Austin Cave Festival
In light of the COVID pandemic, the 2021 Austin Cave Festival has been canceled. Thank you for your understanding.
Sign up for future updates and caving information here in the meantime. Stay safe and wash your hands!
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Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020 (10am-3pm)
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
4801 La Crosse Ave., Austin, TX 78739
This free, family-friendly event will feature hands-on activities, cave tours, live music, and more. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore a cave and see how water makes its way to the aquifer and Barton Springs, learn about animals that call Austin’s caves home, try on caving gear, and learn how to protect and conserve Austin’s water resources.
Austin Cave Festival is hosted by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District, and the City of Austin (Austin Parks and Recreation Department; Austin Water Wildland Conservation Division and Watershed Protection Department).
In addition to caving, there will be lots of indoor and outdoor activities to choose from, so the event will be held rain or shine! Click to view map and list of activities.
Austin Cave Festival Cave Adventure Tours (for ages 5+)
Join experts from City of Austin Watershed Protection and Wildlands for tours of La Crosse Cave and Wildflower Cave to explore the underground world and learn what critters live there, how water enters the cave and travels through the Edwards Aquifer, and how actions in the recharge zone affect water quality at Barton Springs. Wear closed-toe shoes and clothes you can get muddy and bring clean clothes/shoes to change into afterwards. Helmets, headlamps and additional cave gear will be provided. If safety gear does not fit or is not worn, participant will not be permitted into cave. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
LaCrosse Cave and Wildflower Cave both require some stooping and crawling to explore. In some places you’ll be able to stand or sit comfortably.
Augmented Reality Sticker Instructions:
- iPhone App Store link or search for “Explore AR Science”
- Android Google Play Store link or search for “SAExploreAR”
- Install and launch application, aim camera at the Austin Cave Festival sticker!
Looking for more cave-related information?
Contact |
For more info on… |
| Barbara Attwell | Cave Dwellers paintings, species and habitat art |
| Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District | Aquifers, caves, geology, groundwater, wells |
| CoA Austin Water – Wildland Conservation | Caving, guided hikes, volunteer opportunities, native plants, prescribed fire, land management for recharge, endangered species habitat |
| CoA Parks & Rec – Nature and Science Center | Caving, summer camp, native plants, endangered species, conservation |
| CoA Parks & Rec – Park Rangers | Caving, parks, natural resources |
| CoA Watershed Protection | Educational cave tours for school groups; school outreach and educational resources related to aquifers, salamanders, and water quality |
| LBJ Wildflower Center | Native plants, water conservation, land management for recharge, prescribed fire |
| Texas Speleological Association | Caving, statewide cave resources |
| Austin Bat Refuge | Bats |
| Balcones Canyonlands Preserve | Docent tours, volunteer opportunities |
| Bill Oliver & the Otter Space Band | Music |
| Cave Sim | Caving simulator, school programs, mobile exhibit |
| CoA Austin Water | Water supply, conservation |
| Creative Kiln Works | Art, pottery, sculpture, classes |
| Edwards Aquifer Research Data Center | Science summer camp, water quality lab, aquifers, caves, biology, groundwater |
| Environmental Affairs Div. – Ringstaff | Archeology, flintknapping |
| Hey Lolly Music | A Salamander’s Tail musical puppet show, children’s music |
| Living Springs | Interactive documentary about Barton Springs |
| Meadows Center for Water & the Environment | Glass bottom boat tours, school programs, science scuba diving, volunteer water quality monitoring team |
| PassmoreVR | Virtual cave simulation, virtual reality |
| San Antonio Zoo – Conservation | Local, global and field conservation work |
| Save Barton Creek Association | Hikes, volunteer opportunities, land conservation, invasive species removal, creek clean-up |
| Texas Cave Management Assoc. | Caving, cave preserves and management |
| Texas Speleological Survey | Caving, cave information, publications |
| UT Environmental Science Institute | Environmental science talks, resources, student research opportunities |
| UT Grotto | Austin caving community, meetings, cave trips |
| UT Jackson School of Geosciences | Geology research, classes, student opportunities |
| UT JSG Bureau of Economic Geology | Geology research, resources, and outreach |
| Water Quality Protection Lands | Guided hikes, volunteer opportunities |
| Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center | Guided hikes, geology, Trinity aquifer, student programs |
| Zara Environmental | Cave biology, geologic assessments, mussel surveys, cave research |
Photos from the 2020 Austin Cave Festival
Photos from the 2019 Austin Cave Festival
Photos from the 2018 Austin Cave Festival
