Beauty Lies Below

Area Caverns Contain Links to the Past

Story by Kathy Denes

Deep in the heart of Texas are thousands of caves — 3,000 in the Hill Country alone — and about a half-dozen of these are known as “show caves,” open to the public for tours and events. Preserved within many are examples of their past, artifacts of indigenous peoples, and bones from the animals that once sheltered there. But they are also alive and active, from colonies of bats to ever-growing stalactites and stalagmites and flowing underground waters.

1 cave that’s home to all of the above is Boerne’s Cascade Caverns. Artifacts dating to its use by Lipan Apaches in the 1700s and even a mastodon tusk are among its treasures. Private tours were first offered in the 1870s, so it’s touted as the oldest cave attraction. The cave started welcoming the public in 1932. Tours start on the hour every day from 10 a.m. through 4 p.m., and there’s plenty of activity to enjoy aboveground, as well. Learn more at the Cascade Caverns website.

Cave Without a Name

Near Boerne, Cave Without a Name has welcomed visitors since 1939. It’s open for tours every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas, reservations are recommended, and often hosts musical performers and private events. The cave deemed “too beautiful to have a name” has held the bones of prehistoric animals that fell through what was its original sinkhole opening, and in the days of Prohibition, it was home to a small moonshine distillery in its uppermost cavern.

Caverns of Sonora

Halfway between San Antonio and Big Bend National Park is another show cave, Caverns of Sonora, touted as 1 of the world’s most beautiful due to its crystal formations. It opened to the public in 1960, and to protect the environment visitors may only carry cameras inside. Free kennels are available for pets, and with its constant temperature of 72 and high humidity, no jackets are needed inside.

Natural Bridge Caverns

Heading north from San Antonio, show caves include Natural Bridge Caverns, offering everything from concerts to yoga classes; Inner Space Cavern in Georgetown, called 1 of the state’s best-preserved caves; and Burnet’s Longhorn Cavern, the “National Cave of Texas,” with a varied history as a Comanche hideout, dance hall, and even a church.

Small Wonder

In San Marcos, the smallest and longest-operating of the state’s show caves is still a big draw as the center attraction of Wonder World Cave and Adventure Park. Wonder Cave, formed as a fissure by a quake along the Balcones Fault Zone, was opened to visitors in about 1903. But for youngsters, the real wonders of it now are above the ground — a petting zoo, anti-gravity house, “train” ride, gem mining, and more. Learn more at the Wonder World Park website.