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Texas (TX)
Burnet
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Longhorn Cavern State Park
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Longhorn Cavern State Park

See all things to do
See all things to do
Longhorn Cavern State Park
4.5
851 reviews
#1 of 19 things to do in Burnet
State Parks
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9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
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About
Located less than 90 minutes from Austin, Texas, Longhorn Cavern State Park is a unique Hill Country destination full of natural beauty and Texas-sized tales. Developed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the park’s star attraction is Longhorn Cavern, an underground wonder created by the dissolving and cutting action of an ancient river. Enjoy a guided cave tour, hike a Hill Country trail, and admire some of Texas' best examples of historic CCC architecture. It's all part of the story of Longhorn Cavern State Park.
Suggested duration
More than 3 hours
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
851 reviews
Excellent
652
Very good
165
Average
19
Poor
10
Terrible
5
Maddieb92
Williamsburg, VA138 contributions
5 stars for the spelunking tour!
Mar 2023 • Couples
As the title says, 5 stars for the “wild” cave tour! Francis was a fantastic guide and so incredibly knowledgeable. A totally amazing experience that I will never forget.

For the spelunking “wild” tour I have a few practical bits of information: this is surprisingly strenuous. You will be crawling on hands and knees for long stretches of passageway. There are a few short up/down climbs in tight and irregular spaces that seem very daunting at first glance. I would not recommend this tour for anyone who is remotely claustrophobic or not marginally fit. Wear a long sleeves shirt and pants. If you’re interested in safe spelunking, this tour is FANTASTIC. But just keep in mind that it is very “real.” Personally, I had a blast and would go again.

For the regular tour, we had Cheryle who left a lot to be desired. Her tour left out a lot of information and the presentation was generally grating. She made everyone uncomfortable by making a hokey spectacle out of any guest questions. I, for example, did not feel comfortable asking questions as I didn’t want to be loudly ridiculed. She also gave wildly incomplete information and spent most of the tour asking everyone to conjecture what certain rock formations looked like. This is fun a few times, but it was constant for at least half an hour and was clearly designed to fill empty silence. It was a tour fit for very young children, I guess. When on the spelunking tour, Francis was able to fill in a lot gaps. Also, as we passed out tours, I was able to hear other groups getting much better scientific information. So, I think I just got unlucky with Cheryle.
Written March 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
melwashere81
Cleveland, TX1,059 contributions
Amazing Tour!
Jan 2023 • Couples
If you love caves then you have to make a stop here and do the 90 minute cave tour! Our tour guide was so informative and made the whole adventure fun. There were quite a bit of people on our tour (18) but I never felt crowded. This cave feels more open so the crowds weren't so bad. I'd recommend making reservations in advance especially if you are coming during the busy season. Also, they offer gem mining which was a total blast. We came home with some beautiful gems. I would love to visit again one day and do the wild cave tour.

FYI:
Parking is free

Admission is roughly $20-$50 depending on the tour and if you do gem mining.
Written January 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
LonghornCavernSP
Thank you for the 5 star review. We are glad you enjoyed your tour and appreciate your support of Texas State Parks!
Written February 26, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jean S
1 contribution
Well worth every cent!
Mar 2022
This is the best cave tour I have been on! Our guide, Avery, was so animated, funny, personable, and knowledgeable. She was also patient! The cave was well developed, but not touristy. The walk was easy and safe. The crystals, stalactites/stalagmites, floes, etc. were super nice. Everything was compact, so there was not a lot of walking through uninteresting spots between interesting ones. I was a bit apprehensive about spending so much for a group of us to go (we were paying for all), but it was DEFINITELY worth every penny of the admission price! Once out of the tour, we spent a long time in the gift shop and found items that we will treasure for a long time. We wished we had more time so we could explore the trails. We loved our time at Longhorn Cavern and, if in the area again, will definitely visit again.
Written March 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
LonghornCavernSP
Thank you for your great feedback! We are looking forward to your next visit to Longhorn Cavern State Park.
Written March 28, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
M P
San Antonio, TX22 contributions
Great tour!
Mar 2023 • Family
Great walking tour! Our tour guide was Jim and the history, bats and features of the cave were fascinating. It was 90 minutes long and the whole family (even the little ones) enjoyed it. Highly recommend this to anyone passing through the area, it is not as big or gorgeous as the famous national park caves, but it was well worth it for the history and scenery.
Written March 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Lisa Pumphrey
16 contributions
Amazing cavern
Nov 2020 • Couples
I am 58 and I found the cave tour was an easy hike and not too strenuous. The cavern was amazing and I am glad we took the time for this tour. I would recommend that you plan ahead and purchase your tickets on line ahead of time as they do have limits to the number of people for each tour.
Written November 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
LonghornCavernSP
So glad you enjoyed our beautiful park. Come back and visit soon!
Written November 15, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
moodblu
West Valley City, UT1,002 contributions
Great Walk Through and Interesting Cave
May 2021
On a recent trip to the Austin Texas area, our daughter took us to the Longhorn Cavern State Park in Burnet TX. We took a nature walk around the grounds while awaiting our Walking Cave Tour start time, which was interesting and relaxing. The cave was explored and developed by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) during the depression in the 30’s. The cave was very different than any cave I’d been in before, being carved in limestone by an underground river. Our tour was about an hour and a half long, (all walking and/or standing) and was conducted by a fun tour guide named Cheryle. She was knowledgeable and had a passion for the cave. She had a sense of humor, and gave a lot of attention to the children in the group, keeping their experience interesting and engaged. The cave is made mostly of a light colored limestone, and has some very interesting rock formations. It doesn’t have stalagmites and stalactites as in other caves I’ve toured. There were a few places where we had to duck down because of low ceiling clearances but nowhere did we have to crawl or scoot thru. I am somewhat claustrophobic, but was not bothered at all by this cave. The temperature in the cave was cool but comfortable, perfect for exploring. The surface to walk on was stable dirt and stone, with no hazardous places to climb or descend. The children and older people in the group had no trouble getting around. Visit the restroom before you go, and take a water bottle (only plain water is allowed inside the cave), as there are no restrooms or water inside the cave. Wear sturdy shoes, and you might want a light jacket. We had a great time on our tour. Afterward, we went around the grounds to see the historic buildings and the observation tower, which gave a panoramic overlook of the surroundings.
Written June 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
LonghornCavernSP
Thank you for taking your time to write about your experience. We were happy to hear you loved the tour and that our staff made your time in the park enjoyable. Please come visit us again soon!
Written June 29, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Robert M
Aubrey, TX314 contributions
Texas Sized Cavern
Jun 2020 • Family
I really didn’t have big expectations for this cavern after recently seeing Carlsbad Caverns last year. What a surprise I was in for! This park is located a short distance away from our campsite at Inks Lake SP.

I recommend getting tickets beforehand as groups of 20 leave every 30min on a 90min tour. A guide takes you through the cave explaining all the sites along the way. There are a couple of sections that require you to stoop down for a short period of time but easily manageable.

Overall, well worth the visit.
Written June 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
LonghornCavernSP
Thank you for giving us a perfect rating and for recommending Longhorn Cavern State Park to other travelers! Your opinion is very important to us!
Written June 8, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mandy
Denton, TX1 contribution
No raves for the wild cave
Mar 2021
The website should include more information about the reality of the wild cave tour. There are only two vertical challenges while the rest of the cave requires stooping, crawling on hands and knees, and approximately 20-25 feet of ARMY CRAWLING. I emailed the park requesting info on gear necessary or provided and was given a form letter response to check the website (where there is no mention, of course). The headlamps were dim, but there were a bunch of us so we had enough light. The provided knee pads were cheap and ineffective and had to be modified to fit 6/12 tour members. No elbow pads provided.

There is nothing to see on this tour. The main features of the Longhorn Caverns are stunning and available on the walking tour. The tour guide on this particular day seemed irritated by children, complained that she was dehydrated and hungry, lacked engaging communication skills, and commented about the size of the tour members on more than one occasion, despite everyone being within the recommended measurements. Overall, this was a physically and mentally demanding challenge with no payoff.

$100 to see some bats, get a t-shirt, and listed to a hum-drum tour guide talk about caves formed by dynamite. Regrets.
Written March 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
LonghornCavernSP
Thanks for visiting Longhorn Cavern State Park. We’re sorry the wild cave tour did not meet your expectations. Would you please contact us at https://visitlonghorncavern.com/contact-form/ and let us know what day you visited and the name of your guide. We would appreciate the opportunity to look into this further.
Written March 20, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ColleenC
4 contributions
Grand Highlight of our Texas Trip!
Feb 2023 • Friends
Our guide, JIM (not to be confused with guide Joe) was amazingly knowledgeable and managed to convey a sense of caring toward all in the group. I won’t soon forget “chicken nugget” bats; where early mascara came from; or how long it takes to count out loud to 1 million vs.1 billion! And let’s not forget the meaning of pareidolia. Highly recommend this experience to help put the mundane everyday into perspective and instead ponder the scope and majesty of a wonderful natural phenomenon. Don’t miss it!
Written February 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Linda D
Burnet, TX9 contributions
Hidden Wonders
Apr 2022
We even got there a day early and were immediately put on a tour. Our guide, Jim, was great, especially with a fractious-after-30 minutes three year old! I highly recommend purchasing one of the Rock Bags for kids under 10 or so. Our 7yo grandson slept with the amethyst crystal chunk he found. What could be better than natural beauty, history, and cool temps in the cavern? Allow about 90 minutes for the cave and an hour or so to explore the grounds around it.
Written April 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
LonghornCavernSP
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and feedback with us! We will definitely pass it on to the team. Appreciate your kind words.
Written April 23, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Longhorn Cavern State Park (Burnet) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about Longhorn Cavern State Park
Longhorn Cavern State Park is open:
  • Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM