Learn about Fredericksburg’s Civil War era history and how a historic railroad tunnel became home to over three million bats at Old Tunnel State Park near Fredericksburg, Texas. From March through October, visitors of Old Tunnel State Park can hike, bird watch, sign up for educational programs, and view the bats most nights of the week. Old Tunnel State Park is a must for train enthusiasts, history buffs, and animal lovers of all ages. Read on to learn about what makes Old Tunnel State Park so unique.

History of The Old Tunnel State Park

After the Civil War, German immigrants in Fredericksburg wanted a faster way to transport their goods and products to the San Antonio Marketplace some 70 miles South. The Fredericksburg and Northern Railway was built in the early 1900s to connect Fredericksburg to the existing San Antonio and Aransas Pass railway.

During the construction, a 920-foot tunnel was built in a hill halfway between Fredericksburg and the town of Comfort, Texas. The first trains began running on the newly constructed Fredericksburg and Northern Railway line in 1913 and continued until WWII, when the railway was deconstructed and sold for scrap. 

Visit

Things to Do at Old Tunnel

Old Tunnel State Park offers visitors a scenic half-mile trail to wander, bird-watch, and view the bats. Bat viewing season is from May thru October, when visitors four and older can pay to access the bat viewing area on for the evening bat emergence. Several educational exhibits displaying information about the Old Tunnel railroad and the bats are located along the half-mile trail leading up to the tunnel. Nightly educational programs also offer visitors a deeper understanding of the life history and ecology of Old Tunnel’s beloved bats. 

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