2016 Family Vacation Part 4 - Kickapoo Cavern State Park

I think if you were ask any of us what our favorite park to stay at this trip we would all say KICKAPOO CAVERN!  This was the neatest state park!  They say that there are 20 caves in the park but most are inaccessible.  We found out that of the few that are accesible - most are not ones you want to enter because they are occupied by bees, porcupines, or other wildlife that probably do not want to be disturbed.

There is one major one that is accessible by guided tour only!  It is a mostly inactive cave (meaning it is dry so the formations are no longer growing).  The only light in the cave is the light provided by your flashlights.  There are no ramps, no walkways, no steps - it is completely natural and unimproved by human hands!  But is was WAY COOL!!!  Since it was inactive you were able to touch and feel the formations.  You were able to climb and explore.  The kids loved shining their flashlights into pieces of calcite to see it "glow".  There was one chamber at the bottom of the cave that was still living and we got to see, but not touch, the growing formations there.  This tour was so much fun!!  We even found a carving dated 1887!!  They say that several researches all concur that it is legit - don't know how they can do that - but is is cool none the less!

There was also a bat cave there that is home to 1 to 1 1/2 million Mexican free-tailed bats!  We were able to watch them emerge from the cave both nights we were there. This was the top activity of the whole vacation for Aaron, my animal lover!  :-)  The first night we even saw a red-tailed hawk claim one of the bats for his dinner!  On our second night we got to hear Ranger Ron give a neat presentation on bats!  This was only his second time to give this presentation and we are sure it will soon be a very well attended event for anyone visiting that park or that area!

The full hook up sites were some of the BEST I have seen in any park we have ever stayed at!  They were just gorgeous!

Here are pictures taken at our RV site.

One evening it started raining just as supper was ready - so we made a makeshift table under the awning!  Notice that Aaron is sitting on the steps and Seth is sitting on a bucket.  LOL!

We took a hike the first afternoon.  We got caught in a brief storm during the hike!  It is not officially a Watson vacation until you get trapped in a storm during a hike!  I guess the vacation was now official!  LOL!

THE BATS!!!!

While we were waiting we told the kids to make sure they read all the info boards really well because there would be a test at the end of the night LOL

The hawk catching the bat!

The cave tour!

 This is another must see in Texas!!  I put it at my #2 Texas state park to stay at - and the only reason why it is #2 is because of the distance from home!

Until next time,
Kellie