Bamberger Ranch Preserve
Texas hill country Region
Always a conservationist, J. David Bamberger was inspired to build his own bat cave on the Bamberger Ranch after years of volunteering with Bat Conservation International’s Bracken Cave (for more information, see the online article "How to Build a Bat Cave" from the BATS magazine Volume 15, Issue 4, Winter 1997 that chronicles the construction of the Chiroptorium). Completed in 1998, the Chiroptorium is designed to house 1 million Mexican free-tailed bats. In the summer of 2002, several hundred bats began using the cave and now the Chiroptorium is a maternity colony of over 200,000 Mexican free-tailed bats.
Visitation Info
Fees
- $10 per person for bat flights
- $15 per person for group tours of the ranch (20 person minimum fee)
Reservations
Private ranch, not open to the public. Private tours can be scheduled in advance by visiting www.bambergerranch.org.
Hours
Schedule to be determined during summer months. It will be posted on the website once finalized.
ADA Accessible
No
Ownership
Private landowner
Contact Information
Multimedia
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Bats flying out at night at Bamberger Ranch. Photo: TPWD. -
Outside the cave at Bamberger Ranch. Photo: TPWD. -
Inside the cave at Bamberger Ranch. Photo: TPWD.
Location & Directions
Call for directions.
Bat Fact
Bats drink on the wing and need clean, unobstructed drinking water sources. It’s very important that you never touch a bat! Most bats do not have rabies, but avoiding a possible bite protects you AND them. Bats are protected by the state of Texas in their natural habitats, including bridges.