Old Tunnel State Park – Texas State Park 4/89
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The Deets
Old Tunnel State Park is located in Kendall County, just 20 minutes south of Fredericksburg and a little over an hour north of San Antonio. If you’re looking for a full day out, combining Old Tunnel and Fredericksburg is perfect. The park is a small one, only offering half a mile of walking trails. There is no camping and no pets allowed. This is due to the sensitive ecosystem of the park’s main attraction, the old railroad tunnel that is now home to about 3 million bats!
Park entry is free for everyone except after 5 PM. After this time, you must have a permit for the bat viewing areas. This is by far the main draw of the park. At dusk, millions of bats stream out of the old tunnel and into the sky. There aren’t many seats available, so make sure to reserve your space online and print your permit.
The History
Old Tunnel State Park was established in 1991. Ultimately, the reason was to protect the sensitive bat population. The tunnel itself came into existence in the early 1900s. Local area residents raised money to build a rail line from Fredericksburg to San Antonio. That included tunneling through the rock and forming what is now home to the bats. The railway ran from 1913 until 1942, at which time the track was deconstructed and sold for scrap.
Our Experience
We had a wonderful trip to Old Tunnel State Park. All of the trails were open (this wasn’t the case when we visited last year), so we got to see everything the park had to offer. We saw ANOTHER armadillo which absolutely made our day, and we watched the bats flying around in the tunnel for a while. Our only complaint was that the restrooms were closed. There were porta-potties available in the parking lot and they were very clean, so at least there was an alternative.
The Trails
Like I said above, the trails were all open during our visit. They don’t total much in length, but they are still quite nice. The main trail follows what used to be the rail line, so it is relatively flat and straight. The other loop is a completely different story. With steep inclines and declines, loose rock, and a narrow trail, it’s much more a hiking trail than the other. Again, it isn’t very long, but it was a nice tiny challenge. At one point, it opened up into a huge grove of flowering plants and there were hundreds of butterflies. It was beautiful!
To get to the trails, even the main one, it’s quite a few steps down. You enter the park above the tunnel and have to walk down to the opening of the tunnel and the trails. Also, be prepared for the smell. Bat guano is quite the stinky substance!
Our Takeaway
Old Tunnel State Park is a great little park. It’s a beautiful place and very easy to enjoy. We’d definitely recommend coming to see the bats fly out at dusk. We haven’t had the chance to do it ourselves, but we’ve seen quite a few videos, and it looks incredible. If you’re looking for a fun day out, combine a visit to the park with a visit to Fredericksburg. It’s a great town with quite a bit to offer. There is also an Old Schoolhouse Historical Trail in the area. Luckenbach is also just down the road. There is plenty to do in the area, so come make a day of it!
Prefer to see the park in action? Check out our vlog episode of Old Tunnel State Park!
Cheers,
Lydia and Billy
