Natural Bridge Caverns
New Braunfels, Comal County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Discovered March 27, 1960, by four students of St. Mary's University, San Antonio. Named for the rock bridge that marks entrance. Dedicated on August 5, 1964 by Governor John Connally. Of early cretaceous age; still forming. Site of artifacts from 5000 B.C., and human remains at least 8,000 years old; also Indian campsites. 1967
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
On March 27, 1960, four St. Mary's University students exploring the hills near New Braunfels broke into a vast, still-growing cavern named for the natural rock bridge at its mouth. Dedicated in 1964 by Governor John Connally, the early-Cretaceous formation proved to hold far older human stories — artifacts dating back some 7,000 years, ancient remains, and Indian campsites. The caverns join deep geologic time with the long presence of Native people on the land.
Why it matters
The site testifies that people lived, camped, and left their marks on this Texas landscape thousands of years before any written history began.
The story behind this marker
AI contextThe era
This marker spans two kinds of time. One is geologic. The rock that holds these caverns was laid down in the early Cretaceous period, when much of what is now Texas lay beneath a shallow sea. Over vast spans of time, the shells and sediments of that sea hardened into limestone. Water seeping through the stone dissolved passages and slowly decorated them with mineral formations.
The other kind is human. The marker records artifacts dating to around 5000 B.C., human remains at least 8,000 years old, and Indian campsites. Those dates reach deep into the era archaeologists call the Archaic, when people across Texas lived by hunting, gathering and moving with the seasons, long before any written record.
The discovery itself came in a very modern moment. In 1960 Texas was growing fast, and the Hill Country near San Antonio and New Braunfels was attracting travelers and families on car trips. A newly found cave in that landscape could become a destination almost overnight.
People & events
On March 27, 1960, four students from St. Mary's University in San Antonio found their way into the cave system. The entrance was marked by a natural bridge of rock, and that feature gave the caverns their name. What they found behind it was a living cave. As the marker notes, it is still forming, with water still at work in the stone.
Within a few years the caverns were opened to the public, and on August 5, 1964, Governor John Connally dedicated them. It was a sign of how much the find meant to the state. A remarkable natural wonder had turned up within easy reach of one of Texas's largest cities.
The oldest people tied to this place cannot be named. We know them only through what they left behind: tools and objects from some seven thousand years ago, human remains older still, and the traces of their camps. They are as much a part of this marker's story as the students and the governor, and in a sense they were here first by thousands of years.
Its place in the American story
Natural Bridge Caverns brings together two great American themes: the drama of the continent's natural landscape, and the depth of Native American history that came before European settlement. Here the two cannot be separated. The same ground that holds a geologic wonder holds evidence of people living in Texas for at least eight thousand years.
That human depth is easy to forget on a road trip. Much of the history a traveler meets on markers covers a few centuries. This site is a reminder that people have been at home in this region for far longer than that, adapting to its springs, its hills and its seasons.
The discovery also reflects the postwar era, when the national parks, roadside attractions and family vacations made the natural world something millions of Americans set out to see. A cave found by college students in 1960 joined a long tradition of American show caves that taught generations of families a little geology along the way.
If you visit
Look first for the feature that gave the caverns their name, the natural rock bridge at the entrance. It is the landmark the discoverers saw, and it frames everything that follows.
If you go underground, keep in mind the marker's point that the cave is still forming. The formations around you are not relics. They are growing very slowly, drip by drip, which is why visitors are asked not to touch them. Kids tend to find that fact more exciting than any number.
Above ground, take a moment to think about the people who camped on this land thousands of years ago, likely drawn by the same water and shelter that shaped the caves. The site is an easy stop between San Antonio and New Braunfels and fits naturally into a Hill Country itinerary. Check the attraction's current information before you go rather than assuming tours or schedules.
Written by AI to add context, grounded in the marker’s inscription and the historical record. The inscription above is the original, unaltered text.
Plan your visit
NearbyMake a day of it — museums, food, and places to stay near this marker.
Attractions
- Morgan's Inspiration Island10.9 mi away · 5223 David Edwards Drive, San Antonio, TX
- Morgan's Wonderland10.9 mi away · 5223 David Edwards Drive, San Antonio, TX
- Off-Road Adventure Ride11.0 mi away
- Amazing Air13.4 mi away · 7702 North Interstate Highway 35, San Antonio, TX
- Diane Llyod14.7 mi away
Places data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Hours and details change — call ahead.
Own a business near here? Add it to the map.
Related people
- · John Connally
Themes & tags
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