Old Tunnel State Park
An abandoned railway tunnel that is home to as many as 3 million Mexican free-tailed bats. On summer evenings, you can watch the bats stream out.
Old Tunnel was a railway tunnel built in 1913 and abandoned in 1942. Each year from May to October, it serves as a roosting site for about 3 million Mexican free-tailed bats. At sunset, the bats pour out of the tunnel like columns of smoke to hunt, a spectacular sight. The park has a free upper viewing area and a paid lower viewing area, which has limited spots and requires a reservation. Flash photography and noise are prohibited while watching. The park is small, and you can also walk its short trails during the day. It lies about 20 km south of Fredericksburg, along the Old San Antonio Road.
Opening hours
Open all day; bat viewing about May–October at sunset
Nearby sights
- Luckenbach
- Jenschke Orchards
- Wildseed Farms
- Fort Martin Scott
- Wine Road 290 (Texas Hill Country)
- National Museum of the Pacific War
- Main Street Historic District
- Marktplatz & Vereins Kirche