Ecotourism

Travel to the center of the earth, go batty and see some endangered species.

New Braunfels offers the opportunity to check out some natural wonders that you can’t see just anywhere…

Guadalupe River – The spring-fed Guadalupe River above Canyon Dam is one of the most scenic stretches of river in Texas, with high limestone bluffs, giant bald cypress, pecan, oak, elm, and a wide variety of shrubs lining the river. On a winding transit of the Guadalupe River State Park in western Comal County, the river courses over natural rapids and is a favorite destination for swimming, fishing, hiking and picnicking. Of particular interest to ecotourists, the Honey Creek State Natural Area, 2293.7 acres, accessed through the park is a protected natural area available only by scheduled guided walks on Saturdays, or at other times by special arrangements. At Honey Creek, majestic sycamores and bald cypress trees laced with Spanish moss are abundant, and Columbine and maidenhair ferns twine among the rocks. All of the typical hill country species, from wild turkeys to fence lizards, ringtails to leopard frogs, and many types of fish can be found on the property. Several species of endemics with limited ranges also inhabit the preserve. Of particular interest are Cagle's map turtle, Guadalupe bass, four-lined skink, green kingfisher, Texas salamander, and the Honey Creek Cave salamander. In addition, Honey Creek is one of the nesting sites of the threatened golden-cheeked warbler.

Comal Springs – The Comal Springs are the largest in Texas and the American southwest. The Springs and the Comal River below are home for a federally endangered species, the Fountain Darter. These springs were a favorite camping place for native Indian tribes for thousands of years, and many artifacts and burial mounds have been found. The Comal River arises entirely, except after major rains, from springs in this vicinity and flows for just over two miles through Landa Park and New Braunfels before confluencing with the Guadalupe River. It is said to be the shortest river in the United States.

Canyon Lake Gorge – The Gorge that was carved out when up to 34 inches of rain fell on the Hill Country in a short period of time, pouring into the Guadalupe River, filling Canyon Lake Reservoir and carving a 30-40 foot deep gorge as it went over the dam spillway, revealing many geologic wonders. This region of Texas is commonly called Flash Flood Alley, but the Flood Event of 2002 was the first time that the water from the lake had ever gone over the spillway since it was built in the early 1960s. On June 28 the rain began to fall. Over the next week, approximately 34 inches of rain would fall in the upper watershed. On July 1, the lake began to rise and the rain continued to fall. July 2 and 3, all the lakeside holiday campers were evacuated and the parks were closed. Early July 4, remaining campers on River Road along the Guadalupe River were evacuated. At 3:30 p.m., the water started flowing over the spillway. At its height, the water was flowing at least 7 feet over the spillway and flowing at a rate of 67,000 cubic feet/second. The amount that came over the spillway would have filled Canyon Lake 1.5 times over at normal level. It originally took three years to fill the up the lake when the dam was first built. There are dinosaur tracks geologists believe were left by the three-toed, bi-pedal Acrocanthosaurus, a carnivore that was about two-thirds the size of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and round, elephant-like prints may have been left by a Sauropod. The flood event also exposed the inside of a major fault, known as the Hidden Valley Fault and there are many fossils such as foraminifers, green algae, snails, sea urchins, bivalves, gastropods, and worm tubes.

Bracken Cave – Bracken Cave is the largest known habitat for Mexican Free-tailed Bats in the world. It is located outside of the city of New Braunfels in Comal County and is currently estimated to have a colony of more than 20 million bats, making it the single largest concentration of mammals in the world. Bracken Cave is a protected area, and access to the cave is restricted to protect the habitat of the bats residing therein. The cave is currently owned by Bat Conservation International, which is working to restore the land around the cave to support a large population of many different kind of wildlife, in addition to bats. As a member, however, you have the opportunity to visit Bracken Cave. For more information: http://www.batcon.org/index.php/education/find-bat-locations/bracken-bat-cave/subcategory.html?layout=subcategory. 

Don’t miss the short video clip of the Bracken emergence on the above referenced webpage!

Natural Bridge Caverns – The Natural Bridge Caverns don’t take you quite to the center of the earth, but they do give you an up close and personal peek at the workings of the Edwards and Glen Rose Aquifers, as you walk through different layers of limestone. Perhaps around 20 million years ago, a number of faults formed in Texas due to settling of the costal regions. These movements created an extensive series of faults known as the Balcones Fault Zone. The eroded face of the Balcones Escarpment marks both the fault zone and the beginning of the Texas Hill Country. In addition to creating the faults, the tectonic stresses also created joints, or cracks in the rock. Underground water moving along the joints eventually carved the passages at Natural Bridge Caverns. The cavern formed by an underground “river” moving slowly through cracks and pores within the limestone. Rain Water seeping through cracks started dissolving the limestone. In time, the original narrow cracks or joints enlarged to form huge underground conduits or passages. Natural Bridge Caverns has been listed in the National Register of Historical Places (NHRP), a designation given by the U.S. Department of Interior for sites that have an important role in preserving cultural history. Excavations have revealed projectile points dating back approximately 10,000 years, and several other stone tools were recovered including hide scrapers, gouges, knives, and drill fragments. Artifacts uncovered include a prehistoric looking hearth, stone tools, projectile points, and charred plant remains. Faunal remains belonging to species that became extinct about 12,000 years ago have also been found.

Bonus – The Texas Hill Country surrounding New Braunfels is a treasure of natural wonders and using New Braunfels as your home away from home, you can also take easy day trips to visit sites like the Selah, Bamberger Ranch Preserve, a beautiful place in the Texas Hill Country where the visitor is invited to "pause and reflect" on Nature, Mitchell Lake Audubon Center, a 1200-acre natural area that includes the 600-acre Mitchell Lake, 215 acres of wetlands and ponds and 385 acres of upland habitat providing a unique and beautiful bird haven where it is not uncommon to see American White Pelicans, Painted Buntings, and Orchard Orioles among many other bird species. And to top off your visit don’t miss Lady Bird Johnson’s Wildflower Center, established to protect and preserve North America's native plants and natural landscapes. Public gardens, woodlands and sweeping meadows display the native plants of the Central Texas Hill Country, South and West Texas, while the Plant Conservation Program protects the ecological heritage of Texas by conserving its rare and endangered flora. The Center’s education programs for children and adults teach people about their natural surroundings and how to grow native plants in their own backyards.