ROBBER BARON PRESERVE

Robber Baron Cave is an extensive maze cave with numerous interconnecting passages as shown in this photo.  The cave is in a highly urbanized area and has been regularly visited for the last century including a period when it was operated commercially.  As a result the cave has been heavily impacted including many areas of vandalism and graffiti. Photo by Jim Jasek.

Robber Baron Cave is one of the most significant of the over 500 Bexar County (San Antonio), TX caves.  It is the longest known cave in the county with 4,961 feet of mapped passages.  This cave has many interesting features including a large sinkhole entrance, a geologically complex two-dimensional maze of passages, a rich history, and several unique species which live only underground.

Robber Baron Cave probably has an origin related to the Edwards Aquifer, even though the cave is in the Austin Chalk limestone. Biological studies have discovered several blind invertebrate species found nowhere else on Earth.  In December 2001, two of these species were listed as endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).  The cave is also the only one in the county that has been open to the public as a tourist attraction, when from 1926 to 1933 an estimated 300,000 people toured the cave.  As San Antonio grew, the cave became part of a densely urbanized area and subject to problems of vandalism and unauthorized visitation.  Vandalism and graffiti defaces the cave and is against the law. Please contact us and report any signs of vandalism and graffiti.

Acquired by TCMA in 1994, Robber Baron is now protected as a karst resource to not only preserve its unique biology, geology and history, but also to provide a place where people can learn about and experience the underground environment.  The cave is open to visitation by interested groups.  It is a wild cave and thus requires visitors to be in good physical condition but is not so difficult that it cannot be enjoyed by a wide range of ages and skills.  It is a great cave for both kids and adults alike.

Heavily scalloped side passage in Robber Baron Cave. Photo by Jim Jasek.	The Entrance Sinkhole of Robber Baron Cave. Photo by Joe Mitchell.

For more information please e-mail joe.mitchell@tcmacaves.org

Preserve Manager: Joe Mitchell

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