Photographer: Knut Brenndörfer
|
| Image: the entrance of Natural Bridge Caverns with the natural bridge.
Photographer: Knut Brenndörfer |
| Location: | I 35 from San Antonio NE, exit 175, between San Antonio and New Braunfels. FM 3009 Natural Bridge Caverns Rd. (29°41'33.34"N, 98°20'35.37"W) |
| Open: |
Jaremy Room Flashlight Tour:
JAN to MAY daily 9-16. JUN to mid-JUN daily 9-17. Mid-JUN to mid-AUG daily 9-19. Mid-AUG to DEC daily 9-16. Hours may be longer on spring and autumn Holidays and weekends. Discovery Adventure Tour: Only after appointment. Closed Thanksgiving, 24-DEC, 01-DEC. [2007] |
| Fee: |
Jaremy Room Flashlight Tour:
Adults USD 17.95, Children (3-11) USD 10.95, Children (0-3) not allowed.
Group rates (25+): Discovery Adventure Tour: Adults USD 69.95, Children (0-12) not allowed. [2007] |
| Classification: |
 Karst cave,
natural bridge.
|
| Light: | electric |
| Dimension: | T=21°C, H=99%. |
| Guided tours: |
Jaremy Room Flashlight Tour:
L=800m, D=60min, VR=36m.
Discovery Adventure Tour: D=3h. V=250,000/a [2007] |
| Photography: | |
| Accessibility: | |
| Bibliography: | |
| Address: |
Natural Bridge Caverns, 26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Road, San Antonio, TX 78266, Tel. +1-210-651-6101,
E-mail: |
| Last update: | $Date: 2012/02/02 09:14:43 $ |
| 1960 | discovered by four St. Mary's University students. | |
| 1963 | development started. | |
| 1964 | opened to the public and inauguration. | |
| 2003 | excavation by Archaeologists from the University of Texas at San Antonio. |
 |
| Image: an impressive pilar.
Photographer: Knut Brenndörfer |
Natural Bridge Caverns got its name from the
natural bridge near the entrance.
This whole area originally was part of the cavern, until about 5,000 years ago
most of the roof collapsed.
Today the collapsed cave looks like a valley and the last remains of the ceiling
forms the natural bridge across this valley.
In the cave, mostly in the first chamber, the remains of 46 different vertebrates were found. The 8.000 year old jawbone of a black bear was the most impressive. A nice formation are the Fried Egg Stalagmites. A yellow center is surrounded by a white ring and makes the top of the stalagmite look like a fried egg. The biggest chamber of the cave is 100m long, 33m wide and 33m high. It is said to be the biggest chamber in Texas and it is called Hall of the Mountains King.
Since the discovery, no additional passages have been found in the cave. A search for new caverns included drilling a series of shafts around the cave. So another cave was discovered nearby: South Cavern. There is a natural cave opening 1.1km to the southwest of the cave entrance, where bat flight may be observed during dusk or dawn.
The cave Administration offers spelunking tours into South Caverns called Discovery Adventure Tour. Visitors are lowered into a shaft with 71cm diameter. The shaft ends at the ceiling of an 8m high chamber. The spelunking tours take three hours. All caving gear is provides, this means overall, helmet, miners lamp. Shoes are not provided, so bring wellingtons or boots, we also recommend a pair of gloves. Bring towel and clothes to change afterwards.
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