Longhorn Cavern State Park ~ Burnet, Texas

Another hidden gem in the Texas Hill Country, Longhorn Cavern State Park is a fantastic place to take the family for the day.   The highlight of the park being the Caverns, created thousands of years ago by the flow of rushing water and the limestone, over-abundant in the area.

There are several tours to choose from to explore the caves with.  We choose the guided Daily tour. We were there for Spring Break, and found the caverns busy, so we had a short wait to check out the entire  park before the tour began.

The entrance to the cave is buried in the trees, so you really don’t know what to expect until you start to descend the stairs.  And then the excitement builds…..your going exploring in a cave!!

The hour and a half tour with a professional guide is a fascinating glimpse into the past, with stories of Indian Council Meetings, a Texas Ranger assisted kidnapping rescue, and 1920’s “nightclub” dances. Along with the fun stories, your guide points out unique structures, like the Queen’s Watch Dog, Abe Lincoln’s face, or an occasional bat. 
What makes the caves unique, is the fact that they were river-formed, a distinction that only 5% of caves have. Longhorn Caverns is one of the few river-formed caves that you can visit in Texas.  The smooth walls, created by rushing water, are beautiful.  And the domes in the ceiling created by whirlpools, where the river changed directions, were spectacular pieces of natural art to view.

My children loved the sparkle of the crystals, such as in the Crystal City.

The illuminations made several ooh and ahh in delight.

I were invited to to visit and was provided one free ticket to tour the Caverns.  I was not financially compensated for this post.  All opinions of Longhorn Cavern State Park are strictly my own based on my experience.