On our most recent trip to San Antonio we decided to do something adventurous. We purchased two tickets for the Natural Bridge Caverns and hiked through a mile of stunning underground caves!
Before we started our trek below the rocks, we didn’t know what to expect. We loved every minute of our tour, and we wanted to share some helpful tips for newcomers like us. Here are some things to know before you go to the Natural Bridge Caverns.
1. Buy your tickets online for the best price.
We visited the caverns on our way into San Antonio from Dallas, and we weren’t sure exactly what time we would arrive due to traffic and stops along the way. We opted to buy our tickets upon arrival to make sure we didn’t show up late and forfeit our tour. However, if you are already staying in San Antonio or New Braunfels and you can more easily plan your arrival time at the caverns, buy your tickets online a few days early.
Weekday tickets for adults at the door cost $24.50 per person, but tickets online cost $18.50. If you want to take more than one tour and see more of the caves, there is also a bundle with the Discovery Tour and the Hidden Passages Tour online for $28.25 per person. In order to purchase tickets these prices you must select a date and a time from a list of one-hour intervals.
2. Dress for major humidity.
As you can probably tell from this photo of the outdoor entrance to the caves, it was gorgeous outside on the day we toured. The sun was shining and there was a slight breeze, and temps were in the 70s.
Once we descended into the caves, all of that changed pretty fast. Humidity inside the Natural Bridge Caverns is at 99%, and the temperature is noticeably warmer than the air outside. I unwittingly curled my hair and wore a cute button up shirt for this adventure. Don’t be like me. Wear shorts and a tank top, and don’t bother to do anything with your hair at all. You will be so mesmerized by the beauty in the caves, you probably won’t care what you look like anyway!
3. Prepare for a climb.
When the original discoverers found the Natural Bridge Caverns, they had to crawl through some pretty tight spaces to squeeze inside the larger caves. Today there is a walkable man-made pathway through the caverns, but it still descends 180 feet below the surface. This means when you return from the cave tour, you have to climb back up that 180 feet (sometimes at a pretty steep slope).
Make sure to wear comfortable tennis shoes with plenty of support. I also recommend bringing a water bottle to help cool you down while you hike through the heat.
4. Bring your camera.
The caverns were absolutely stunning. Every time we turned a corner into a new room, our jaws dropped all over again. While our iPhone photos turned out ok, we were really thankful we had our DSLR cameras with us to better capture the caverns. Since the warm lighting casts lots of shadows in the dark caves, lower your shutter speed to capture as much light as possible with each snap.
We highly recommend the Natural Bridge Caverns!
The Natural Bridge Caverns were one of our absolute favorite experiences on our trip to San Antonio. We want to come back again soon to try the Hidden Passages Tour or the Lantern Tour. We hope these tips help our fellow travelers prepare for their own underground expeditions.
To see more pictures from our trip to the caverns, check out our gallery below or follow us on Instagram!
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