Longhorn Cavern State Park, Underground cave system in Burnet County, Texas, US
Longhorn Cavern State Park is a limestone cave in Burnet County, Texas, cut by an underground river that receded thousands of years ago. Inside, a layered rock ceiling and pale tan and grey walls rise above a sloped rock path with a metal handrail; a large rounded white-tan boulder rests on the cave floor near the steps where visitors stand.
The cavern formed millions of years ago through flowing water and was later made accessible by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s and 1940s. Work crews built stairs and pathways to allow visitors to navigate the system safely.
Before it became a park, the cave was known as Sherrard's Cave and in the late 1920s and early 1930s served area residents as a nightclub, with musicians performing through the night and shows broadcast by radio back to San Antonio. It was dedicated as Longhorn Cavern State Park in November 1933. In 2006 curator Steven Kurtz brought chamber music back with the Simple Sounds concert series.
The cave stays at a constant cool temperature year-round, so dress warmly and book guided tours ahead of time. The pathways inside require sturdy footwear and reasonable mobility to navigate comfortably through all accessible areas.
The cave once sheltered a colony of Mexican free-tailed bats; today only tricolored bats remain inside. The park's above-ground trails, over a mile long, pass through habitat of the endangered golden-cheeked warbler.
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