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Bat Haven: Old Tunnel State Park
An old railroad tunnel here provides a seasonal home for around 3 million bats. Visit Old Tunnel State Park for their bat program to learn more about these flying mammals and to watch them embark on their nightly search for food!
Things to Do
Besides viewing the bats, you can also picnic, hike, bird-watch, stargaze and look for wildlife. Explore short, less than a half mile nature trails, watching for wildlife, a view of the tunnel, and signs with bat lore and railroad history.
You'll want to bring your own drinking water, as water is not available in the park.
Visitors have a few rules to protect both the bats and you:
- No camping, pets or smoking.
Stay on the designated trail when hiking. - Do not approach the tunnel.
Bat viewing
Old Tunnel is home to up to three million Mexican free-tailed bats and 3,000 cave myotis bats, from May through October. The park is open in the evening for bat viewing, and sometimes for programs, while the bats are here.
- Learn more about the Bat Emergence.
- Check Facebook or Twitter, or call (866) 978-2287 for bat emergence information.
- Plan to arrive an hour earlier than recent emergence times. (You do not have to arrive at 5 p.m.)
- The bat viewing areas are accessible for folks with mobility impairments.
Ticket information
Every person, including children, must have a ticket to be in the park after 5 p.m. during bat season.
Buy tickets online or by calling the Customer Service Center. Show tickets or email confirmations on your phone at the gate. You must purchase tickets in advance; you cannot buy tickets on-site.
Space is limited in the two bat viewing areas, upper and lower, so make your reservations early. Children under 4 years old are NOT allowed in the lower viewing area.
Ranger Programs
When the bats are in residence, evening programs are offered on their life history and ecology. You must purchase a ticket in advance to attend.
Passport stamps: The stamp is only available during bat programs. However, you can download the stamp to print and add to your passport after your visit!
Check Old Tunnel State Park's Facebook page for upcoming astronomy programs.
Bat trunks
Borrow bat trunks with curricula for all ages, videos and a slide presentation. You’ll also find a taxidermic bat, bat detector, posters, books and more. Find a trunk to borrow at Bat Trunk Resources.
Plan a visit to Old Tunnel State Park for your next trip to Fredericksburg, and plan to stay at our lodging at Walnut Canyon Cabins, with seven private cabins for your next trip to Fredericksburg. So check your calendar, and BOOK YOUR CABIN now!
