The Texas Cave Trail connects five of the state’s show caves, from the Hill Country to West Texas. The passport program encourages visitors to explore all five, with a T-shirt waiting at the end. You can tackle the trail on one road trip, but expect plenty of driving and a trip focused primarily on caves. The four Hill Country-area caves are relatively close to one another, while Caverns of Sonora is farther west.
Planning a Texas Cave Trail road trip
You’ll be spending a lot of time in the car. Don’t expect this to be a neat, compact loop. Make tour schedules part of your planning. These are guided cave experiences, so check tour times and booking requirements before you go. And remember to bring your passport with you and get it stamped at each location.
If you want to do the entire trail in one sweep, Boerne makes sense as a home base. It puts you near Cave Without a Name and within driving distance of the other Hill Country caves. A three-day weekend gives you enough time to make a road trip out of the trail.
If you want to break it up, the official rules give you one year from your start date to complete your passport.
Cave Without a Name
Near Boerne, Cave Without a Name is a limestone cave known for its large chambers and elaborate formations. Guided tours take visitors through six major rooms, including the Queen’s Throne Room, which hosts concerts.
Nearby to see and do:
Natural Bridge Caverns
Natural Bridge Caverns near New Braunfels is one of Texas’ best-known cave attractions, with several underground tours exploring its extensive network of chambers and formations. There are also several above-ground activities, including a maze and the six-story Twisted Trails zip rail and ropes course.
Nearby to see and do:
Longhorn Cavern State Park
Near Marble Falls, Longhorn Cavern State Park is known for its winding passages along an ancient underground riverbed. Its smooth, sculpted walls and unusual formations give it a different feel from the other stops on the trail.
Nearby to see and do:
Inner Space Cavern
Inner Space Cavern in Georgetown was discovered in 1963 by a Texas Highway Department crew drilling test holes for Interstate 35. Guided tours lead through the cave’s chambers, where visitors can see stalactites, stalagmites and other limestone formations.
Nearby to see and do:
Caverns of Sonora
Caverns of Sonora is the outlier on the Texas Cave Trail, requiring the longest drive from the other four caves. The cave is known for its delicate formations, including helictites. Its Crystal Palace Tour travels through nearly 2 miles of cave passages and descends 155 feet below the surface.
Nearby to see and do:
Find your Texas Cave Trail adventure
The Texas Cave Trail connects five of the state’s show caves, from the Hill Country to West Texas. The four Hill Country-area caves are relatively close to one another, while Caverns of Sonora is farther west, so the trail is not a compact loop. These are guided cave experiences: check tour times and booking requirements before you go.
- Cave Without a Name (near Boerne)
- Natural Bridge Caverns (near New Braunfels)
- Longhorn Cavern State Park (near Marble Falls)
- Inner Space Cavern (Georgetown)
- Caverns of Sonora (farther west)
Loading the interactive cave explorer…
Your home base for the great outdoors. Sign up for the Camp & Country newsletter