Devil's Sinkhole State Natural Area
State natural area in Edwards County, in the Hill Country region. Established 1985. 1,860 acres.
Devil's Sinkhole is a vertical cave near Rocksprings that's home to one of the largest colonies of Mexican free-tailed bats in Texas. About 3 million bats emerge at dusk on warm nights. You can only visit on a guided tour, and every tour starts at the Devil's Sinkhole Visitor Center in Rocksprings. Visitors aren't allowed into the cavern itself.
Things to do
Evening bat flight tours
Tours run Wednesday through Sunday, May 1 through Oct. 31, to a wheelchair-accessible platform over the sinkhole. Bats are wild, so their emergence can't be guaranteed. Tour fees: $14 adults, $11 seniors 65 and up, $6 kids 4 to 12, and free under 4.
Morning tours
Pre-dawn tours run on select days; check the park's events page.
The sinkhole
A 50-foot-wide shaft drops 140 feet into a cavern more than 320 feet across and 350 feet deep. It is a National Natural Landmark.
Visiting with dogs
Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than 6 feet. Like every Texas state park, they can't go into park buildings or designated swimming areas.
Swimming
TPWD doesn't list swimming for this park.
Best time to go
- Night sky
- Bortle 2
The bats roost here from late spring through early fall and migrate to Mexico for the winter. Evening tours run May 1 through Oct. 31.
Averages and busy season from TPWD. The Bortle scale runs from 1 (darkest sky) to 9 (inner city).
Getting there
Book through the Devil's Sinkhole Society at 830-683-2287, Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tours start at the visitor center in Rocksprings, not at the sinkhole.
101 N. Sweeten St.Rocksprings, TX 78880
(830) 683-2287
Open in OpenStreetMap (30.0158, -100.2086)
| From | Approx. drive | Straight line |
|---|---|---|
| San Antonio | 2 hr 29 min | 108 mi |
| Austin | 3 hr 25 min | 148 mi |
| Midland | 4 hr 31 min | 179 mi |
| Waco | 5 hr 14 min | 208 mi |
| Corpus Christi | 5 hr 35 min | 241 mi |
| Lubbock | 5 hr 57 min | 264 mi |
Nearby parks
- Kickapoo Cavern State Park
- South Llano River State Park
- Garner State Park
- Lost Maples State Natural Area
- Bear Creek State Park
Straight-line distance. See every park in the Hill Country.
Questions people ask
Can you go inside Devil's Sinkhole?
No. To protect it, visitors are not allowed in the cavern. Tours view it from a platform over the shaft.
When can you see the bats at Devil's Sinkhole?
On evening tours, Wednesday through Sunday from May 1 through Oct. 31.
How do I book a Devil's Sinkhole tour?
Call the Devil's Sinkhole Society at 830-683-2287, Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Photo credits
Sources
Last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, hours and rules change; the official TPWD page for Devil's Sinkhole has current alerts and closures.
- TPWD: Devil's Sinkhole State Natural Area, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD state parks map (amenities, contact), retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Public Areas, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Bortle ratings by region, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Devil's Sinkhole State Natural Area history, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), retrieved October 14, 2026
- Wikipedia: List of Texas state parks, retrieved October 14, 2026
- OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (approximate drive times), retrieved October 14, 2026