Cavers enter El Abra, a river cave in Coahuila, Mexico - photo by Peter Sprouse

WHERE CAN I FIND CAVES TO EXPLORE IN THE AUSTIN AREA?

Most caves in Texas are located on private land. You must have permission of the owner to visit their caves. Trespassing by kids and non-cavers has caused many owners to close their caves to everyone. That is a great loss. Caves are a precious natural resource. They are often very fragile--both physically and environmentally. Some caves have locked gates placed over their entrances, but many of them can still be explored if you get permission from the owner or land manager. 

There are a few caves around Austin which can be explored without permission. These are real caves and require some physical ability, helmets, and 3 light sources. There are no trails, no electric lights, and a lot of mud. Contact grotto officers for directions. 

The accident rate in caves is very high among untrained people. We strongly suggest that you take one of the training courses before going caving on your own. We want you to go caving, but we want you to be a safe and competent caver so you won't hurt yourself or damage the cave.