About Natural Bridge Caverns

Natural Bridge Caverns is one of the world’s premier show caverns. Discovered in 1960 by local cavers, this family owned and operated natural wonder is the largest cavern in Texas. More than two cave tours of two distinct and stunning caverns, the property also features above ground adventures of a different kind including a ropes course, zip rails, a 5,000 square foot outdoor maze, and an interactive “gem panning” activity. Natural Bridge Caverns is also home to the deepest venue in Texas, the Ballroom, with regular concerts and events. More of the cavern is still being discovered; the Wuest family along with their caving team are still actively exploring new areas in the massive system. Natural Bridge Caverns is a designated State Historical Site and National Natural Landmark of Historic Places.

Our Story

In March of 1960, Orion Knox Jr., Preston Knodell, Al Brandt and Joe Cantu, four college students from St. Mary's University in San Antonio, obtained permission to explore the area that is now Natural Bridge Caverns. The students were convinced that large underground passages existed under the amazing 60-foot limestone bridge. On their fourth expedition, Orion felt a cool draft from a rubble-filled crawlway. Such air currents often indicate the presence of additional rooms or passages.

The explorers made their way carefully climbing and crawling through two miles of vast cavern passage. After making this amazing discovery, they returned to the surface to tell the landowners. The discoverers knew immediately what an astonishing find they had made and the land owners decided to develop the first 1/2 mile, the most spectacular part of the caverns, for the enjoyment of guests from around the world. That first 1/2 mile is now the Discovery Tour. Natural Bridge Caverns Discovery Tour was developed with two main goals in mind: preservation of the caverns' environment and comfort of its guests. The result is one of the world's premier show caverns, and one of the most popular attractions in Texas.

Our History

Natural Bridge Caverns is much more than a story about a cave. It’s the story of a family that took their connection to the land and evolved it into passionate stewardship for the natural beauty and wonder both above and beneath their feet.

The beginnings
It began with a young rancher, Charles Wuest, who fell in love with the girl next door – literally. Emelie Forshage, daughter of rancher Louis Forshage, lived on the ranch next door. That was what Natural Bridge Caverns was, back then: a working ranch. Over the next sixty years, the Wuest family would work through drought and hardship to hold on to the land and family they loved so dearly. Then a discovery of an immense cavern shifted the family’s future.

The discovery
In 1960, four students (Orion Knox, Al Brandt, Preston Knodell, and Joe Cantu) from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio convinced Clara Wuest, a determined rancher and widowed mother of two, to let them explore what they believed was a small cave on the property. Then on March 27, 1960 they discovered an incredible cavern; two miles of chamber after chamber, each filled with magnificent formations including gigantic, towering columns, emerald pools, and delicate crystalline soda straws.

And it was still alive and growing.

Investing in wonder
The Wuest family made a big decision - they put everything they owned on the line to build would become Natural Bridge Caverns. After careful planning, the painstaking work began in 1963 and on July 3, 1964 - a year later - they opened the Cavern to guests. A month later Texas Governor John Connally dedicated the Caverns as “A Jewel in the Crown of Texas Attractions.” The family took on roles within the business and attendance grew – and so did the cavern.

Foundation
Giving back has always been part of the family tradition, but it was formalized in 1997. Established by Natural Bridge Caverns founder Clara Wuest Heidemann, the Heidemann - Wuest Foundation (HWF) supports not-for-profit charities that focus on youth and agriculture, education, heritage, faith, wildlife, conservation, exploration, law enforcement, and veterans. Each year the HWF contributes more than $100,000 to charitable organizations in the San Antonio and New Braunfels area.

The expanding cavern
Over the decades more and more chambers were discovered in the Cavern. Today continued exploration by a new generation of the Wuest family is still underway. New chambers have been discovered as recently as June of 2022; each filled with formations that continue to inspire the growth and sense of wonder of Natural Bridge Caverns.

Throughout it all Brad and Travis, now CEO and vice president respectively, and their mother, Joye Wuest, now CFO, have embraced growth that has been meticulously planned, not only to preserve the natural wonder of the Caverns, but to do the same with the land that they continue to cherish.

Today, this new generation sees no end in sight for what is possible at Natural Bridge Caverns. “We’re committed to ensuring that Natural Bridge Caverns is a family destination that can inspire a new generation to experience their own adventure.”

Largest

Cavern by Volume in Texas

Largest

Ropes and Zip Rail Course of its Kind in the World When 1st Constructed

7th Longest

Cavern System in Texas

400k

Visitors Annually

Texas' Most Actively Explored Cavern

Most Expeditions and Explorations Underway (2019-2023)

Longest Sluice

Texas' Longest Gem Panning Sluice

1884

A young Charles Wuest who fell in love with the girl next door – literally. Emelie Forshage lived on the ranch next door, and together they inherited the land that, unbeknownst to them, sat atop a huge series of caverns. Charles and Emelie embraced the hard work of ranching and raising a family. Their eldest son, Hilmar grew up working on the ranch; and it was a life he loved.

1937

Hilmar Wuest and his wife, San Antonian Clara Wolfe, were doing the best they could to save their livestock when there was a tragic accident on the ranch. Hilmar was gravely injured, leaving Clara a young widow with two children to raise. She had already been to secretarial school before becoming a rancher and mother, so she put those skills to work. She was hired to work with the Comal County Extension Office; eventually becoming the first woman to chair the Comal County Farm Bureau. She developed a sophisticated understanding of agriculture and efficient ranch management. It was still tough going, but she and her son, Reggie Wuest, never gave up.

1960

Four students from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio – Orion Knox, Al Brandt, Preston Knodell, and Joe Cantu – convinced Clara Wuest to let them explore what they believed was a small cave on the property. She was reluctant at first, but they must have been quite persuasive. On March 27, 1960, they made a discovery that changed the future for the Wuest family. Instead of just a small cave they found two miles of chamber after chamber, each filled with magnificent formations including gigantic, towering columns, emerald pools, delicate crystalline soda straws. And it was still alive and growing.

1963

Clara, Harry, (Clara and state highway patrolman Harry Heidemann had recently married), along with their son Reggie, agreed to take on the opportunity presented by the discovery. They put everything they owned on the line, borrowing against the ranch they’d poured their life blood into. They began building what would become Natural Bridge Caverns. In 1963, three years after the discovery of the interconnected chambers, development began.

1964

Natural Bridge Caverns opened to guests for the first time on July 3, 1964. A month later Texas Governor John Connally dedicated the Caverns as “A Jewel in the Crown of Texas Attractions.” The family took on roles within the business and attendance grew–and so did the Cavern.

1967

Suspecting that more caverns extended south of the existing Cavern entrance, Harry and Clara urged more exploration in 1967. Reggie Wuest, along with Jack Burch and Myles Kuykendall were lowered into bore holes to take a look. There they discovered large chambers filled with stunning formations including soda straws growing over 10 feet long. The family developed that new passage for guests using the same determination, careful planning, and undying stewardship of the Cavern.

The Texas Historical Commission designated Natural Bridge Caverns as a State Historical Site in ceremonies that were held on December 7, 1967.

1971

The US Department of the Interior designated Natural Bridge Caverns as a National Natural Landmark.

1976

The Visitor Center underwent a major expansion to serve the growing number of guests coming through the park..

1984

Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch opened, owned and operated by Raymond Soechting and Trudy Wuest Soechting. Among the top 20 drive thru safari parks in the country, the Wildlife Ranch is home to over 40 species from around the world.

1986 (estimated)

A tunnel was constructed into the Hidden Cavern, entering at the top of the Jaremy room, which allowed guests walkable access to the room.

1997

Natural Bridge Caverns founder Clara Wuest Heidemann establishes the Heidemann – Wuest Foundation (HWF). HWF supports not-for-profit charities that focus on youth and agriculture, education, heritage, faith, wildlife, conservation, exploration, law enforcement, and veterans.

1998

Wild cave adventure tours began at Natural Bridge Caverns with guest being lowered 60′ down a well shaft into what is now called the Cathedral room in the Hidden Cavern. Today there are two available adventure tours, both in the Discovery Cavern.

1999

Caroling in the Caverns launched with live musical performances inside the massive rooms in the Discovery Cavern. This holiday celebration continued through 2005.

2000

Geologists from the University of Texas at Austin remove a section of flowstone in the Hidden Cavern to study weather record stored in the formation using a process of microdrilling. This study is ongoing.

2003

A skilled team of archaeologists from The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) performed a series of excavations to investigate the historical remains. A varied sample of artifacts were uncovered, including a prehistoric cooking hearth, stone tools, projectile points and charred plant remains.

2004

Natural Bridge Caverns was named to the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of Interior. The designation followed the archeology excavation that was conducted in 2003.

2010

Natural Bridge Caverns opened a new Lantern Tour into the Discovery Passages with only the light of a lantern to guide their way. The Lantern Tour replicates lighting conditions similar to what the original explorers had, and shares what it was like to be one of the first people to ever explore Texas’ largest and most spectacular underground attraction.

2012

Natural Bridge Caverns opened the Canopy Challenge Adventure Course and Zip Lines featuring four levels of challenging obstacle courses and high-flying fun soaring through the trees of the Texas Hill Country.

2013

“Christmas at the Caverns” brought a Christmas themed celebration back to Natural Bridge Caverns after an 8 year hiatus. In addition to Carols in the Caverns, the cave crew added more activities above ground as well, including a walking trail of lights, synthetic ice skating, and visits with Santa. This one-of-a-kind Christmas celebration has grown to become a holiday tradition for families throughout the state and continues today.

2019

Twisted Trails ropes and zip rail adventure course replaced the former Canopy Explorer and Canopy Zip Line. Twisted Trails features the Sky Trail® system – with the most Sky Rails™ in an outdoor attraction in the world, an impressive 685 feet of total track. The course is six stories tall and includes a Twisted Trails Tykes course for adventure seekers 4’ tall and under and climbing adventures. When constructed it was the largest of its kind in the world.

In May 2019, the Natural Bridge Caverns Expedition Team, led by Natural Bridge Caverns owner/operators, Brad and Travis Wuest, discovered an additional 600-feet of never before seen passage, which to date, was the largest discovery at Natural Bridge Caverns since 1967. Access to this new area has led to a whole new era of exploration and discovery.

A new cave, later named Wild Cave, was first hinted at when steam was spotted rising from a narrow crack along a dry rocky creek bed surrounded by thick cedar. The warm air rising from the crack indicated the possibility of a large void somewhere below. The narrow crack proved to be the beginning of a deep pit that aligned with but was beyond the furthest reaches explored in Natural Bridge Caverns.

2020

The popular Discovery Tour was enhanced with the installation of a brand-new, multi-faceted, multimillion-dollar lighting, communications, and technology enhancement. The cooler color temperature LED lamps show off the beautiful contrast of true colors inside the caverns. Scenes are now brighter with more definition and clarity and showcase additional features of the chambers and formations never seen before.

T. Dexter Soechting, great grandson of Natural Bridge Caverns founder Clara Wuest Heidemann, was the first explorer to enter the pit of Wild Cave. At the bottom, he found a small hole blowing air so forcefully it caused his shirt to flap.

2021

The initial exploration of the Wild Cave begins by the Natural Bridge Caverns Expedition Team. Exploration of Wild Cave continues through the year both South and North. The team also leads expeditions through the Natural Bridge Caverns System to further expand the surveyed areas.

2022

In March of 2022, bones and wildcat tracks are discovered in non-public newly explored areas of the cavern. Paleontological expeditions to retrieve the bones took place in 2023.

In May of 2022, UTSA archaeologists return to Natural Bridge Caverns to examine evidence of burned rock middens in an area alongside the public walkways between Caverns.

Also in May of 2022 the Natural Bridge Caverns Expedition Team attempted to find a connection between the Wild Cave and the furthest reaches of explored areas of Natural Bridge Caverns System. No human size connection was found, but exploration and study continues.

In July a new adventure tour, St. Mary’s Adventure Tour, is launched, taking guests through a never before visible part of the Discovery Cavern.

In August a biological survey of Natural Bridge Caverns continued to identify the cave adapted species in the cavern. The study is ongoing.

In December one of the original discoverers of Natural Bridge Caverns, Orion Knox, Jr., passed away. Orion was active in the development of the caverns for many years.

2023

The Wildcat Expeditions, with the help of UT Jackson School of Geosciences, take place in January. Bones from three wildcat skeletons were recovered and sent to the lab for ancient DNA analysis.

Brad Wuest shows the capabilities of the new lighting at Natural Bridge Caverns during a VIP sneak peek of Hidden Wonders Opening of Hidden Wonders Tour – the largest investment in Natural Bridge Caverns History. This new multi-million-dollar tour experience features state-of-the-art lighting, a sound and light show, and expansion into never before toured areas of the property’s Hidden Cavern. Development of the new tour experience and careful development of new areas of the cavern has been underway since 2017 and opened to the public on May 12th.

First major concert takes place in the Ballroom featuring guitar legend Monte Montgomery, launching the Live Underground Concert Series in the Deepest Venue in Texas.

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