Hill Country/Texas Wine Country/Fredericksburg/Park/Old Tunnel State Park
Park · Fredericksburg
Old Tunnel State Park
Old Tunnel State Park is home to up to three million Mexican free-tailed bats and 3,000 cave myotis bats from May through October. The park centers around an abandoned railroad tunnel that provides a seasonal home for these flying mammals. Visitors can explore a short nature trail during the day, reading signs about bat lore and railroad history, before settling in for the spectacular nightly emergence.
Why people come here
Before you go
The trail is open sunrise-5 p.m. year-round. From May 1 through October 31, everyone remaining after 5 p.m. needs an advance bat-viewing ticket; tickets are not sold on site.
Tonight
Good to know
Do I need a ticket to see the bats?
Yes, you must purchase a bat-viewing ticket in advance to stay in the park after 5 p.m. from May 1 through October 31. Tickets are not sold on-site.
Can I bring my dog to Old Tunnel State Park?
No, pets are not allowed in the park to protect the bats and their habitat.
Are children allowed at the bat emergence?
Children under four years old are not permitted in the lower viewing area due to the bats' sensitivity to noise disturbance. They are welcome in the upper viewing area.
Ask Cooper
Your guide to Fredericksburg and Texas Wine Country.
Which rooms take walk-ins, when Main Street is impossible, the peach season, and what is worth the drive out of town.
Also in Fredericksburg
More places in Fredericksburg.