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Longhorn Cavern State Park, Burnet
This cavern may be a little short on cave formations
but it's long on history. The granddaddy of all the hill country
caves, Longhorn Cavern boasts an extensive history from prehistoric
day through the early years of this century.
Touring the Cave:
 The
1-1/2 hour guided tour is easy to walk, with wide, well-lit trails
through the huge limestone rooms.
While you're at the park, check out the building
that once served as the cave's administrative building; today it
contains exhibits on the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the
buildings they constructed at many state parks (photo, right).
The park includes picnic areas, a half-mile nature
trail, 1 1/2 mile hiking trail, gift shop and a snack bar.
History of the Cave
The earliest known use of the cavern was by
prehistoric man, but the most interesting events occurred since
the 1800s. Comanches once kidnapped a young woman named Mariel King
and brought her back to the cavern, followed by three Texas Rangers.
The Rangers fired upon them, grabbed Mariel King, and raced for
the entrance. Ending the story with a fairy-tale flourish, Miss
King later married one of her rescuers, Logan Van Deveer and the
couple made their home in Burnet.
Years later, Confederate soldiers used the
cave's main room as a munitions factory. Bat guano from the cave
was an ingredient in the manufacture of gunpowder. The cave went
unused for several decades until the Gay Twenties. A local businessman
opened a dance hall in the largest room of the cave, building a
wooden dance floor several feet above the limestone. When it proved
successful, he then opened a restaurant in the next room, lowering
food through a hole in the cavern ceiling.
Next, an area minister decided to take advantage
of the cool temperature and built bleachers to accommodate crowds
for Sunday services.
When the Depression struck, business declined.
The private owners were forced to sell the cave. It was purchased
by the state and opened as a state park in 1932.
Special Events
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Photo courtesy Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
© 2006, Earl Nottingham
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Music lovers will enjoy the Concerts in the Cave,
held every second and fourth Saturday each month; the tunes reverberate
off the cavern walls for a very special sound.
You also might not realize that Longhorn Cavern is
a unique wedding venue; groups can gather to watch couples exchange
their wedding vows in this special setting. (And there's no need
to worry about what to do if it rains!)
Location: six miles west
of US 281 on Park Road 4
Return to Burnet
Travel Guide
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