Visit the Caverns of Sonora for a World Class One-of-a-Kind Caving Experience

By Marcy Stellfox | April 18, 2017

 

Imagine a place so amazing “its beauty cannot be exaggerated, even by Texans.” That’s what Bill Stephenson, founder of the National Speleological Society, said about the Caverns of Sonora located right in the Texas Hill Country. The photos throughout this informational story are just a tiny portion of what an explorer can experience on a tour of this National Natural Landmark.

Photo by Marcy Stellfox

Halfway between San Antonio and Big Bend National Park, inconspicuous under acres of ranchland, sit the Caverns of Sonora. Discovered by a dog that chased a raccoon down a hole, the caverns offer an impressive spelunking adventure that even the most experienced caver will enjoy. The Caverns are located an easy eight-mile drive west from Sonora and carry international notoriety with the likes of the more famous Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico and Mammoth Cave in Kentucky.

Visitors explore the Caverns of Sonora during a guided tour in March 2017. Photo by Pam LeBlanc.

Choose from a variety of cave tours. The basic tour includes a 2-mile trek through drippy cavern rooms from which otherworldly creamsicle-colored features grow at an imperceptible pace.

Visitors explore the Caverns of Sonora during a guided tour in March 2017. Photo by Pam LeBlanc.

Every turn around a corner has you gazing at the milky splendor with one eye while on the lookout for the curmudgeonly old troll and his minions who must be peering at you from behind every stalagmite.  The tour lasts for around an hour and forty-five minutes and since it’s led by a knowledgeable friendly guide, you won’t miss any of the interesting features. Another tour welcomes photographers and is designed to give shutterbugs helpful tips for shooting the perfect photo in a  dank and mystical world.

Davy Crockett, perhaps? Photo by Marcy Stellfox.

The more adventurous can sign up for the Discovery Challenge experience. Guides lead you to explore off the beaten trail and fix you up with rappelling gear so you’re able to channel your inner Spider-Man to descend 50-feet into the Devil’s Pit. Once you purchase a ticket for your tour, browse the variety of fun objects for sale in the gift shop, which offers everything from art to artifacts, jewelry, t-shirts, fudge, soft drinks, and water.

Cave bacon, anyone? Photo by Marcy Stellfox.

The Caverns are more than just a place to escape from the sun for a few hours. The cave and grounds resemble a sort of complex and rest within a working ranch. Guests may hunker down for a few days at one of forty-eight RV or tent campsites and soak in the Hill Country landscape. RV sites include water and electricity and charcoal grills and picnic tables are available as well. Clean restrooms and showers are located in a separate building. Camping not your thing? Some hotels in Sonora, like the Best Western, offer discounts to cavern visitors. Check out the cavern website for more details.

Photo by Marcy Stellfox.

The Texas Hill Country boasts a freight train full of hidden gems across its more than 20-county area. The Caverns of Sonora are one of those gems you just can’t miss. Make your plans to visit now. Caverns of Sonora, RR 1989 @ I-H10 Exit 392, Caverns of Sonora Road, 1711 PR 4468, Sonora, Texas; phone (325) 387-3105 or (325) 387-6507; email – [email protected]