Exploring the Wonders of Cascade Cavern
Six months had passed since my daughter and I ventured to Longhorn Cavern. We only had two more caves to visit to complete our Texas Cave Trail passports and we needed an adventure to beat the Texas heat that rapidly took over. While researching our next destination, I saw Boerne (pronounced Bernie), Texas was only a 90-minute drive from Austin, Texas, and had another cave system that wasn’t on our list. I intended to only visit Cave Without A Name to complete the fourth of our five predetermined trips, but I couldn’t fight the temptation to explore another Texas cave.
Upon entering the park, there is a random T-Rex outside the entrance, and turns out it is very random. The sign states this spectacle lived a short career in Hollywood, one of which was the 1993 film Father Hood featuring the late Patrick Swayze. Better known as Rex, the styrofoam and plastered dinosaur made its appearance on location at Cascade Cavern. Once it was retired, it made its way back to Boerne, TX. There is no further explanation as to why this random Hollywood prop found its final resting place here, but the kids love it.
It was on this journey I truly began to appreciate the cavern’s history and development. It was also on this trip I learned the difference between caves and caverns. Caverns are simply a type of cave, and in Texas most caverns are formed from limestone. If the name of the system consists of “caverns,” then there is traversing water that classifies it as active and continues its formation development known as speleothems. The limestone speleothems formation is not only the most common in Texas but all over the United States. Judging by the amount of water that flows through this park in Boerne, Texas, it’s safe to say this cavern is actively growing new formations every second. This area is also known to flood and the water flow surges directly into the cavern. As we began our adventure into the cavern, there were remnants of what looked like an old structure. Our guide informed us it was indeed a structure, the original one on the property in the early twentieth century made completely of limestone. The stone is extraordinarily porous and the building was eventually swept away from the constant flooding.
At first glance, it was difficult to view the entrance and it took a few decades for archeologists to navigate a safe entry into the Earth. Floods throughout centuries carved a beautiful entrance that took quite a few steps to get in and out—nothing compared to Carlsbad Caverns, but still a natural work of art in the Texas Hill Country. I’m sure it looks even more spectacular when the rain pours through.
126 steps lead in and out of the cave opening, therefore, not accessible for those with mobility restrictions. The steps are at times steep and it gets extra hot under the Texas sun, but the final entrance is worth the work. In total, the tour only takes a short hour.
Cascade Cavern Entrance. June 2023
There is a pump at the beginning of the tour that flushes incoming dripping water and moisture to the back of the cavern. Our guide informed us if they did not include this process, the entrance would be flooded out by high noon daily.
It doesn't seem like a lot, but the water flow moves rapidly throughout Cascade Cavern.
Here is clear evidence of the major earthquake that occurred nearly 15 million years ago, known as the Balcones Fault, that pushed the land in this area west creating the limestone hill country.
As we made our way to the back there was a pool that was formed by an underground waterfall, the only one in Texas, the results from the pumped water at the beginning of the tour. I was easily impressed by this spectacle. Of course, my little one had follow-up questions.
Before our dismissal to explore on our own, the tour guide explained there was a ladder leading to a small hole that flowed even beneath the pool. Over time, the water has flowed to an even deeper part of the cavern. There is an offered extended spelunking tour for explorers 16 years and older. When the water passage rises too high the pool acts as an overflow space and trickles further into the Earth.
We didn’t spot any blind salamanders, but they are known to reside throughout the cavern.
Cascade Cavern Pool. June 2023
I’m happy we took this small detour from our itenerary to the oldest commerical cave in Texas!
