Old Tunnel WMA

What a great experience! We made a spur of the moment decision to drive from Fredericksburg to Old Tunnel State Park. We arrived before the bat flight and paid $ 5 per person to walk down to the lower viewing area. A park employee provided good information about the bats, the tunnel, safety, and answered questions from the audience. Our seats in the lower viewing area gave everyone an up close and person encounter with millions of bats. Some flew just a few feet over people’s heads. I’ve seen many bat flights throughout Texas and New Mexico. This one was most rewarding for me.
Bring exact change since park employees cannot make change or handle cash. Your park pass does not include access to the lower viewing area since it is considered an activity fee. If you don’t want to pay or walk down to the viewing area, you can watch the bat flight from the upper deck or parking lot for free.
We definitely plan to return and walk some of the trails beyond the old tunnel.

Get there more than an hour early or you won’t get to go down to the viewing area. We went to the address listed here and quickly realized it was wrong. We got there 45 min beforehand and they were already filled below. We tried to view from the top section, but just smelled them and saw a few random ones flying around. It was a hauntingly beautiful night with some intermittent rain and lightening… very appropriate. Will get there earlier next time :/

The bats are amazing each summer. Plus the drive on the way out there is pretty– Texas Hill Country is beautiful!

Old Tunnel State Park is located between Fredericksburg and Comfort out in the middle of nowhere. It is worth the drive!
In the early 20^th century the locals needed a railroad to connect the two towns so this tunnel was created out of the rock for the railroad AND this just so happens to be the place where TONS of bats live. In the evenings you can come and watch the bats leave the tunnel. We came during the afternoon so we missed the fun, however it is still a great area to look out and hike through.
A lot of the trails are pretty rugged and steep and not for beginners or children. There’s an overlook that gives you a great view down the hill and you can go down the steps and see the tunnel for yourself (from a distance).
The only bad thing here is that the bathrooms are only open in the evenings for the bat viewing and locked all other times, which sucks for visitors who are just stopping by during the day. You’ve probably driven for a long time so it’s unfortunate that they lock the bathroom.
I would recommend getting a State Parks Pass so you can visit all these parks for one small fee all year round for you and your carload of people :)

After eating dinner at Alamo Spring Café (see separate review – best burgers in Texas!), we checked in for the bat viewing. Definitely recommend paying the $ 5/​person for the lower viewing area. (Exact change only!) The bat talk with the range is well worth that and the viewing is so much better from there. Best months to view are August and September but we had a very enjoyable experience. Lovely breeze (they say the breeze is always there). Wished we had remembered our binoculars for an even better experience. Did some geocaching in the park and the local area while waiting on sunset. Very fun evening with the family and highly recommend if you are in the Fredericksburg area. (Only downside is the traffic detour is not clear – basically you want to avoid Old San Antonio Road from 290-​the detour is a few miles from there. It is poorly marked so have your phone or GPS handy.)

At sunset, roughly 3 million bats emerge from the Old Tunnel, feet from where you stand. What an experience!
I would recommend arriving about 45 minutes before sunset. There are two viewing options, an upper level that is free, and a lower viewing area with seating available on a first-​come, first-​served basis. The lower viewing area costs $ 5 per person, and is definitely worth the small fee. Note that only cash is accepted, and no change is given, so plan accordingly.
From the lower area, you will have a great view of the bats as they circle into the sky. The bats take about 30 minutes at a steady rate to leave the tunnel, giving you plenty of time to enjoy the show.
One of the best parts of the visit was the volunteer that gave a short presentation on bats and the history of the park while we waited for the bats to emerge. With some humor, he answered any questions the audience had about bats and the Old Tunnel. He was very knowledgeable, and provided useful information, greatly enhancing the entire experience.
I suggest calling a park phone number (866−978−2287) which will tell you when the bats flew out the previous day. The time may vary up to 30 minutes on any given night. On Saturday, September 7, the bats appeared at 7:46 PM and concluded by 8:15 PM.
Please note that the lower area is only open Thursday — Sunday. As the bats are migratory, they are only in the area May — October. Call the park to confirm if the bats are still present as the season draws to a close.

What a great find. Free to sit and watch at the top but $ 5 per person to sit lower. Lower section only open Thursday thru sunday but upper every night. Amazing and friendly park guides give tons of information. Very cool to watch thousands of bats emerge from the tunnel and swarm in the sky. Some even flew right above us. Great stop for rail road enthusiasts too. Lots of historical info on the train and old photos. Really nice little spot! Beautiful scenery. Great for all ages. Even a covered spot with picnic table for a picnic! A must go. Oh and deer and other wildlife around too!

This was our first «bat emergence» and I know it won’t be our last. Maybe the thought of seeing millions of bats flying out of their cave at once doesn’t excite you but I promise you it is a sight to behold, one you will never forget. There are two viewing areas. A free upper viewing area and a lower viewing area that charges admission. Pay the $ 5 pp ($ 2 for children) to enter the lower viewing area. Not only will you get a MUCH closer view, you will also hear a very interesting talk about the bats from a state park ranger, expert on the subject.
A couple of tips: make sure to call the Old Tunnel «bat hotline» to find out what time the bats are currently emerging. 1−866−990−2287 (BATS). Then, make sure to arrive early so you can hear the talk and get a good seat. If you arrive early enough, you can head over to nearby Alamo Springs Café for dinner or drinks. (Btw, according to Texas Monthly magazine, and now me, they’re cooking up some of the best burgers in Texas so it’s definitely worth it.)
Note: if you have binoculars, bring them, especially if you aren’t going to pay the admission. The drive out to the Old Tunnel is beautiful but also a somewhat windy road so drive carefully. Be sure to include Old Tunnel WMA in your next Fredericksburg getaway. You’ll be happy you did.

We came late and the bottom viewing area was sold out. You can see the bats from the top level but if your eyes are not very good you wont see much, they fly out through the trees. Get there early and sit on the bottom if you really want to see the bats.

It all sounds amazing, but we missed it since we have kids. (so late!)
We hit Alamo springs café for dinner and headed over to the viewing platform, where we saw that the bats don’t come out until 8:45 (this is mid-​July). The website said an hour before sunset (so we were thinking 730 would be perfect) and i think they meant AT sunset. Should have checked Unilocal first for tip on bat hotline!
They actually recommend on one of the signs that kids 5 and under stay at the upper platform since you have to be very quite down below, which I totally agree. Just the 10 minutes we were there, our three boys were making enough noise just talking on the upper platform to turn some heads. so we headed back to hotel, much to the dismay of my oldest son (age 5) who probably could have handled the wait.
Keep in mind, apparently tickets sell out to the lower platform around 7:30 or 8:00 during the summer. They still had ticket available at 745 when we left though. Good luck and leave the kids at the hotel with a sitter or grandma if you can.
I agree, the road is amazing!

This road is a must if you drive a sports car or a motorcycle! Zoom zoom! Exceptional twists and turns!

I wasn’t expecting much when I went, even after it started. But then the rivers of bats in the air swelled significantly. I was just blown away by how many there were. Definitely a must for the outdoorsman in you.

Yall look at bats all you want, but what a wasted trip if you don’t walk over to Alamo Springs Café for a burger. #3 on Tx Monthly list. I’ve never had a better burger ever!

Every year up to 3 million Mexican free-​tailed bats migrate up to the Old Tunnel near Fredericksburg, TX. And every night during the summer the bats fly out of the tunnel together to feast on local insect delicacies. The bats, who are not strong enough to fly straight out of the tunnel and clear the trees, make three counter-​clockwise swoops to gain enough altitude to disperse into the surrounding area. This unique pattern creates a veritable bat tornado!
There are two ways to observe the bats: the free balcony from above and behind the tunnel entrance or, for a few bucks, you can gain entry to a small section of amphitheater seating where knowledgeable volunteers tell you everything you ever wanted to know about bats (and more!) as well as the history of the tunnel which used to house train tracks running from Fredericksburg to San Antonio.
Call ahead for a recording letting you know what the emergence time for that day is. 1−866−978−2287.
Unfortunately, recent abundance of rain has provided a smörgåsbord of treats for the bats so they are leaving the tunnel a little later than usual. (More insects means less time hunting to fill up.) Although my visit was a little darker than usual, as the baby bats continue to grow and begin going out to hunt for their own food, the bats will begin emerging earlier during dusk hours.

Awesome! The family and I loved every bit of it! Of course, the window to see the bats is closing a bit right now since we were told that the Mexican Freetails are starting to migrate south… to where? You guessed it! Mexico! =P
When you get to the WMA, you’ll have one of two choices to make: Stay in the ‘free/​no charge to see bats but can’t see anything except trees zone’ OR pay about 5 bucks admission per adult (and 2 bucks per kid) to go further below and sit right next to the tunnel and see these flying things up close and personal? For the last couple of trips, we chose to go down. Right before an expert comes out to give you some edjumikashun on the bats you can explore further down past the sitting area and see the cave dead on. If you choose to do so, BEWARE the smell! Even though it hasn’t been that warm, it still stinks to high hell.
The ladies who’ve educated us about the place tell you TONS about the history of the tunnel, the bats that live there, other types of bats, stuff they eat, clarifying untrue stories of ‘bat attacks’ etc… complete with pics. I mean, you literally learn a LOT. We’re definitely coming back when the bats start to settle again in July/​August.
P. S. If you plan on bringing cameras/​cell phones to take pics, make sure it does NOT have flash! You’ll be asked to turn it off since it disturbs the bats as they emerge from the cave.

We saw the bats for free, totally by accident, while lost and trying to find Luckenbach. (don’t take Luckenbach Road. it doesn’t go to Luckenbach but parallel to no man’s land)
At any rate… we were like what is that? OMGOODNESS BATS! It was beautiful and I think even better than the famous Austin bats. I would love to see it again and not by accident from the side of the road. It’s one of those experiences like looking at stars where suddenly you feel humans are smaller than we think in the great big world.

Don’t miss the bats!!! The Old Tunnel WMA (Wildlife Management Area) is under the conservation and management of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. It is an old inoperative railroad tunnel and home to 3 million Mexican free-​tailed bats!
Visits to the Old Tunnel operate from May through October every year with educational programs presented by the TPWD personnel. It is only 16.1 acres and is the smallest WMA in Texas.
We visited the bat tunnel last summer and were able to watch as they emerged at dusk. The bats came out very close to where I was sitting. I could see them flutter by, hear them squeak and feel the air move as they flew over my head. Perhaps that is why the park ranger said to sit very still because they had not eaten yet.
Call the number above for the most up-​to-​date information and go early. There is a fee for the lower tunnel viewing but a free area exists up above it. Visitors are limited. Bring binoculars.