Image Credit: Texas Parks and Wildlife
While San Antonio has its own list of great hikes, you need to venture out to other portions of Texas for some of the best. Case in point, Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway. Located in the Texas Panhandle, this state park is home to Clarity Tunnel, an abandoned train tunnel that was once a portion and now serves as a portion of a hiking trail.
Clairty Tunnel was built in the 1920’s and was the last active railway tunnel in Texas. The Caprock Canyon Trailway runs through the tunnel, and is 64.1 miles long. It features some breathtaking scenery, as the periemeter of the hike is filled with red rock towers. Th eviews are spectacular and highlight the breaks of the Llano Estacado.
The tunnel is home to a large colony of over 500,000 Mexican free-tailed bats. The bats reside in the tunnel from April until October. They migrate south for the winter. If you visit the park towards the end of the summer, you can catch the bats at their most active as they begin migration.
To hike, you must pay $4 upon entry or have a State Park pass. You can also opt for a guided tour for $10. For more information, visit the Texas State Parks and Wildlife page here.
