Such a beautiful tour! Mara was amazing! I booked an 11 AM tour . It was a hot day, but still not too bad. Some areas have steep steps. The trail isn't a circle, so you would go back the way you came. There are several beautiful sites to see along the way. The steps headed to the cave can be a bit slippery Stay hydrated and be ready to take beautiful pictures. I had an amazing time, I hope you do too! read more

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What a great nature preserve! I went on the Grotto Tour and our guide was very informational. West Cave Outdoor Center is located in the middle of nature so there's no phone service available. Prior to our tour, they sent us instructions on how to get to the center and they were very clear. They had signs at the entrance and they were very easy to follow. We booked the 11AM tour and the hike was relatively easy with West Cave and the Grotto at the end of the trail. Our guide was very informational and was able to teach us about the different species of trees and the geography of the area. read more

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Worse welcome center , employees were not helpful there was no maps available and forget it if you don't have a reservation you're not getting in . Locked gates on the trails you can't just enjoy this park without a guide and the website doe not say that . Wasted drive out there read more

April 21, 2023 came solo (visiting from Galveston) but signed up for a tour and boy, I'm glad I did. It's just a lot to see and with the assistance and knowledge of a skilled guide; it's worth it (I can't remember our guides name but she was awesome -she's in my group photo) I got some wonderful photos and met a lot of friendly people from all over the state of Texas. This reserve is gorgeous (as you can see) and is a place to go to get your mind right. I hope you enjoy my photo perspective. Namaste read more

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Matt and Megan were awesome! Knowledgeable, friendly, and enthusiastic. They led our tour and educated us on the Westcave Preserve; from its physical creation to it becoming a nature preserve. read more

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We scheduled a guided tour for our first day in Austin. The guide was extremely informative. The whole experience was a good reminder of our responsibility to the earth. The trek itself was not too difficult, but challenging enough. Highly recommend when in the area. read more

This was so special! The guide was great, passionate and knowledgeable. The bathrooms are absolutely foul. The discovery center has a lot of artifacts and history. The spring and falls were not very full, but that's ok. It is beautiful and we learned so much about trees and the native area. The hike was definitely doable and easy for the average person. I brought the kids and they had fun! read more

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Had a fantastic adventure Saturday morning! The beauty of the drive over the Texas hill country was only surpassed by this treat of a tour. Thank you to the guide who was full of fun information and was a natural at keeping the attention of our whole group. I highly recommend this for all nature enthusiasts. read more

This was such a beautiful little trek, we did the guided canyon tour. Our guide Mara was awesome, very knowledgable and kind! The experience had me in a constant state of wonderment at the beauty that exists so close to home. Very thankful that this space has been protected and preserved. Hoping to come back before spring ends!! read more

Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center - Behind one of the entrances to the cave - Parks Near Me - Round Mountain, Texas

A nicely kept secret in the Austin area as Westcave has been privately owned for many years - but is now part of a larger non-proft dedicated to protecting this special place. A nice description at the vistors center shows illustations of the eons of erosion creating these natural pools which is essentially layers of softer earth carving out to leave behind the harder layers of limestone over-hang which eventually collapses - only to be created again over time higher up the drainage-flow area. After some steps and path the trail ends at the large cave with a waterfall, natural dripping areas, a limestone overhang with stalagtites and stalagmites, a grotto and many species of lush ferns, plants and trees. Motivated and interesting guides share history of the area and efforts to conserve this special place. Highly recommended. read more

This was a nice day trip from Austin. You do need to book a tour to visit. The area was absolutely beautiful and it was a short hike down into the canyon. I was definitely disappointed we couldn't go behind the water on our visit because there just happened to be a baby rattle snake in the path. I do appreciate the guides knowing what to watch out for and how to look for them. read more

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Came to the grotto while my best friend was in town this week and it did not disappoint! I actually found out about this place through a TikTok and it's even better in person! Definitely recommend buying tickets online before coming out as some days it's crazy busy. We had the nicest tour guide named Amber who had more or less grown up around the grotto at westcave and her family has been helping to preserve the grounds for decades. She was super knowledgeable not only as a tour guide but also as a conservationist. She gave us the history of the grounds and it was even a decent hike on the way back up from the grotto! If you're in Texas and looking to explore nature, check this place out! read more

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The guide and the scenery were both equally amazing and impressive! Be sure to wear shoes with good grip because there are a few steep inclines so that you'll have a safe hike. read more

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Beautiful and serene place. The two staff members there were great. Our tour guide was really good. The tour itself was just the right length and had just the right amount of content. read more

Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center - Parks Near Me - Round Mountain, Texas

We had a great time checking out the grotto / cave. Gaby, the Guide was fun and informative. The hike wasn't too bad. Probably should wear shoes as some parts could be slippery. read more

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Stunningly beautiful!! I was brought up in Texas and can't believe I am just now seeing this. It is a must if you love nature, history, the environment, etc. The trees and vegetation as well as the cave nestled in the woods is jaw dropping. recommend read more

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Awesome place to go! Make sure you make a reservation online before heading over here because they sell out of the tours usually a few hours before they start. Our tour guide, Nicole, was very informative and enthusiastic while explaining everything to us. Really enjoyed the hike and would love to go back when it has rained recently to see the waterfall in it's full glory! read more

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The preserve was really amazing! If you go, I highly recommend doing the tour as it gives you guided information as you are walking through the preserve. Mara was a really amazing tour guide, she was very knowledgeable in tree species and also bioinformatics on the formation of stalactites. Overall a really great experience you do not want to miss. Bring good hiking shoes as there is some mud and a little bit of water when you get to the cave. It gets pretty hot during the summer, so nice flowy hiking clothes would do you good. Overall a spectacular experience and I can't wait to go again to show other people the beauty of Texas. read more

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Excellent and educated guide! Small group was perfect size to be able to see and hear all that was going on. Was the perfect addition to our mini summer vacation! read more

Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center - Parks Near Me - Round Mountain, Texas

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This place, including tour guides and staff must be protected at all cost! We enjoyed our visit last March! We've learned a lot about the preserve and it's history. Our tour guide was Mario and he was very knowledgeable about the surroundings. He answered all our questions politely and professionally and even took our pictures! Nothing like having a tour with someone that takes pride of the preserve! read more

Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center - Parks Near Me - Round Mountain, Texas

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Eye watering waterfall grotto. Pack two ice bottles; a bit humid. But so worth it!! Absolutely beautiful little nook.

What a great experience! For first timers- you must book a tour to get into the property. So check their website for tour dates, times and pricing. I want to commend the folks that work here. You can tell they are dedicated to their craft and really takes pride in showing off this beautiful piece of nature. Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and extremely competent. I came for a company outing and it was such a wonderful experience. The trail itself is not too difficult so I would recommend for people of all ages. It can get narrow at some points, so bringing a walking stick would be a great idea. The views are breathtaking!! You cannot swim here but Hamilton Pool is just down the road if you have to scratch that itch. You also get the opportunity to walk into the cave. If you're not a fan of being boxed in them maybe stay outside of the cave for this part. It's not 100% pitch black in there which means you do have some visibility. Tour/hike is an hour or so. There's also a nice picnic area near the nature center. I'd recommend packing a meal to eat in picnic area after your hike. read more

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Westcave is both a special place as well as an amazing non-profit organization that looks to improve the health and happiness of the people around Austin. The staff at the preserve is amazing, and as someone who has worked extensively with the organization I know they are a group of people that truly care about engaging the community. They host several events engaging school districts around Austin to provide kids with outdoor experiences and education and also partner with many of the best non-profits around town to expand access for youth and adults alike. I'd highly recommend everyone in Central Texas to pay a visit to Westcave and learn more about the preserve + what they're doing to serve the community around them! read more

One of the BEST things about Austin is the amount of greenspace in and around the city! That said, a lot of places for hiking and swimming have gotten extremely crowded in recent years! Westcave Preserve is one mile down the road from Hamilton Pool. While Hamilton Pool is extremely busy during the summer months, Westcave Preserve is not very popular or crowded! Westcave Preserve's crowning jewel is the collapsed grotto, which is stunningly beautiful - you'll forget you're in Texas! You have to take a guided tour to get to the grotto - they leave several times a day and are capped at 30 people! There's a small fee - maybe $5 for adults? Don't miss this hidden gem! read more

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Beautiful area, the guide was very informative, very knowledgeable and was a pleasure to talk with. Definitely well worth the drive.

This is a really special place for appreciating the beauty of nature. You can enjoy a guided hike down to the grotto for $10 (show up early -- even an extra hour or so is fine, because there's plenty to do on-site before your hike). The volunteers are very knowledgeable about the ecology and wildlife of the area -- so don't be afraid to ask questions! The young woman who led our group was very patient with our 4-year-old. He was so excited that she showed him the "cat's claw" hidden within the bluebonnets, that it's pretty much all he wanted to talk about for days. That kind of experience sticks with you throughout your life! And it's all because someone took the extra time to talk to a kid. We also got to see a snake (far off the path). My only "complaint" is that these tours are becoming really popular, and it was a bit tedious at times to wait for the whole group to mobilize on the trail. The guide told us that winter time is their slowest/less popular time for tours, and though there are fewer flowers to see at that time of year, there are always new things to discover. read more

Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center - A view from the grotto - Parks Near Me - Round Mountain, Texas

This place is an absolute paradise, take the grotto tour, and arrive early, it's beyond worth it. Our tour guide was Jeff, he was the perfect person to lead the way, knowledgeable, patient, intelligent and funny!! The front entrance staff was sweet, and accommodating, love it here!! read more

We originally wanted to go to Hamilton Pool for the day, but was turned away when we got to the gate because you need reservations. Unfortunately this information was only made available when we got there. We asked the gatekeeper if there was anything in the area we could go to instead since our group was from all over the place (Hawaii, Massachusets, and Canada), and we just drove a few hours to get here...to which she replied "google things to do in Austin." Wow...way to help us out! Anyway, we drove out of Hamilton Pool and stumbled upon the next exit which was the Westcave preserve. Not knowing what this was, we decided to just check it out, and we are so glad we did! The guided tour was $14 and lasted about 1.5 hours. It consists of a very easy walk with about 25 steps down to get to the gratto. We were led by staffmember Erich Rose, who made for an informative experience. He talked about the landscape, how things were shaped the way they were, the plants and animals in the area, and the history behind the preserve. We then went inside the cave and gratto area where he pointed out some very cool things, and showed us fossilized moss. Super neato stuff...not boring like some other reviews mentioned. I highly recommend coming here, especially if you happen to miss Hamilton Pool! You cannot swim here being that it's a preserve, but it's a nice quick fun thing to do nonetheless. read more

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If visiting Austin and love the outdoors, please make sure to visit this place. There is some walking and the tours are escorted but you won't feel rushed. Make sure to wear appropriate clothing and footwear as some of the steps are steep and rocky. This is a very educational tour as the guide will explain everything about the area and how things for over thousands of years ago. read more

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It's a definite must do hike! There is a cost for the tour, but well worth it! If you don't want to hear the guide talk your ears off. Bring your ear buds. read more

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Just a wonderful place of solitude and nature. Birds or wildflowers, make reservations please.

I stumbled up on here after visited Hamilton Pool Nature Preserve, $5 for a guided tour and it was totally worth it. The Tour is at 10AM, 12 PM, 2PM and 4PM. My tour guide is John, very knowledgeable guy, really had a great time learning from him. Highly recommend it. read more

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Westcave Preserve is an amazing natural treasure. Westcave is a non- profit and only offers guided tours in order to protect the flora and fauna... Westcave has a distinct ecosystem that offers a great learning experience for anyone interested in nature. I highly recommend one of their tours of the grotto. The pictures alone are worth it.... read more

Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center - grotto - Parks Near Me - Round Mountain, Texas

This is a site to see while visiting Austin. If you love the outdoors, then this is up your alley. When I mentioned this place (and other nature places) to friends who live in Austin, everyone always tells me they have never heard of these places. Get out more people! City life isn't that fun. Anyway, this is a cheap excursion, coming to a total of $5! You get to take a1-1.5 mile walk down to see a beautiful grotto and get to learn some cool facts about the area where the grotto is located, environments, certain plants, and so on and so forth from a tour guide. I would recommend wearing closed-toes shoes since there was a snake on the tour we attended. Also, be sure to bring your camera! Some great photos to be taken! read more

Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center - Beauty Berries. These can be seen throughout the entire tour. - Parks Near Me - Round Mountain, Texas

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Such a beautiful activity with friends. This would be a pretty bad ass date as well! This preserve is located in the hill country right outside Austin. I came here with friends for a weekend trip and really wanted to go hiking. For just $10, you take a guided tour through the preserve which includes a grotto and cave. Our tour guide was very knowledgable about the history of the park and some cool science facts! The actual "hike" isn't entirely rigorous, so I think it's safe for children and the elderly. There's a slightly steep portion, but stone stairs and a wire hand rail are available for extra support. Going down wasn't too tiring, but I was out of breath on the way back up! I will say, I'm not the most in shape person (lmao.) The finale of the tour is the beautiful grotto and cave. It's simply breathtaking! The tour guide allowed us to return to the preserve office at our own pace, which was perfect because my friends and I had plenty of time to take a mini Instagram photoshoot. I would definitely recommend visiting this park and taking the tour. They are available every weekend, at 10 am, 12, 2, and 4 pm. read more

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I was part of the Lost Pines Master Naturalist group June 22, 2019 which took the grotto tour at 9am Saturday. Meagan Whitehouse led our tour. She did a wonderful job. Her knowledge of the area was first rate. Being a Master Naturalist group, we asked a lot of questions. Meagan fielded all our questions with expert precision. I lead a lot of nature walks for Bastrop State Park, Buescher State Park, McKinney Roughs Nature Park, and the Wild Basin Preserve. I enjoyed her presentation. She did a first class job. Thanks for hosting us. - Bill Brooks Lost Pines Master Naturalist read more

Breathtaking beautiful at every corner. The grotto was magnificent, well maintained, and loved. The amount of knowledge I received during the hike was greatly appreciated. I love learning new things about nature. Getting to see some rare critters was a blessing as well. Lucas*, our tour guide was wonderful. Can't wait to visit again. read more

Absolutely loved this guided tour. The reserve at Westcave is unreal. ERICH was amazing - so passionate and knowledgeable!!! He really made learning about everything SO interesting. My friends and I were extremely happy finding this beautiful, lush place!! Thank you to Erich for being an epic nature-ist :D read more

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Our tour was very informative & entertaining. Our tour guide was really knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor. We stumbled across this particular tour after visiting Hamilton Beach (you have to make reservations online & pay the parking fee but it is a FREE hike down to the Beach area which has the biggest cave & a beautiful waterfall especially after the rain). Westcave tours does charge a fee per person to tour their two smaller caves however they too have free trails to bird watch, trails on the surface area to walk & its free to go see the visitor center which showcases photography, diagrams of the cave, and fossils found in the area. read more

As I walked into the welcome center I hear Ethel exclaim "come here come here, you are all here at the right time!". Ethel was pointing at the beam of light from the sun bouncing off the floor. The welcome center is a solar observatory and has an analemma that uses the sun throughout the year to mark "local noon". Local noon is 12.32.34 CST at Westcave. They claim their analemma is so accurate you can set your watch by it. For a mere $5 cash per person Jack Breede guided us through the beautifully lush Westcave Preserve. He pointed out the fauna and wildlife as we made our way down the trail and finding ourselves under the canopy of trees to include a 600 year old bald Cypress. The tour is approximately 90 minutes and at the end of the tour you are welcome to leisurely walking back up the trail to take advantage of the photops and to take in the beauty of the preserve. Tours are Saturdays and Sundays at 10 AM., noon, 2 PM., and 4 PM. Since Westcave Preserve is close to Hamilton Pool and Westcave Winery, you could easily make a day-cation of it. read more