This is a wonderful place, in one of my favorite parts of Texas - millions of mama Mexican free-tail bats summer here to give birth to and raise their pups. Their emergence from the cave is spectacular - and you sit so close you can feel the air moving as they go by. The setting is spectacular in a Hill Country meets West Texas way - crossing the James River and driving up into the rugged hills, hiking through the shrub and small trees and cacti. Watch out for snakes! But don't worry too much about them, as apparently even the resident rattlers are fairly mellow. TIP: you should only drive there in a car with enough clearance to drive through the James River at a low water crossing, so several inches of water normally. We made it fine in our Subaru Outback, and I think my cousin goes in his Camry, but I definitely wouldn't want to take a Honda Fit out there. You may have to wait until 2010, since they will close soon for the winter, since the bats will fly back to the warmer climes of Mexico to mate again. This year, the Nature Conservancy hired a local woman as the guide/caretaker/presenter. The last time I went, about 10 years ago, it was a younger guy from San Antonio, I think. They were both good, but the presentation now includes a lot of gory details about gasses in the cave, predators, and more! read more

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