Exploring This State Park In Texas Is The Definition Of An Underrated Adventure
By Melissa Mahoney|Published December 29, 2023
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Melissa Mahoney
Author
I'm an east coast girl living in a west coast world. I grew up in New England before moving to SoCal for several years. I then lived in NYC or a year before moving to AZ in 2009. I worked in the entertainment industry for many years of my adult life and have a deep love for photography, writing, and traveling around the U.S. as well as to far-flung locations around the world. Travel is my life and writing about it is a dream!
With almost 90 state parks in Texas, chances are you’ve been to at least one. Perhaps you’ve been to a handful of them. While the most popular state parks include Guadalupe River State Park, Palo Duro Canyon State Park, and Ray Roberts Lake State Park, dozens fly under the radar. One such park that offers underrated adventure in Texas is Kickapoo Cavern State Park. Between the scenery, the hiking, the caves, and the wildlife, you must add this park to your bucket list.
Just north of the town of Brackettville is the 6,368-acre Kickapoo Cavern State Park. With all it has to offer, it may come as a surprise that it sees less than 9,000 visitors each year.
For those who love uncrowded places, epic views, and natural wonders, this state park is for you. It's an incredible park for hiking, mountain biking, wildlife viewing, and birdwatching.
The rugged landscape of Kickapoo Cavern State Park is best explored by hiking or mountain biking. Depending on the trail or trails you choose to trek, points of interest include a historic windmill and sheep pens as well as overlooks. You'll be amazed at what you'll see at this park!
You'll even get to see natural wonders like the park's 20 caves which include the 1,400-foot-long Kickapoo Cavern. To explore any of the park's caves, you must book a guided tour which is available at 1 p.m. every Saturday.
And then there's the Stuart Bat Cave. Between mid-March and the end of October, Mexican free-tailed bats call this cave home. At dusk most evenings, there's a mass exodus of bats as they search for food around the park.
There's no shortage of wildlife at this Texas state park! Go for a hike and keep your eyes peeled for animals like armadillos, porcupines, white-tailed deer, gray foxes, and more. Birdwatchers are also in for a treat as there are more than 240 bird species that call Kickapoo Cavern State Park home!
If you plan on making your visit to Kickapoo Cavern State Park more of a weekend getaway, camping here is an option. Within the campground are five full hook-up sites and 10 campsites with water. Each site has its own picnic table, lantern post, a fire ring or a grill, and access to restrooms with showers.
Have you ever visited Kickapoo Cavern State Park for an underrated adventure in Texas? Do you have another favorite Texas state park? Let us know! To learn more about Kickapoo Cavern State Park, visit the Texas State Parks website.
If you plan on having an outdoor adventure that includes hiking in Texas, make sure you check out our Ultimate Hiking Packing List for everything you need!
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