This past weekend, we were joined by friends from Florida and California, with everyone gathering in the (approximate) continental middle right here in the heart of Texas. Last year we introduced our friends to Mount Bonnell and Pedernales Falls, and this year we decided to venture down near San Antonio for a tour of Natural Bridge Caverns and back up to the Austin area for a dip at Hamilton Pool.
Natural Bridge Caverns are named for the 60-foot natural limestone bridge just above the main entrance to the cave. It really is picturesque.
Below the bridge lies a gem of a natural landmark– more than a 1/2-mile of large dark and humid chambers filled with fantastic stalactites and stalagmites and other formations.
The caverns were formed after the warm sea covering Texas in the Cretaceous period began to recede. About 20 million years ago, movement along the Balcones Fault created joints in the limestone, and water along the joints began to shape the caverns, causing (and then in turn helped by) the occasional collapse of limestone that ultimately created the caverns of Natural Bridge.
Due to unfortunate ill planning on my part, my large camera’s battery was in need of a recharge, so all I had to document the cave was my little but ever-reliable pocket camera. Reliable yes, but its light was too weak to show the magnificense of the largest chambers and their truly majestic columns. But I offer these few glimpses of the cavern’s beauty.
It had been many years since I’d last visited the cavern, but the gardener in me this time appreciated the rugged scene of Texas terrain and native flowers highlighted along the outside grounds on the property. Here’s a lone Firewheel among a bed of Pink Evening Primrose.
On the way back to Austin, we did stop for lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, the Gristmill, in the historic and truly Texas town of Gruene. The Gristmill overlooks some of the rapids of the Guadalupe River, but as hungry as I was, I forgot to take pictures until later when, well-fed, I paused to admire containers of flowers near the ever-famous dance hall.
I know some people don’t care for the barrel-style planters, but the mass of flowers they offer for planting just might sway some gardeners back to new appreciation.
On Sunday we headed out for a late-morning visit to Hamilton Pool. I’d last visited with the boys just a few months ago in the winter. What a difference a season can make! Gorgeous no matter the time of year, it’s still interesting to note the differences in the foliage from winter to spring.
The peaceful sounds of the waterfall, the antics of the cliff swallows zipping about their mud nests on the limestone walls, the lovely greenery of the natural fern beds, the coolness of the cavern, and the unusual bird calls of several unidentified species all brought a tranquil, content feeling to our group. What a lovely place to take a pause from our busy lives.
This natural Texas landmark is a collapsed grotto with a 50-foot waterfall that plunges into the swimming hole it forms below. The boys were more prepared for their swim this time than last — we had towels!
And on the walk back, a treat of wild columbines.
Just as we were leaving, a few large groups of people showed up. I highly recommend a morning visit, both for the best light and to enjoy the serenity of the pool before the picnickers arrive.
Our friends are back on their respective coasts now. We miss them already!
My gosh, what a positively *magical* place! Some of those columns look like tree roots…others like enchanted castles rising out of the stone. Wonderful!
Wow! What a beautiful place. I feel newly educated today, as I just never envisioned Texas with caverns and waterfalls! Very cool.
Actually, Texas is home to many different eco-regions. We have coastal areas and wetlands, piney woods, rolling hills, waterfalls, mountains, desert, grasslands, and more. We often joke in our state that if you don’t like the terrain where you are, just drive for a bit and the scenery changes! Same with the weather — it often changes suddenly!
What lovely pictures. The caverns are amazing.
I’d never heard the “Fire Wheel” name applied to Indian Blankets before! Tough it sure sounds more descriptive.
The wild flowers sure are going nuts with the wet winter and spring we’ve had.
Hamilton Pool looks like hobbit country. No picnics here quite yet, still a bit too cold, but we did eat outside for the first time this year last week: hurray! Probably another couple of weeks until hiking and picnicing weather.
Christine in Alaska