A Cave Without a Name
After taking a slight detour from our route on the Texas Cave Trail to Cascade Cavern, my travel partner and I were set to hit the road for only an additional 30 minutes to Cave Without A Name. I was not familiar with how popular this attraction is; granted it was summer, but we arrived on a Thursday afternoon thinking we’d be part of a small crowd like the other caves we’ve visited in the hill country. There was a large crowd and more were showing up at the last minute, just like us. We had the option to wait an hour for the next tour, but we’re not the type to wait for an adventure. Even with the heavy crowd, we were eager to make our descent in this attractive site.
Cave Without A Name was designated a National Natural Landmark in 2009 for its state- and nationwide significance. The cave contains rare examples of speleothems, and significant and unique geological formations throughout the state and region.
The main entrance is 80 feet below the surface with a total of 126 steps in and out of the cave.
Upon our arrival, we learned quickly this is one of the most heavily visited cave systems in Texas, and it was clear why. The entrance resembled a stoned bunker, unlike other caves I’ve toured where we entered a more natural cave entrance—except Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, there is an elevator option over the 1.25-mile steep walk. After walking through the iron gate, we descended a winding stairwell with bright lights illuminating every detail within the walls. The guide had us pause and look up for the real entrance. We swiftly felt the shift in temperatures from the hot and humid Texas summer heat to a steady year-round 66 degrees, although still humid.
The rooms were large, much like Natural Bridge Caverns, however, Natural Bridge Caverns is known as the largest cave in Texas. This natural wonder easily became a perfect playground for this landscape photographer. The group was large enough to encourage two guides and split into two smaller groups. Our guide was kind enough to take some fun photos of groups and families. Similar to the Longhorn Caverns, Cave Without A Name hosts concerts in one of its largest rooms, known as the Queen’s Throne. These formations are magnificent, to say the least. Some of the stalagmites have taken hundreds of thousands of years to grow as tall as they have, while the girth of the columns has reached their capacity. The pools remain still as the water flow has ceased, classifying the system as a limestone solutional cave and not a cavern. I was proud of my little one asking for my phone to take photos like her mama. She got some good shots and even had me pose a couple of times.
Mental note: bring her camera every time!
I love the story of its name: Since its discovery in 1927, the original owner, geologists, and explorers were unable to place a name on this breathtaking underground wonder. By 1940, a statewide contest was conducted among students ranging from grade school to high school that made unique and considerable nominations. The final name was awarded to a fifth-grader when he visited the cave and stated it “was too beautiful to have a name.” As the winner, he received a hefty $250, equivalent to over $5,000 in 2023 with the increase of inflation. For a brief moment in the 1950’s the second owner of the property wanted to change the name to Century Cave, but disgruntled locals claimed he would be serving the town’s history a dishonor, pressuring him to revert to its eccentric given name. This place is a marvelous sight underneath Texas!
Thankfully, I brought our cave passports this time and we received our fourth of five final stamps. We only had one more cave to go, but I wasn’t sure about making the two-hour trip to Sonora, Texas. We had already visited two caves that day, and there was a storm rolling through, otherwise, I would have suggested we camp on the grounds. I did have a camp reservation at Blanco State Park which was only an hour drive toward our home in Austin, Texas, but I decided to leave it up to my daughter. We could either push it or wait until next time.
We were both loving our adventures, and she didn’t want to stop. So, we headed to Caverns of Sonora in Sonora, Texas. Hopefully, we’d make it in time to not only tour the cavern but also find a new campsite reservation.
It was crunch time to ensure we’d make the last tour of the day at Caverns of Sonora, so we didn’t take the opportunity to explore the grounds. But we couldn’t leave without getting a glimpse of this beautiful geode!
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