Longhorn Cavern State Park is more than a beautiful cavern. Located atop Backbone Ridge, a small chain of beautiful limestone hills, Longhorn Cavern State Park has plenty of activities to fill your day:

• The Civilian Conservation Corps discovered crystals, fossils, and more inside Longhorn Cavern. Make your own discoveries in our gemstone mining sluice.
• Take a leisurely hike along the Backbone Ridge trail system, then enjoy a picnic lunch under an old grove of Hill Country trees.
• Admire the classic “parkitecture” style of our original buildings, constructed in the 1930s by the CCC.
• Take in a 360-degree view of the Texas Hill Country—including the nearby Falkenstein Castle—from the historic CCC Observation Tower.

A: Only trained service animals as defined by the ADA are permitted to enter the cavern or park buildings. Under the ADA, a service animal is defined as an animal that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability.

Because emotional support animals have not been trained to perform a specific job or task, these animals DO NOT qualify as service animals under the ADA.

Additionally, if a particular service animal is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it, or if the animal is not housebroken, the handler will be required to remove the animal from the premises.

For more information, refer to Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA.

A: Leashed dogs are allowed in the park, including the nature/hiking trails. However, only trained service animals as defined by the ADA are permitted to enter the cavern or park buildings. Pets must be attended at all times; do not leave pets alone in vehicles. Refer to Texas State Park Regulations 59.134 (c) for more information.

A: Children of all ages are welcome on the Cavern Walking Tour. While most children have a great time on tour, every child responds differently to dark, enclosed environments and some children may not be comfortable in the cave. In addition, there are no restrooms in the cavern.

Parents should evaluate their child's energy level and ability to complete the tour before purchasing tickets. Please be aware of how your child is responding throughout the tour; you may be asked to end your tour early if your child is noticeably upset or becomes disruptive to other guests. Refunds will not be given after the tour leaves Crystal City.

For your children’s safety, please keep them close and on the path when touring the cavern.

A: Strollers, backpacks, and other types of infant carriers are allowed in the cavern. Side-by-side strollers are not allowed. Please note that there are 52 stone steps leading down (and back up!) to the cavern entrance. All strollers must be hand-carried down the stairs.

Once inside the cavern, the pathway is mostly paved and level. Strollers with pneumatic tires have the easiest time navigating the tour route; umbrella strollers are not recommended. Due to low ceiling clearance in parts of the cave, be mindful of infants and children riding high in backpacks.

A: Children must be at least 8 years old to participate in the Wild Cave Tour.

Per Texas Parks & Wildlife regulations, guests younger than 15 years old must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or responsible adult at all times. This applies to above and below ground areas of the park. 

Additionally, all Wild Cave Tour participants younger than 18 years old must be accompanied by a participating parent, guardian, or responsible adult.

A: Longhorn Cavern State Park offers private group tours for K-12 schools, colleges and universities, scout troops, churches, community organizations, and more. Private groups receive discounted tour prices and a dedicated tour guide.

A valid Texas Sales & Use Tax Exemption Certificate is required at the time of booking for all tax-exempt groups.

See the Groups page for more information.

A: Yes. All commercial photographers and film productions working at Longhorn Cavern State Park must have a permit and a minimum $1,000,000 general liability insurance policy. (Note: This is more than the $500,000 minimum coverage normally required by Texas Parks & Wildlife.) These requirements apply even if the output of these sessions/shoots is for non-commercial use.

Commercial photography or film production that occurs outside of regular business hours or interferes with daily park operations is also subject to facility rental fees. See the Media/Events page for more information.

Permits are not required for news media. News media requests should be submitted through this website's general Contact form.

A: Yes. All commercial photographers and film productions working at Longhorn Cavern State Park must have a permit and a minimum $1,000,000 general liability insurance policy. (Note: This is more than the $500,000 minimum coverage normally required by Texas Parks & Wildlife.) These requirements apply even if the output of these sessions/shoots is for non-commercial use.

Commercial photography or film production that occurs outside of regular business hours or interferes with daily park operations is also subject to facility rental fees. See the Media/Events page for more information.

Permits are not required for news media. News media requests should be submitted through this website's general Contact form.