Longhorn Caverns

General Hike Description Time: 1.5 to 2 hours Degree of Difficulty: Moderate Geologic Description: Longhorn Caverns was created by groundwater dissolving the surrounding limestone and abrasion of rushing water. This created intricate erosional features such as stalagtites, stalagmites, inverted potholes, draperies, columns, domes, and pits. This also created an ideal habitat for bats, cave crickets, and spiders, and algae.

The Hike through the Caverns

On the way to the front entrance and before reaching the steps, look to the left and notice the large natural bridge created by collapse of part of the roof to the cavern. It is 36 feet deep from the bridge to the floor below.

The main entrance, called the Sam Bass Entrance, remains locked at all times. After purchasing ticket, wait for tour guide at this entrance. There were seven entrances to the cavern in the past. However, all but this one has been closed for the purpose of animal and accident control. Only two of the seven entrances were man-made. Throughout the tour, keep your eyes on the lookout for columns, draperies, soda straws, stalagtites, stalagmites, calcite crystals, rimstone and flowstone, potholes, domes, and other solution features. This cavern has wonderful examples of each.

We were fortunate enough to catch this drip of water before it fell. Dripping water mixes with the cave air to form calcium carbonate. The calcium carbonate continues dripping and forms the many unique cave features.

The Queen's Watchdog. This was created naturally by the flow of water; however, it's original location is not in the Quenn's Throne Room. Sometime in the past, on of the early developers probably set it there.

The Queen's Throne. It is one of the largest travertine deposits in the cavern. It is referred to as "dead" because there is no deposition to continue its growth. This is due to the fact that it has been touched too much.

Between the Queen's Thone Room and the next stop is a corridor called Lover's Lane. It's name comes from the heart-shape of the 550-foot corridor.

The Indian Council Room. This is the largest room in the cavern with a ceiling of 35 feet. There used to be a natural entrance to this room. It was originally used by the Commanche Indians who chipped away at a rock layer of chert in the room to use for arrowheads. After the Commanches, early settlers used it for storage, particularly storage of ammunition.

Later, ranchers made it into a dance floor and lunch room until they sold it to the state during the Great Depression. The state then gave it President Roosevelt, who passed the job of cleaning out the rest of the cave to the Civilian Conservation Corps. They installed the wiring system which is still present today and also closed up the natural entrances so that only one existed. This process took eight years; the dirt and debris pulled out of the caverns were used to make Park Road 4, which you drive in on to get to the park.

The Frozen Waterfall. In the Cathedral Room, this structure is the largest single travertien deposit in the cavern; it is caused by flowstone. (Note also in the Cathedral Room the other flowstone deposits as well as dripstone.)

Sam Bass' Bootprint. About 5 feet in length, these two inverted potholes form this bootprint on the ceiling. The dark stains are due to the fecal matter of roosting bats.

The Chandelier Room. A large number of stalactites are actively growing in this room. The dark colored ones are dead, and the light colored ones are living.

Between the Chandelier Room and the next stop are 33rd street-a man-made tunnel, and The Smokehouse Room, an area of dead and heavily stained stalactites and draperies. You will also pass through the bat caves, which were home at one time to a large number of bats. These bats now congregate in smaller numbers and in other parts of the cave.

An example of a single bat. It is about four inches from head to tail. This one is a female, as evidenced by the lighter brown color. They sleep for five days and leave the cave for one day to find food. All of them must leave out of the Sam Bass Entrance now that the others have been closed.

The Hall of Marble. This picture in no way does justice to the beautiful sight of this room. The water of the main stream has smoothed the walls of this room. Notice the large number of inverted potholes and solution channels. The walls are much smoother here because the rock has uniform composition and therefore weathers at the same rate.

The Giant Icycle. This is the largest dripstone deposit in the cavern and is also the largest living form in the cave; it grows 1 inch every 100 years. Notice the smaller stalactites and draperies around it.

The Viking's Prow. This feature is named after the front of a viking ship; it is limestone projection that was not created by solution deposition. Rather, it was probably formed water running around it.

The Eagle's Wings. This beautiful feature is and impressive 10 feet across and 5 feet tall!

Abraham Lincoln's Face. The surrounding limestone has eroded way, exposing this chert layer. If you look closely, it looks like the sleeping face of Abraham Lincoln. (Hint: his bearded chin is toward the left of the picture and he is looking toward the ceiling.)

Rock of a Million Layers. Located at the deepest part of the cavern, this giant flowstone deposit shows the typical layered appearance of these type deposits. At this point, visitors are 130 feet under the surface.

At this point you reach the end of the cave for the touring visitors. Expert spelunkerers can travel further down to the true end of the cave through a small opening. Those who venture on find a lake at the end which is home to albino fish and albino crayfish. These species are blind and lack pigment due to their dark habitat.

On the way back, you travel some different routes and walk through The Hall of Diamonds. It is 100 feet long; the calcite crystals formed along a fissure. The crystals in this hallway are lit with colored lights.

Would you like to see more information about other state parks in this beautiful state? Take a look at the Texas Parks and Wildlife homepage!