near San Marcos , the caves of Kickapoo Caverns State Park , and the Caverns of Sonora .

There are several show caves in Texas that are appropriate for adventurers of all skill levels. Explore the Cave Without a Name , Natural Bridge Caverns , or Cascade Caverns .

Texas is a wonderland of adventure. Explore the quirky attractions of Route 66 , see the hundreds of caves around, hike in Palo Duro Canyon or Big Bend National Park, or hang out in the vibrant cities !

Featured Products & Activities

Texas Cave Trail

One passport. five caves. unforgettable..

How it Works

Pick up your passport at any of the 5 caves. or print your own., obtain a cave-specific passport stamp at each cave you visit., at the last cave, exchange your completed passport for your free t-shirt..

Cave Without a Name

The 7th longest cave in Texas, Cave Without a Name sits just outside of Boerne, Texas and ties into the underground Guadalupe River.

Caverns of Sonora

With 'beauty that cannot be exaggerated even by a Texan', the Caverns of Sonora are located just outside of Sonora, Texas.

Inner Space Cavern

Discovered during the construction of Interstate 35, Inner Space Cavern is located in Georgetown, Texas.

Longhorn Cavern State Park

Less than 90 minutes from Austin, Longhorn Cavern State Park is a unique Hill Country destination full of natural beauty and Texas-sized tales.

Natural Bridge Caverns

Located near San Antonio, Natural Bridge Caverns is the largest commercially operated cavern in Texas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do i pickup my passport, at any participating cave.

The first cave you visit will provide your passport. There is one spot for each cave, to be stamped during your visit to that cave. Each person needs their own passport. To print or view the passport, please click here.

When do I get my Shirt?

At the last participating cave.

When you visit the last cave on your passport, simply exchange your completed passport for your free tee shirt.

Can I see them all in one day?

Texas is vast and so are its beautiful caverns and caves. It would be impossible to view all five caves in a single day. Why rush though? Thousands of years in the making, Texas' underground worlds await you whether it's a weekend trip or a year-long itinerary.

Is there a deadline for completion?

Within 1 year of your start date.

Passports must be completed within one year of your start date (your visit to the first cave on your passport) to be valid. The passport must be completed and exchanged for your free tee shirt within one year of the start date recorded on your passport.

Are the caves connected?

Not exactly....

The extent of true connectivity is not known for all cave systems in Texas. The caves that comprise the Texas Cave Trail all offer their own unique beauty.

Does each person need a passport?

The Texas Cave Trail is for individuals and families, but remember each person will need their own passport. Tickets must be purchased at each cave for each child regardless of age.

Can my group do this?

The Texas Cave Trail is intended for families and individuals and is not available for those receiving group rates.

© Copyright 2024 Texas Cave Trail | All Rights Reserved

Website design by frey creative media.

Eleven miles northeast of Boerne, in the heart of the scenic, rolling hills of the Texas Hill Country, Cave Without a Name is a natural, living cavern. Some say the most beautiful in Texas.

The Cave is filled with spectacular formations of Stalactites, Stalagmites, delicate Soda Straws, Cave Drapery, magnificent Flowstones, Rimstone Dams, and more. Enjoy an approximate 60-minute guided tour of the six major rooms in comfort; 66 degrees year-round, easy walkways, brilliant lighting. Visit the photo gallery for a sneak preview, then plan an unforgettable adventure you will remember forever...

Reservations

Reservations are requested to ensure tour availability . To make a reservation for individuals or groups, call (830) 537-4212 during business hours or contact us with your date, number in your party, and preferred time ( between Memorial Day through Labor Day 9 AM, 10, 11, 12 PM, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5; for the rest of the year 10 AM, 11, 12 PM, 1, 2, 3, or 4.) Please arrive about 20 minutes before your tour time to purchase your tickets for your tour. If you come without a reservation, we will put you on the next open tour, and you may have a wait time. Online reservations are not available on our website at this time.

Throne Room Music

With a combination of dynamic acoustics and nature's natural backdrop (too beautiful for words), both performers and guests declare concerts in the Cave Throne Room as most memorable. Check the event calenda r for upcoming shows. View previous musical performances in the cave .

Summers are cool in the cave!

Summers are really hot in Texas but a guided tour at Cave Without A Name is cool in so many ways. As you descend into the cave, the air grows cooler by the step. Some ninety feet under earth’s surface, you enjoy nature’s natural air conditioner. The year round temperature in the cave is 66 ° !

There is even a cool ice cream cone in the cave plus an array of other shapes to name and describe. Nature’s artistic designs are so plentiful at Cave Without A Name, one discovers something new with every visit.

Cool is one of the terms for views in the cave. Others are fabulous, fantastic, magnificent, amazing, and on and on.

Visit soon and find your own superlative to describe the beauty of nature.

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Texas Cave Trail Road Trip

By chet | March 23, 2017

Central Texas is well known for its sprawling hills, pristine rivers and all-around breathtaking views — but, what you may not know that its just as mesmerizing down below as it is on top. That’s because it’s home to four of the most incredible caves in Texas: Inner Space Caverns, Natural Bridge Caverns, Cave Without a Name and Caverns of Sonora. And what’s even cooler is that these four caves have teamed up to make one EPIC road trip called the “ Texas Cave Trail. ”

Starting this year, when you visit one of the caves on the trail you’ll receive a passport or you can print one . Your mission should you choose to accept it (and you should cause it’s awesome) is to take that passport and visit the three other caves in any order within a year to get stamps for each one. Not only will you walk away with an experience unlike any other, but you’ll also receive a FREE T-SHIRT at the end of your cave-trippin’ journey! Read on to learn more about your destinations.

Here’s the Map:

Inner space caverns – georgetown, tx.

Courtesy of Inner Space Caverns.

The caverns were first discovered when highway crews were checking to see if the ground was sound enough to build Interstate 35 on it in 1963 — it was, but they found the Inner Space Caverns when their drill bit got stuck in the limestone below. Explore the massive cathedral-like rooms in these caves on foot on the Adventures Tour or crawl through undeveloped sections of the cave on the Hidden Passages Tour. Either way, there’s nothing more awe-inspiring than the rumble of cars passing on the highway overhead or the complete darkness you can experience in the caves. One sight you can’t miss is the Lake of the Moon — a sight that seems more fitting for astronauts in a spaceship.

Natural Bridge Caverns – San Antonio, TX

Courtesy of Natural Bridge Caverns

Natural Bridge is the largest show cave in Texas, with tours leading you down 180 feet beneath the earth! You can explore the depths by taking a walking Discovery Tour where you’ll learn about the ancient stalactites and stalagmites or you can get an up-close and personal look at these giant formations on the Hidden Passages tour as you venture through untouched parts of the cave and experience total darkness. If you’re really up for a challenge you can take the Lantern Tour where your only source of light is a few lanterns; you’ll see what it was like when the cave was first discovered by college students in 1960. When you’re done exploring underground, head back to the surface for ziplining and a giant maze. See our time at Natural Bridge here .

Cave Without a Name – Boerne, TX

Yes, the Cave without a Name is the actual name of this “nameless” cave…confused yet? After it was discovered by three children, the town hosted a contest to decide a name for the cave. One entry said “That cave is too beautiful for a name” — and well, the rest is history. But the name (or rather non-name?) of this cave is not the only cool thing here. You can tour Cave Without a Name and see the many breathtaking formations or attend a musical performance inside the cave where amazing acoustics and wondrous rock formations combine to make one incredibly unique opportunity. See our time in the cave here .

Caverns of Sonora – Sonora, TX

Courtesy of Sonora Caverns.

This beautiful cave halfway between the Hill Country and West Texas was actually discovered when a dog chased a raccoon into the caves in the 1920s. Take in the astounding sights of this cave to find alien rock formations and otherworldly beauty on a Crystal Palace Tour or become Indiana Jones and rappel down into the dark depths of the cave on the Discovery Challenge. If you’d rather, you can capture every rock, water droplet and moment on a Photography Tour.

Get to exploring and find more information about the Texas Cave Trail here !

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10 Cool Caves in Texas for Exploring Underground

Posted by Cindy Brzostowski September 15, 2022 Updated September 14, 2022

Who’s up for some Texas-style spelunking?

If you’re looking for something interesting and new to do, maybe it’s time you stop looking above ground for some ideas and check out what’s going on beneath the surface…literally. Texas has many different caves that are open to the public, and walking through one is a fascinating experience whether you’re a kid or an adult.

Once you start visiting a cave or two, you’ll realize how different they can be from one another, each showcasing a unique arrangement of chambers and formations. Here are some of the coolest caves in Texas to get your underground adventures going. How many caves can you check off the list?

1. Natural Bridge Caverns

Outside of San Antonio, Natural Bridge Caverns is one of the most famous caves in the whole state, if not the most famous. Considered the largest known commercial caverns in Texas, they offer an assortment of tours. If you just want the standard tour through the cave highlights, go for the Discovery Tour. If you want something a little different, try the Hidden Passages or Adventure Tours — this one requires you to really get down and dirty so be prepared!

Aside from the cave itself, a whole entertainment complex has been built up on the surface with zip rails, a ropes course, a maze, and more. It’s a pretty different scene here than what it was back in 1960 when a group of college students got permission from the landowners to lead expeditions into the passages.

Related Read: 5 Must-Do Scenic Train Rides in Texas

2. Cave Without a Name

It’s not that someone just didn’t bother to make a name for this cave, which you can find over in Boerne. Designated as a National Natural Landmark, it really is officially named “ Cave Without a Name .” The story goes that when the cave was being developed for public visitation decades ago (it opened in 1939), they held a naming contest. Supposedly one young boy said the cave was too pretty to have a name and thus his suggestion ended up winning.

Just how pretty is it, you ask? So pretty that some people hold weddings and concerts inside one of the chambers called The Queen’s Throne Room. Reservations are required to join a tour, which lasts around one hour long and takes you through six formation rooms. You should definitely keep an eye on the calendar for their musical performances too since it’s not every day you can say you listened to a string quartet underground.

3. Caverns of Sonora

If you find yourself driving down I-10 on the way to or from West Texas, you can make a nice road trip stop at Caverns of Sonora . While people were said to have been exploring this cave back in the early 1920s, it wasn’t until 1959 that it started being developed. Officially opening to the public in 1960, this cave offers guided walking tours that take about 1 hour and 45 minutes and wind through nearly two miles of passages.

Caverns of Sonora are a little bit warmer than some other caves you may have visited with the temperature sitting at 72 degrees Fahrenheit and 98% humidity so dress appropriately. If you happen to have your dog with you, know that they’re not allowed to come into the cave but they do have on-site kennels you can use while you’re touring down below.

Related Read: 10 Romantic Cabins in Texas for Quiet Weekends Away

4. Inner Space Cavern

Inner Space Cavern lies just north of Austin, right off of I-35. The highway part is important because that’s actually how the cavern was discovered. In 1963, a Texas Highway Department team was here drilling and found the place that was hidden for thousands of years. Three years later, it opened to visitors.

There are a few different tours you can join here, depending on your interests. The standard Adventure Tour goes through the biggest and most beautiful rooms. Then, there’s the Hidden Passages Tour lets you explore more rugged areas by flashlight. For something off the beaten path, there’s the Wild Cave Tour where you’ll have to squeeze, crawl, and climb. Before you leave, check out Inner Space Caverns’ Saber Tooth zip ride, or let your little ones pan for gemstones and fossils.

5. Longhorn Cavern State Park

texas caves - Longhorn Cavern State Park

West of Austin close to Burnet, Longhorn Cavern State Park has quite a colorful history. In the past, the Comanche, the Confederate Army, and outlaws are all said to have made use of the cave. Interestingly, one of the chambers was even transformed into a dance hall and restaurant during the 1920s and 1930s if you can believe it, and soon after the whole place was opened for public visitation.

You have two options when visiting: You can either join the Cavern Walking Tour or the Wild Cave Tour. The former is offered 364 days a year and is the classic 90-minute option. The latter is for adventure seekers who are up for climbing and crawling for two to three hours in an undeveloped portion of the cave.

Related Read: 15 Best Texas Water Parks to Cool Down & Get Wild

6. Kickapoo Cavern State Park

texas caves - Kickapoo Cavern State Park

Whenever you’re in West Texas, consider making a trip to Kickapoo Cavern State Park in Brackettville. The park actually has 20 caves, but the two biggest ones are Kickapoo Cavern and Stuart Bat Cave. Please don’t try and go exploring them on your own though. It’s not allowed, and you can easily make a reservation to join one of the Saturday guided cave tours. The tours last around three hours and because the cave is undeveloped, it can require a bit more physical exertion than some of these other show caves.

Conveniently, Kickapoo Cavern State Park does offer overnight camping for tents and RVs so you can spend the touring the place, rest up in the area, and then hit the road again.

7. Cascade Caverns

Just outside of Boerne, Cascade Caverns offers one-hour-long tours through its depths. The temperature remains at a cool 64 degrees Fahrenheit, so even if it’s the height of summer, you’ll be able to enjoy your outing here. You may even prefer to come in the summer since that’s the season they offer their Adventure Tour, a three to four-hour long spelunking tour complete with helmets and flashlights. If you really love the idea of journeying through a cave by flashlight, then go for Evening Flashlight Tour. They only use flashlights and candles on that one, giving you a better sense of how dark the cave is.

When you think of cave wildlife, you may just think of bats, but Cascade Caverns actually has a special species of salamander living in it (aptly named the Cascade Cavern Salamander) among other frogs and insects.

Related Read: 13 Awesome Things to Do in Lubbock, Texas

8. Bracken Cave

Bracken Cave is different from the other caves on this list as it’s not about exploring the inside of it but witnessing what comes out of it. That sounds spooky, but it’s really quite amazing. Bracken Cave is home to the world’s largest bat colony. So how large is large? There are over 15 million Mexican free-tailed bats that live here. Every night in the summer, the bats pour out of the cave in an incredible swarm to go feed.

If you want to see the action for yourself, you’ll have to make an advanced reservation since the cave is a sensitive area located on private property. Most of the viewings are reserved for members of Bat Conservation International, which you can join, but you can check their schedule to find the occasional general public viewing.

9. Devil’s Sinkhole State Natural Area

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Whitney Hutto Lagasse (@whitney_h_l)

Not too far away from Kickapoo Cavern State Park, Devil’s Sinkhole State Natural Area offers another opportunity to watch a massive bat colony emerge from a cavern for its food hunt. This is wildlife, not some amusement park show, so there’s no guarantee about what time these Mexican free-tailed bats will come out or whether they’ll come out at all. But, you can give it a shot by joining one of the bat flight tours running May through October.

Wondering where this place gets its name? It’s because it’s a 50-foot wide shaft that leads into a cavern that’s over 320 feet and 350 feet. Now that’s definitely not something you’d want to accidentally fall into.

Related Read: 10 Fun Outdoor Activities in San Antonio, Texas

10. Wonder World Cave & Adventure Park

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Over in San Marcos, there’s Wonder World Cave & Adventure Park . The cave highlighted its name was discovered in 1893 and then in 1903, it became a tourist attraction with visitors paying 10 cents to go on a candlelit guided tour. That history is why you’ll see it marketed as the first commercial show cave open in Texas.

You’ll see more than the cave on one of their guided tours. The two-hour-long trek also includes a visit to the 120-foot observation tower, a stop at the anti-gravity house, and a train ride through the wildlife park (you can get animal feed to give the wildlife along the way). For more fun, play some games in the arcade room, or have your kids try their hand at some “gem mining.”

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Cindy Brzostowski is a freelance writer focusing on travel and other lifestyle content. Originally from Texas, she is currently based in Berlin. Her work has been featured in Travel & Leisure, Thrillist, TripSavvy, Food & Wine, The Infatuation, and more.

When not writing, reading, or eating, you can probably find her making an itinerary for her next adventure or dreaming about pizza.

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Located in Boerne, Texas

Texas Downunder

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Over 100 Million Years Old

Many of the cave’s spectacular features grew over millions of years as water mixed with Calcite to form a wonderland of dripstone and flowstone formations known as stalactites, stalagmites and draperies.

230 Feet Deep

at the deepest lower level

1/2 Mile Long

approx length of the caverns

average cave temperature

Wet Surface

wear shoes and clothes able to get wet

A cave drapery is a type of speleothem (a type of cave formation) that forms when water containing dissolved minerals flows down a sloping ceiling of a cave. As the water evaporates, the minerals are left behind, forming a thin, sheet-like deposit. Over time, these deposits build up, forming a cave drapery.

A stalactite is a mineral formation that hangs from the ceiling of a cave. It is formed when water containing dissolved minerals seeps through the cave ceiling and drips onto the floor. As the water evaporates, the minerals are left behind, forming a layer of mineral deposits. Over time, these deposits build up, forming a stalactite. An easy way to remember Stalactite - they need to hang on TIGHT so they don't fall off the ceiling.

A stalagmite is a type of rock formation that rises from the floor of a cave due to the accumulation of material deposited on the floor from ceiling drippings. Stalagmites are typically composed of calcium carbonate, but may consist of lava, mud, peat, pitch, sand, sinter, and amberat. An easy way to remember Stalagmite - they MIGHT reach the top of the cave.

A cave column is a speleothem (a type of cave formation) that forms over millions of years when a stalactite and a stalagmite meet. Stalactites are mineral deposits that hang from the ceiling of a cave, while stalagmites are mineral deposits that rise from the floor of a cave. When the two meet, they form a column that spans the width of the cave.

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Exploring Austin's Caves and Caverns

Austin and the surrounding Texas Hill Country features incredibly diverse landscapes, offering everything from green, rolling hills to limestone cliffs to rocky riverbeds to mesquite and pine forests. But the area also contains a lesser-known, hidden treasure—the intricate underground cave systems scattered throughout surrounding counties.

Visitors seeking a guided tour of these subterranean networks or a more technical, hands-on adventure can find options in every direction from Austin. Here’s an overview of some of the most fantastic access points to the Hill Country’s underworld.

Inner Space Caverns

Inner Space Caverns are just north of Austin in Georgetown, Texas, and they provide the opportunity for inexperienced, curious cavers to see a wild underground world of a cave that was "hidden" for more than 10,000 years. Guided tours are available for all skill levels and all degrees of adventure. Visitors can take a low-key tour through the living cavern or join something a bit more adventurous. One tour takes guests through the cavern’s hidden passages, while another takes you through “off-trail” and into undeveloped sections of the cave.

Bullet Cave on Barton Creek Greenbelt

Accessible by way of the Barton Creek Greenbelt, Bullet Cave is a cave for self-guided explorers seeking a glimpse into Austin’s underground. At just 100 feet long, you can immerse yourself into complete darkness, crawling through 40 feet of a narrow passageway into what area cavers call the Ritual Room — a section of the cave that’s 8 feet wide and 15 feet high. From there, a narrow, 20-foot crawlspace takes explorers to the backside of the cave, where you must turn back and venture out the same way you came in.

Cave Without a Name

Less than two hours southwest of Austin, you’ll find Kendall County’s Cave Without a Name — a cave that many call the most beautiful in Texas. Guided tours take visitors through six different rooms, all with spectacular rock formations including stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, cave drapery, flowstones, and rimstone dams. While the cave itself is beautiful to explore, Cave Without a Name also takes advantage of its incredible acoustics and hosts musical performances, all underground.

Longhorn Caverns

Longhorn Caverns are another local cave system accessible by guided tour. Located in Burnet County within Longhorn Caverns State Park, the 11-mile cave has a rich geological history, told best by the guides who give tours of the cave’s lower levels paired with powerful storytelling about the cave’s history and the prehistoric creatures who once called this tract of land home. Visitors are guided through passageways and corridors with proper safety equipment, with a promise of getting both dirty and wet.

If you're a thrill seeker, check out our guide to indoor and outdoor rock climbing in Austin , so you can find another way to explore Austin's geological wonders.

Contributed by RootsRated.

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Caverns in Texas – 12 Best Caves & Cave Tours Near You from Houston

Posted by Abigail C. | Aug 12, 2023 | Things To Do In Houston | 0

Caverns in Texas – 12 Best Caves & Cave Tours Near You from Houston

Looking for caverns in Texas? Are you from Houston but want to explore the best caves in Texas? Luckily, there’s a great mix of both!

Before we dive into the different bat caves in Texas or caverns Texas has to offer, what’s the difference between the two? Well, while used interchangeably, a cave is a naturally occurring cavity in the ground that is large enough for a human to enter. On the other hand, a cavern is a larger cave, typically with high ceilings and open chambers.

Let’s check out the best “salt cave near me” or cool cavern that everyone should visit at least once!

Editor’s Note: Our staff works hard to bring you the latest information. However, all information mentioned in this article is subject to change. As always, please confirm before heading out.

Also, check out our recent articles on Waterfalls in Texas , Camping in Texas , 20 Best Road Trips from Houston , and 20 Swimming Holes in Texas !

Caverns in Texas – Caves Texas

Inner space cavern.

Caverns in Texas | Image Credit: Inner Space Cavern

This cavern is known for its well-preserved fossils, including the remains of a saber-toothed cat and a giant ground sloth. If this showed up in the results for “cavern near me,” it also has a variety of other unique formations, including cave bacon!

Location : 4200 S I-35 Frontage Rd, Georgetown, TX 78626 Operating Hours : Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm | Saturday – Sunday: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm Cost : Adventure Tour $21.95 per adult (Monday – Thursday); $15.95 per child (4-12 years old) & $22.95 per adult (Friday – Sunday); $16.95 per child (4-12 years old); Children under 3 years old FREE | Hidden Passages Tour $26.95 per adult (Monday – Thursday); $18.95 per child (7-12 years old) & $27.95 per adult (Friday – Sunday); $19.95 per child (4-12 years old) | Wild Cave Tour $125 per person (13 years old+) | Ice Age Tour $28.95 per person (13 years old+); $20.95 per child (6-12 years old)

Driving time from Houston : ~2 hours & 45 minutes

Longhorn Caverns State Park

This is one of the Texas caverns that are known for its large, open chambers and its colorful formations. Looking for “caves near me?” Longhorn Caverns was once used as a hideout by the infamous outlaw Sam Bass.

Location : 6211 Park Road 4 S, Burnet, TX 78611 Operating Hours : Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm | Saturday – Sunday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm Cost : Cavern Walking Tour $22.25 per adult (12 years old+); $18.25 per child (4-11 years old) | Wild Cave Tour $100.25 per person

Driving time from Houston : ~3 hours & 33 minutes

Natural Bridge Caverns

Caverns in Texas | Image Credit: Natural Bridge Caverns

Looking for “cave tours near me?” These are the largest known commercial caverns in the U.S. state of Texas. The caverns are home to a variety of unique formations, including stalactites, stalagmites, flowstones, and cave pearls. They also have a 60-foot natural limestone bridge that spans the entrance to the caverns.

Location : 26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Rd, San Antonio, TX 78266 Operating Hours : Daily 8:30 am – 7:30 pm Cost : St. Mary’s Adventure Tour $129.99 per person | Discovery Adventure Tour $169.99 per person | Adult Cavern Tour $26.50 – $32.75

Driving time from Houston : ~3 hours & 2 minutes

The Cave Without a Name

Caverns in Texas | Image Credit: The Cave Without a Name

A top contender for “caverns near me,” this one is known for its unusual formations, including cave popcorn, which are small, round formations that look like popcorn kernels. Cave Without a Name also has a variety of other unique features, including a waterfall that flows through the cave and a room that is filled with thousands of bats.

Location : 325 Kreutzberg Rd, Boerne, TX 78006 Operating Hours : Daily 9:00 am – 6:00 pm Cost : Children under 6 years old FREE | Standard $22 per adult; $11 per child (6-12 years old) | Military/Senior $20 per adult; $10 per child (6-12 years old) | Group Rates (12 or more paying guests) $17 per adult; $9.25 per child (6-12 years old)

Driving time from Houston : ~3 hours & 42 minutes

Caverns of Sonora

Caverns in Texas | Image Credit: Caverns of Sonora

Another one of the caverns in TX, the Caverns of Sonora is known for its beautiful formations, including helictites, which are twisted, spiraling formations that are rarely found in other caves or spots that show up in “crystal caves near me”. These Texas caverns are a top result for “salt caves near me” which also have a variety of wildlife, including bats, cave crickets, and cave salamanders.

Location : 1711 Private Rd 4468, Sonora, TX 76950 Operating Hours : Daily 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Cost : Crystal Palace Tour Children under 4 years old FREE; $28 per adult; $22 per child (4-11 years old) | Horseshoe Lake Tour Children under 4 years old FREE; $24 per adult; $18 per child (4-11 years old)

Driving time from Houston : ~5 hours & 34 minutes

Cascade Caverns

Caverns in Texas | Image Credit: Cascade Caverns

These could be the “best caverns near me” as the Cascade Caverns are known for their waterfalls and their variety of formations. Cascade Caverns is also home to a variety of wildlife, including bats, cave crickets, and cave salamanders.

Location : 226 Cascade Cavern, Boerne, TX 78015 Operating Hours : Daily 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Cost : Daily Downunder Tours Children under 4 years old FREE; $19.95 per adult; $14.95 per child (4-11 years old)

Driving time from Houston : ~3 hours & 25 minutes

Caverns in Texas – Best Caves

Colorado bend state park.

Caverns in Texas | Image Credit: Colorado Bend State Park

This park has some of the best Texas caves around but is also a popular spot for camping, hiking, and fishing. If you’re looking for “cavern tours near me,” head here!

Location : 2236 Park Hill Dr, Bend, TX 76824 Operating Hours : Daily 6:00 am – 10:00 pm Cost : Adventure Tour $25 per person (8 years old+)

Driving time from Houston : ~4 hours & 1 minute

Wonder World Cave and Adventure Park

Caverns in Texas | Image Credit: Wonder World Cave Adventure Park

Choose this option out of all of the different suggestions in “cave near me.” Wonder World Cave is known for its colorful formations and its variety of wildlife!

Location : 1000 Prospect St, San Marcos, TX 78666 Operating Hours : Monday – Friday 10:00 am – 7:00 pm | Saturday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm | Sunday 9:00 am – 7:00 pm Cost : Cave Tour Children under 4 years old FREE; $23.95 per adult; $17.95 per child (4-12 years old) | Train Ride Children under 4 years old FREE; $14.95 per person | All-in-one Ticket $7 Children under 4 years old & $5 per military child; $31.95 per adult & $26.95 per military adult; $23 per child (4-12 years old) & $18.95 per military child; $26.95 per Senior Citizen (65 years old+)

Driving time from Houston : ~2 hours & 40 minutes

Kickapoo Cavern State Natural Area

Caverns in Texas | Image Credit: Kickapoo Cavern

This cave Texas is home to is known for its large, open chambers and its colorful formations. The State Park is also a popular spot for camping, hiking, and fishing. If you want the best ‘cave tour near me,” Kickapoo cavern is a spot you should check ou!

Location : 20939 Ranch to Market Rd 674 N, Brackettville, TX 78832 Operating Hours : Saturday 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm Cost : Cave tour $10 per person

Driving time from Houston : ~5 hours & 25 minutes

Devil’s Sinkhole State Natural Area

Caverns in Texas | Image Credit: Devil’s Sinkhole

Enjoy one of the coolest cave tours in Texas and the Devil’s Sinkhole, a cavern that’s more than 350ft deep! This cave in Texas is a must-see.

Location : Rocksprings, TX 78880 Operating Hours : Sunday 10:00 am – 3:00 pm Cost : Morning Bat Flight Tours $20 per adult; $10 per child (1-11 years old) | Evening Bat Flight Tour Children under 4 years old FREE; $14 per adult; $11 per senior (65 years old+); $6 per child (4-12 years old)

Driving time from Houston : ~4 hours & 58 minutes

Bracken Cave

Caverns in Texas | Image Credit: Bracken Cave

This is one of the “caves to explore near me” that is home to the largest colony of Mexican free-tailed bats in the world. Bracken Cave is also a popular spot for cave tours and bat-watching.

Location : 26101 FM3009, San Antonio, TX 78266 Operating Hours : Not stated Cost : Member Bat Flights $10 per adult | Public Bat Flights $30 per person

Driving time from Houston : ~2 hours & 58 minutes

Frio Bat Cave

Caverns in Texas | Image Credit: Frio Bat Cave

As one of the most popular caves in Texas, the bat flight is a popular tourist attraction, and visitors can watch the bats from a viewing platform located near the cave.

Location : Farm to Market 2690, Concan, TX 78838 Operating Hours : Daily 7:00 pm Cost : Bat Tour Children under 6 years old FREE; $12 per adult; $10 per child (6-10 years old); $11 per military/veteran/first responder; $11 per senior (60 years old+)

Driving time from Houston : ~4 hours & 9 minutes

Looking for Caverns in other cities? Check out these articles – Caverns San Antonio and Caverns Austin .

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The Incredible Cave Tour To Experience In Austin, Texas

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Earlier this spring, I visited Austin with my family, and one of our day trips from the city took us to the Inner Space Cavern in quaint Georgetown . Only 25 miles north of Austin and right on Interstate 35, the cavern is easy to reach and offers something for everyone.

After being discovered in 1963, the cave opened commercially in 1966 and now offers three different guided tours for visitors. The most popular “Adventure Tour” lasts about an hour while a guide leads the group on a paved, lit trail through the largest rooms. The “Hidden Passages Tour” offers a closer look at the cave and its passages. Groups are much smaller, and guests carry their own flashlights while a guide leads them along an undeveloped trail through often narrow passages and some larger rooms. But the hardest, most adventurous “Wild Cave Tour” is not for your everyday visitor. It’s 4 hours long and offers an adventure for spelunkers since it includes crawling through narrow and low passages.

We opted to take the Hidden Passages Tour for a more intimate look at the cave, its formations, and its passages.

The Hidden Passages Tour Offers A More Intimate Look At The Cave

Our guide, a retired science teacher, gathered our small group and gave us each our own lantern to carry through the cave. He explained we would walk through dark passages in the cave along an undeveloped, often uneven trail that is muddy in some places. The round trip would take us about 1.5 hours, he explained, and we would cover about a mile during that time.

The underground walk was an adventure and a great learning experience. Walking on the uneven surface, stepping in puddles or mud in some places, getting “cave-kissed” (drops of water landing on us), and seeing only as much as our flashlight allowed, we felt like explorers.

At one point, our guide had us all turn off our lights. That’s when we understood the real meaning of pitch dark. Outside a cave with the sky above, even on the darkest nights, you see some light from even the faintest stars. But underground, we experienced such true, pitch darkness, where we couldn’t even see our own hands near our eyes. You would need to rely on all your other senses if you were to be stranded without a light in a cave.

Then, before even having us turn on any of the lanterns, he shone his on the surrounding rocks. Some of them glowed under his light.

Inner Space Cavern glow of the lit-up rooms.

Exploring The Cave Offers Lessons Of Geology

One of the best-preserved caves in Texas, the Inner Space Cavern is a karst cave formed in the Edwards limestone of Texas. During the tour, we learned the cave was formed in the Mesozoic Era, between 60 to 100 million years ago, by underwater currents when the area was under the Permian Sea. Groundwater seeping through layers of the limestone continued the process over thousands of years. But limestone is not the only rock present in the cave.

As we walked deeper into the cavern, our guide pointed out different rocks. The difference between the rocks was most obvious when we turned our lights off, and he pointed his own UV light at different areas of the cavern walls and formations.

Some rocks were glowing in different colors, while others stayed dark. We learned about calcite and other fluorescent minerals of different colors that can temporarily absorb light. Some of them can hold on to it even after the light is turned off.

We witnessed this phenomenon, too, in the depths of the Inner Space Cavern. In fact, our guide was moving his light above some areas of the cave walls, “drawing” on them. After he turned off his light, we watched the rocks still emit light for a few seconds before our surroundings turned pitch dark once again, and we turned on our own lights to continue the tour.

… Also In Paleontology

Even before entering the cave, you’ll find a fossil display in the visitor center. Found in the cave, the fossils offer a history of the ancient animals that lived in the area.

When they started exploring the cave, paleontologists found fossils and bones of at least 44 different species, 11 of which are now extinct. Among these are the Colombian mammoth, giant ground sloth, saber-toothed cat, and an extinct pronghorn. However, as we found out later from our guide, the most common remains found belong to peccaries.

Inside the cave, the guide showed us several fossils of smaller creatures on the walls of the cave, right near the trail. They were easy to see if we knew where to shine our lights on.

You Can See Hibernating Bats Up-Close

Since we visited in early spring, we saw bats up-close still hibernating in the cave.

In fact, this cave is one of only a few places where we can see hibernating bats up close. We stopped several times when our guide pointed out a few, hanging from the cave’s ceiling or hidden in different formations.

One was even sleeping near the trail, so close that we could’ve touched him. Though I’ve seen bats before, this was the closest I ever came to one.

The bats of the Inner Space Cavern are the tiny tricolored bats (Perimyotis subflavus), earning their name with the three colors of the hairs on their back. They are one of the smallest bat species, known for their unusual tolerance of human activity nearby. However, the ones in these caves learned to be especially tolerant since everyone who enters the cave knows not to touch or harm them.

A 7-minute film about bats was playing in the visitor center, giving visitors the opportunity to learn about them even before entering the cave. The video explains facts about the tricolored bats of the cave and bats around the world.

… And Marvel At The Cave Formations

Stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, and many other formations lined our path during the tour. Some of the soda straws even grew sideways, something I’ve never seen before in a cave. They seem to defy gravity, and scientists can only guess how they formed.

And while marveling at the stalactites, we learned they help scientists measure rainfall in any year. Like the tree rings above ground, the stalactites also have rings that show their growth related to rainfall. The thicker rings show more rainfall, while the thinner rings show less in the same time period.

We walked by openings to large rooms. Shining our light into them revealed more interesting formations like stalactites and stalagmites facing each other, some almost touching, others forming a column.

Other times, our guide pointed out narrow passageways the 4-hour-long tour would take; some of them looked like even when crawling, a person could barely fit through. Though I would not dare to do it, I could see why it would be fun for someone who loves caves.

While Learning About The Cave’s Interesting History

Hidden for 14,000 years, the Inner Space Cavern is now under Interstate 35 — during quiet moments, we could hear the rumble of the traffic on the road above. Though no one likes the busy highway above now, building it was the reason the cave became known.

As we learned on the tour, the Texas Highway Department core drilling team discovered it while building the road in the spring of 1963. While drilling to test for safety, their drill dropped, revealing the well-preserved natural cavern.

The Texas Speleological Society explored and mapped the cave, from tight passages to large, cathedral-like rooms. Besides several tight tunnels and the sticky mud, they found the cave safe and easy to walk through, so by 1966, they opened it to visitors.

Practical Things To Know When Visiting The Inner Space Cavern

Since it is a living cave, meaning it is still forming and changing, it is very important to remember not to touch the walls or any of the formations. Even the smallest cave formations take thousands of years to develop, and the oils on our skin would stop their growth; getting dirt on them would also damage them as the dirt would become embedded in the formation.

They advise you not to take this tour if you are claustrophobic. Discuss your concerns with your guide, who will help you decide if you should do it or take the Adventure Tour instead. In my experience, if you stay close to your guide, and keep your flashlight lit (though make sure you don’t shine it in someone’s face), you should be alright. But if you don’t mind crowds, the Adventure Tour can be an alternative, since you’ll only go to well-lit, large rooms.

Inside, the cave is always a comfortable 72 degrees, though it feels warmer with the humidity. Though this means you don’t need to worry about the clothes you wear, it is important to pay attention to your footwear. Wear comfortable, closed shoes, preferable sneakers, since the ground is not always level and it might be muddy in several places.

For more ideas on what to do in Texas , check out these articles:

6 Unique Stops On A Road Trip From San Antonio To Marfa, Texas
7 Unique And Quirky Places To Stay In Texas
My 10 Favorite State Parks To Visit In Texas

Emese Fromm is a Phoenix-based freelance travel writer, translator, and language instructor. Besides TravelAwaits , you can find her travel articles in Lonely Planet, Roadtrippers Magazine , Matador Network, and GoNOMAD, among other publications. A native Hungarian from Transylvania (Romania), Emese grew up surrounded by multiple cultures and speaks several languages. Three decades after leaving Romania, this background still helps her appreciate and connect with people of different backgrounds, which shows up in her articles, which highlight the culture, history, and legends of the places she visits. Besides writing for online travel magazines, she publishes a travel blog, teaches Hungarian as a foreign language, and works as a freelance translator.

School groups tour the cave through May!

Depending on the size of groups, tour times may change. If visiting on a weekday, please call (512)931-2283 to check for tour times.

Open Mon-Fri 9-4, Sat-Sun 10-5

Welcome to Inner Space Cavern!

Hidden for over 10,000 years, Inner Space Cavern is one of the best-preserved caves in Texas. It was discovered by a Texas Highway Department core drilling team in the spring of 1963 and was opened to the public in the summer of 1966. Since that time, hundreds of thousands of visitors have seen this beautiful cave.

Our amazing cave has beautiful formations, large rooms, prehistoric animal bones, and a truly unique discovery story. It remains a constant 72 degrees (but feels like 80 degrees with the humidity) year round and it does NOT flood during rains.

The Saber Tooth Zip Ride

a super exciting zip ride. Click here for more information.

Directions: 4200 S. I-35 FRONTAGE RD. GEORGETOWN, TX 78626

Open all days except Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Easter Day.

Summer is the ideal time to explore the cracks and crevices in Texas Hill Country’s cool, dark caverns. So if you’re looking to avoid the Texas heat, but still enjoy the outdoors, consider touring one of the numerous caves across the Austin area.

These five caves take the lead among the rest and generally only take an hour or two to explore; one even offers performances in its underground music room. With year-round temperatures in the high 60s to low 70s, you might even want to bring a light sweater for your tour. If a drop finds its way on your shoulder don’t worry, cave kisses are good luck.

Natural Bridge Caverns

If touring the biggest cave in Texas is your goal, head to Natural Bridge Caverns with its 60-foot limestone slab that forms a natural bridge. Four students from a nearby college discovered this cave in 1960, but the findings here are ongoing as cave explorers continue deeper into the cave. The Hidden Passage Tour is the tour for the newest cave additions. During the early summer, visitors can see the caverns along with nearby Bracken Bat Cave’s 15 million bats emerge with a special, limited-availability combination ticket.

Inner Space Caverns

Slicing through the center of Texas, Interstate 35 roars across the U.S. from Mexico to Canada. Though back in 1963, the core drilling team had its six-inch bit poring through 40 feet of solid limestone when it suddenly dropped over two feet. Soon after, the first group of spelunkers used the narrow core hole, a car bumper, and a wooden tripod to explore the cave. Today’s visitors simply walk down a paved incline to see the soaring cathedral rooms and rock formations. For the adventurous, the Wild Cave Tour takes cave enthusiasts on a guided, three-hour trek that requires crawling, climbing, and protective gear (provided by Inner Space Caverns).

Wonder World Cave

Mark Beaver discovered this cave while drilling for a water well along Purgatory Creek in the 1890s and he deemed it the ideal place for distilling booze and a bit of gambling. But at the turn of the century, the cave was sold off. The new owners developed it and soon after people lined up with a dime a piece for a candle and guided tour starting in 1903. Known as a dry cave, Wonder World Cave formed as a result of an earthquake (not water erosion as in other Texas caves). Visitors can still see the Balcones Fault Line on the ceiling of the cave and learn about the effects of earthquakes in Central Texas.

Longhorn Caverns

Welcome to the National Cave of Texas, which is also a Texas State Park. Guano from this cave system was actually used to manufacture gunpowder during the Civil War. In the Roaring Twenties, a band moved in to establish a dance club in the cave’s main space.

After the partying died down during the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps built the state park headquarters and observation tower above to mimic the National Park Service’s rustic, parkitecture style. Now visitors on the walking tour can see how an underground river formed the cave while exploring the gunpowder room and ballroom. A Wild Cave Tour (gear provided) is also available.

Cave Without a Name

Some caves are rumored to be haunted, though it might just be the acoustics. With a room large enough for a seated audience, the Cave Without a Name hosts several live music performances throughout the year in the Queen’s Throne Room. Discovery of the cave is credited to a mischievous goat falling into it in 1927. When the land owners at the time looked to the public to name the cave, a local said it was “too pretty to have a name,” and in 1939, the Cave Without a Name officially opened for tours. In addition to stalactites and stalagmites, cave enthusiasts can feast their eyes on soda straws, cave drapery, and flowstone during the tour.

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Caverns San Antonio – 12 Best Texas Caves & Cave Tours Near You

Posted by Jerri C. | Aug 12, 2023 | Outdoor , Things to Do in San Antonio , Travel

Caverns San Antonio – 12 Best Texas Caves & Cave Tours Near You

Looking for caverns in Texas? Want to explore the best caves in Texas? Luckily, there’s a great mix of both near San Antonio!

Let’s check out the best “salt cave near me” or “crystal caves near me” that everyone should visit at least once! Here’s our list of San Antonio caverns and caves!

Editor’s Note: Our staff works hard to bring you the latest information. However, all information mentioned in this article is subject to change. As always, please confirm before heading out.

Also check out our post on Texas Ghost Towns , Waterfalls in Texas , 20 Swimming Holes in Texas , and Outdoor Activities in San Antonio !

Caverns San Antonio – Caverns in Texas

Inner space cavern.

Caverns in San Antonio TX | Image Credit: Inner Space Cavern

Driving time from San Antonio : ~2 hours & 8 minutes

Longhorn Caverns State Park

If you were looking for “cavern tours near me” or “cave tours near me,” you’re in luck! This is one of the Texas caverns that are known for its large, open chambers and its colorful formations. Longhorn Caverns was once used as a hideout by the infamous outlaw Sam Bass.

Driving time from San Antonio : ~1 hour & 44 minutes

Natural Bridge Caverns San Antonio TX

Caverns San Antonio | Image Credit: Natural Bridge Caverns Texas

Check out this article for more information about San Antonio Natural Bridge Caverns .

Driving time from San Antonio : ~33 minutes

The Cave Without a Name

Caverns in Texas | Image Credit: The Cave Without a Name

A top contender for “caverns near San Antonio,” this one is known for its unusual formations, including cave popcorn, which are small, round formations that look like popcorn kernels. Cave Without a Name also has a variety of other unique features, including a waterfall that flows through the cave in Texas and a room that is filled with thousands of bats.

Driving time from San Antonio : ~47 minutes

Caverns of Sonora

San Antonio Cavern | Image Credit: Caverns of Sonora

Searched up “salt caves near me?” Another one of the caverns in TX, the Caverns of Sonora is known for its beautiful formations, including helictites, which are twisted, spiraling formations that are rarely found in other caves. These Texas caverns also have a variety of wildlife, including bats, cave crickets, and cave salamanders.

Driving time from San Antonio : ~2 hours & 44 minutes

Cascade Caverns

Caverns in Texas | Image Credit: Cascade Caverns

Driving time from San Antonio : ~32 minutes

Caverns San Antonio – Best Caves in Texas

Colorado bend state park.

Caverns in Texas | Image Credit: Colorado Bend State Park

Looking for “caves near me?” This park has some of the best Texas caves around but is also a popular spot for camping, hiking, and fishing.

Location : 2236 Park Hill Dr, Bend, TX 76824 Operating Hours : Daily 6:00 am – 10:00 pm Cost : Adventure Tour $25 per person (8 years old+)

Driving time from San Antonio : ~2 hours & 31 minutes

Wonder World Cave and Adventure Park

Caverns in Texas | Image Credit: Wonder World Cave Adventure Park

Choose this option out of all of the different suggestions in “cave near me.” Wonder World Cave is known for its colorful formations and its variety of wildlife!

Driving time from San Antonio : ~49 minutes

Kickapoo Cavern State Natural Area

Caverns in Texas | Image Credit: Kickapoo Cavern

This cave Texas is home to is known for its large, open chambers and its colorful formations. The State Park is also a popular spot for camping, hiking, and fishing aside from the great natural caverns SAn Antonio has.

Location : 20939 Ranch to Market Rd 674 N, Brackettville, TX 78832 Operating Hours : Saturday 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm Cost : Cave tour $10 per person

Driving time from San Antonio : ~2 hours & 34 minutes

Devil’s Sinkhole State Natural Area

Caverns in Texas | Image Credit: Devil’s Sinkhole

Enjoy one of the coolest cave tours in Texas and the Devil’s Sinkhole, a cavern that’s more than 350ft deep! Looking for one of the coolest natural bridge caverns road San Antonio TX? Here’s where you could go!

Driving time from San Antonio : ~2 hours & 3 minutes

Bracken Cave

Caverns San Antonio | Image Credit: Bracken Cave

This is one of the “caves to explore near me” that is home to the largest colony of Mexican free-tailed bats in the world. Bracken Cave is also a popular spot for cave tours and bat-watching.

Location : 26101 FM3009, San Antonio, TX 78266 Operating Hours : Not stated Cost : Member Bat Flights $10 per adult | Public Bat Flights $30 per person

Driving time from San Antonio : ~31 minutes

Frio Bat Cave

Caverns in Texas | Image Credit: Frio Bat Cave

As one of the most popular caves in Texas, the bat flight is a popular tourist attraction, and visitors can watch the bats from a viewing platform located near the cave. If you were trying to search for natural bridge cavers, this one is an option!

Driving time from San Antonio : ~1 hour & 20 minutes

Looking for Caverns in other cities? Check out these articles – Caverns Houston and Caverns Austin .

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TEXAS WILD CAVES

The distinction between wild caves and the show caves that you can tour is that the wild caves have no trails or electric lights. Wild caves also are at pains to preserve natural entrances and often host a wide variety of native cave fauna. Several State-owned caves are now open to guided wild caving tours: Kickapoo Cavern near Brackettville, Kinney County, and several caves at Colorado Bend State Park, San Saba County. The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department is trying to manage these caves in an ecologically sound manner. Other caves, such as Enchanted Rock Cave, are open to state park visitors without special permits.

All data on this page and on the linked Wild Caves is revised from: William R. Elliott and George Veni (eds.). 1994. The Caves and Karst of Texas: 1994 Convention Guidebook . Natl. Speleol. Soc., Huntsville, Alabama. 352 pp. + viii + 13 maps. All rights reserved.

Proposed Listing for Two Rare Texas Cavefish

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced a proposal to list the toothless blindcat and widemouth blindcat , two cave-dwelling catfish species from the San Antonio segment of the Edwards Aquifer in Bexar County, Texas, as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

After reviewing the best available science, the Service finds that both of the “blindcats” are in danger of extinction throughout their range due to mortality from uptake by groundwater wells.

a widemouth blindcat against a red background

The blindcats were first discovered in the early 1900s from fish ejected from groundwater wells. They are among the smallest catfishes in Texas, measuring no more than a couple of inches. Like other cave-adapted animals, they lack pigment and developed eyes. These fishes inhabit a very deep and little studied region of the aquifer that is inaccessible to humans.

Given the great depth of their habitat, neither species survives ejection from groundwater wells tapping deep portions of the Edwards Aquifer. The widemouth blindcat was last collected from a well in 1984, while the toothless blindcat has been collected in small numbers from a single well as recently as 2022.

“The toothless and widemouth blindcats are among the rarest fish species in the world and are found at the greatest subterranean depths known for cavefish, at over 1,000 feet below the City of San Antonio in the Edwards Aquifer” said Michael Warriner, Supervisory Fish and Wildlife Biologist for the Austin Ecological Services Field Office. “While the great depth of their habitat protects them from many human-caused threats, thousands of these fishes were likely lost over the last one hundred or more years as groundwater pumping activity increased across Bexar County.”

While groundwater pumping has resulted in direct mortality of the blindcats, groundwater quantity and quality in areas of the aquifer that supports habitat for these fishes has not experienced substantial change from historical conditions. Therefore, the Service has determined that designation of critical habitat is not prudent.

The San Antonio segment of the Edwards Aquifer supports a wide array of aquatic species, including seven species listed under the ESA: the fountain darter, Texas blind salamander, San Marcos salamander, Texas wild-rice, Comal Springs riffle beetle, Comal Springs dryopid beetle and Peck's Cave amphipod. These species inhabit the Comal and San Marcos Springs Systems of central Texas and derive their flow from the Edwards Aquifer.

Management and conservation of Edwards Aquifer groundwater resources in the San Antonio segment is led by the Edwards Aquifer Authority, one of the permittees of the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan (EAHCP) completed with the Service in 2013. The EAHCP provides measures to minimize and mitigate take of the seven listed species at Comal and San Marcos Springs. As part of these measures, the EAHCP has committed to maintaining sufficient flows at those spring systems to sustain listed species during a reoccurrence of prolonged drought conditions.

“We recognize that water resources are incredibly important for local communities, landowners, businesses, municipalities and visitors,” said Karen Myers, Field Supervisor at the Austin Ecological Services Field Office. “We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with the Edwards Aquifer Authority and other local organizations to conserve and protect the Edwards Aquifer for the benefit of people and wildlife.”

The Service is committed to collaborative conservation, transparency, and ensuring that ESA findings are science driven. The Service worked with diverse stakeholders to gather the best available science on these species and collaborate on their conservation.

Comments are invited on the proposed rule to list these species as endangered, which appears in the Federal Register on Aug. 22, 2023. Comments on the proposal may be submitted through Oct. 23, 2023 by one the following methods:

Electronically: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov . In the Search box, enter the docket number for this rulemaking FWS-R2-ES-2023-0069. For best results, do not copy and paste either number; instead, type the docket number into the Search box using hyphens. Then, click on the Search button. On the resulting page, in the panel on the left side of the screen, under the Document Type heading, check the Proposed Rule box to locate this document. You may submit a comment by clicking on “Comment.”

By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail to: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R2-ES-2023-0069, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: PRB/3W, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041–3803.

The Service will evaluate all information received during the comment period and will announce a final decision within 12 months.

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10 Cool Caves in Texas for Exploring Underground
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COMMENTS

8 Popular Guided Cave Tours In Texas
8. Kickapoo Caverns State Park. Near Del Rio, in Brackettville, TX, Kickapoo Caverns State Park hosts a natural wonder cave. They offer a 3-hour guided cave tour every Saturday at 1 p.m. No other entry into the cave is allowed. The cost is $10 per person and the park entrance fee. Reservations are required.
Caves & Caverns In Texas
Inner Space Cavern. In Georgetown just about an hour north of Austin, Inner Space Cavern is one of the best-preserved caves in Texas and one of the few places where prehistoric remains are found. You can find three different tours at this attraction. The cavern's standard cave tour is the Adventure Tour through Inner Space's living cavern ...
THE 10 BEST Texas Caverns & Caves (Updated 2024)
THE 10 BEST Texas Caverns & Caves. 1. Natural Bridge Caverns. Great underground tour of the caverns with stalactites and stalagmites, beautiful pools of water, and other interesti... 2. Cascade Caverns.
10 Coolest Caves in Texas (+ Map to Find Them!)
Kickapoo Caverns. In 2010, Kickapoo Cavern became the namesake for the newly-formed Kickapoo Cavern State Park. While the park is home to around 20 small caves, Stuart Bat Cave and Kickapoo Cavern are the most significant. Unlike many of these caverns in Texas, Kickapoo Cavern is undeveloped, making the tours you can take there a bit more like ...
Cavern Tours
Explore the Discovery, Hidden Wonders, and Cavern Combo tours of Natural Bridge Caverns, the largest and most visited cavern in Texas. Experience the state-of-the-art lighting, sound and light show, and off trail wild cave experiences of this natural wonder.
Longhorn Cavern State Park
Tour includes a FREE "Wild Cave Tour Finisher" t-shirt. Tours can be booked up to 30 days in advance. BUY TICKETS. Gemstone Mining. Discover your own natural treasures in our gemstone mining sluice. ... Longhorn Cavern has a unique place in the Texas State Parks system. Help us celebrate our National Cave of Texas on November 24, 2023 with free ...
9 Caves in Texas You Can Tour for a Day of Pure Exploration
Natural Bridge Caverns This epigenic cave created by rainwater seeping through the ground is the largest in Texas by volume and has sizeable speleothems, including flowstones, chandeliers, and soda straws. 26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Road, San Antonio. Open daily. Tours: $24.50 and up for adults, $16 and up children 3-11. 210-651-6101 ...
Natural Bridge Caverns
Naturally Amazing. Explore the Discovery Tour, where state-of-the-art lighting illuminates massive, otherworldly formations formed by single drops of water and the slow passage of time.Or, explore our Hidden Wonders Tour, where shadows dance over delicate formations and mystery awaits in every shadow.Take to the skies high above Texas as you ascend the Twisted Trails or for a true test, try ...
Ultimate Guide to Natural Bridge Caverns, Texas (Tours, Pricing
Natural Bridge Caverns is probably the most popular natural attraction in Texas. The breathtaking caves are only 30 minutes away from downtown San Antonio and are Texas's most extensive cave system. It is the largest show cavern in Texas, formed over thousands of years. Photo Credit: Tripadvisor.
Plan Your Trip
Tour & Attraction Hours. Explore Natural Bridge Caverns, Texas' largest and one of the world's premier show caves. Take a guided tour through huge underground chambers. Find your way through one of the only permanent outdoor mazes in Texas. Pan for treasure, like miners panned for gold. Or, test your balance, agility and strength against ...
The Top Caverns and Caves in Texas
1. The Cave Without a Name. Located near Boerne, 40 miles north of San Antonio, the Cave Without a Name is one of the most famous in the state. It's been commercially operated since 1939 and is designated as a National Natural Landmark. In 1938, the cave's owner, James Horne, held a contest to name the cavern.
Texas Cave Trail
The 7th longest cave in Texas, Cave Without a Name sits just outside of Boerne, Texas and ties into the underground Guadalupe River. Caverns of Sonora With 'beauty that cannot be exaggerated even by a Texan', the Caverns of Sonora are located just outside of Sonora, Texas.
Cave Without a Name
Some say the most beautiful in Texas. The Cave is filled with spectacular formations of Stalactites, Stalagmites, delicate Soda Straws, Cave Drapery, magnificent Flowstones, Rimstone Dams, and more. Enjoy an approximate 60-minute guided tour of the six major rooms in comfort; 66 degrees year-round, easy walkways, brilliant lighting.
Texas Cave Trail Road Trip
This beautiful cave halfway between the Hill Country and West Texas was actually discovered when a dog chased a raccoon into the caves in the 1920s. Take in the astounding sights of this cave to find alien rock formations and otherworldly beauty on a Crystal Palace Tour or become Indiana Jones and rappel down into the dark depths of the cave on ...
10 Cool Caves in Texas for Exploring Underground
1. Natural Bridge Caverns. Photo: John Le. Outside of San Antonio, Natural Bridge Caverns is one of the most famous caves in the whole state, if not the most famous. Considered the largest known commercial caverns in Texas, they offer an assortment of tours. If you just want the standard tour through the cave highlights, go for the Discovery Tour.
Cascade Caverns
The Lipan Apache people discovered Cascade Caverns® in the 1700s. They left behind artifacts which are still visible today. In the 1840s, Kendall County youth rediscovered the cave and carved their initials into stalactites in the first room. Cascade Caverns® became the first "private-touring" cave in Texas back in the 1870's, and we ...
Caverns & Caves in Austin, TX
Inner Space Caverns are just north of Austin in Georgetown, Texas, and they provide the opportunity for inexperienced, curious cavers to see a wild underground world of a cave that was "hidden" for more than 10,000 years. Guided tours are available for all skill levels and all degrees of adventure.
Caverns in Texas
The State Park is also a popular spot for camping, hiking, and fishing. If you want the best 'cave tour near me," Kickapoo cavern is a spot you should check ou! Location: 20939 Ranch to Market Rd 674 N, Brackettville, TX 78832. Operating Hours: Saturday 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm.
The Incredible Cave Tour To Experience In Austin, Texas
Exploring The Cave Offers Lessons Of Geology. One of the best-preserved caves in Texas, the Inner Space Cavern is a karst cave formed in the Edwards limestone of Texas. During the tour, we learned the cave was formed in the Mesozoic Era, between 60 to 100 million years ago, by underwater currents when the area was under the Permian Sea.
Inner Space Cavern
Welcome to Inner Space Cavern! Hidden for over 10,000 years, Inner Space Cavern is one of the best-preserved caves in Texas. It was discovered by a Texas Highway Department core drilling team in the spring of 1963 and was opened to the public in the summer of 1966. Since that time, hundreds of thousands of visitors have seen this beautiful cave.
5 Central Texas Cave Tours to Beat the Heat Underground
If touring the biggest cave in Texas is your goal, head to Natural Bridge Caverns with its 60-foot limestone slab that forms a natural bridge. Four students from a nearby college discovered this cave in 1960, but the findings here are ongoing as cave explorers continue deeper into the cave. The Hidden Passage Tour is the tour for the newest ...
Caverns San Antonio
If you were looking for "cavern tours near me" or "cave tours near me," you're in luck! This is one of the Texas caverns that are known for its large, open chambers and its colorful formations. Longhorn Caverns was once used as a hideout by the infamous outlaw Sam Bass. Location: 6211 Park Road 4 S, Burnet, TX 78611
Texas Wild Cave Tours
The distinction between wild caves and the show caves that you can tour is that the wild caves have no trails or electric lights. Wild caves also are at pains to preserve natural entrances and often host a wide variety of native cave fauna. ... The Caves and Karst of Texas: 1994 Convention Guidebook. Natl. Speleol. Soc., Huntsville, Alabama ...
Proposed Listing for Two Rare Texas Cavefish
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced a proposal to list the toothless blindcat and widemouth blindcat, two cave-dwelling catfish species from the San Antonio segment of the Edwards Aquifer in Bexar County, Texas, as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).. After reviewing the best available science, the Service finds that both of the "blindcats" are in danger of ...

Adventure & travel are all about forging ahead, trying something new. Let’s Texas!

8 Popular Guided Cave Tours In Texas

Venture underground on one of these popular guided cave tours in Texas.

Fun Facts About Caves:

Who Offers Guided Cave Tours in Texas?

1. Inner Space Caverns

2. The Cave Without A Name

3. Cascade Caverns

4. Longhorn Caverns State Park

5. Natural Bridge Caverns

6. Wonder World Cave And Adventure Park

7. Caverns Of Sonora

8. Kickapoo Caverns State Park

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Hidden beneath the rolling landscape of the Texas Hill Country are thousands of caves and caverns with vast chambers, waterfalls and even fossils of ancient animals. Read on to learn more about some of the state’s most notable caves along the Balcones Fault Line between Austin and San Antonio.

Inner Space Cavern

Longhorn Cavern

Natural Bridge Caverns

The Cave without a Name

Caverns of Sonora

THE 10 BEST Texas Caverns & Caves

1. Natural Bridge Caverns

2. Cascade Caverns

3. Inner Space Cavern

4. Cave Without a Name

5. Caverns of Sonora

6. Enchanted Rock Fissure

7. Enchanted Rock Cave

8. Frio Cave

9. White Shaman Cave

10. Eckert James River Bat Cave Preserve

10 Coolest Caves in Texas (+ Map to Find Them!)

10 Best Texas Caves to Visit

Caverns of Sonora

Longhorn Cavern

Devil’s Sinkhole

Cave Without a Name

Caves at Colorado Bend State Park

Inner Space Cavern

Cascade Caverns

Bracken Cave

Kickapoo Caverns

Bonus: Carlsbad Cavern

Tips for Visiting Caves in Texas

Consider taking an adventure tour.

Dress for the (cave) weather.

Map of the Best Caverns in Texas

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The National Cave of Texas

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Ultimate Guide to Natural Bridge Caverns, Texas (Tours, Pricing, History, Map)

History of Natural Bridge Caverns

Geological Cave Formations

Are Natural Bridge Caverns Haunted?

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Natural Bridge Caverns Tours

Tour Prices and Discounts

Discovery Tour

Hidden Passages Tour

Is Natural Bridge Caverns Cold?

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What to Do at Natural Bridge Caverns (Beside Tours)

Twisted Trails

Natural Bridge Mining Company