Compared to our rustic accommodations in Big Bend NP, the Best Western Sure Stay in Sonora seemed luxurious. We had a TV, microwave, refrigerator, wi-fi and a hairdryer! The waffle maker at breakfast even boasted Texas-shaped waffles.
We arrived at Caverns of Sonora in time for the first tour that began at 9:45. Raphael, a college student from Texas Tech, led our group of 11 inside the cave. As we walked through the tunnels of rock walls, he explained that the cave was discovered in 1905 the owner’s dog followed a raccoon inside the entrance. However, it wasn’t until the 1950’s that several explorers traversed a previously blocked section and discovered another five miles of the cave system. Plans were soon undertaken to put in walkways and electric lighting and the caverns opened to the public in 1960.
Raphael led us through the “dead” part of the cave where speleothem (cave formations) no longer grow. Soon, he took us to active and “the pretty part” of the cave. And boy was it ever! Stalagmites and stalactites covered the cave walls. With names like popcorn and cave bacon, we could appreciate how the explorers felt when they discovered this section decades before.
We also saw helictites – which are gravity defying formations literally coming out of the wall. Raphael showed us one that had formed into an “onion ring.” But the most unusual helictite in the cave is the butterfly – where two helictites formed together to resemble butterfly wings. It is so rare that the cave became famous for it. Unfortunately. a trio of college students vandalized it in 2006. Raphael said that two of them distracted the tour guide while the third tried to break it off. He got about an inch or two from the top wing and then proceeded to break off another portion from the bottom wing.
We could still see that it was a butterfly, but since this formation took millions of years to develop, the loss still stings. In a twist of fate, the two students that distracted the tour guide turned in the third student hoping to get the $20,000 reward. Instead, authorities charged them as accomplices. Since then, Texas passed the caving law that says it’s a $30,000 fine for any act of vandalism. In fact, if you are seen touching any part of the cave, they will not hesitate to escort you out.
We then went into the Soda Straw Room. Tiny hollow tubes that look like “soda straws” hung from the ceilings. These are very delicate and can snap off with just a tiny bump. Because of this, they don’t allow purses, backpacks or camera bags on the tour. Additionally, they recommend you take off jackets before entering the cave. At 72 degrees, you don’t need additional layers. They don’t let you take them off and tie around your waist for the very same reason that you may accidentally bump into a cave formation and cause unintentional, yet irreparable, damage.
Another formation was flow stone and we saw a section called applesauce. It really did look like a pool of applesauce. The untouched formations are shiny and glisten in the light. Our guide showed us a piece that had been touched by human hands from the early days of the cave. Although still beautiful, it was dull and matte looking.
In one section, we sat down and Raphael passed around things for us to touch including a piece of flowstone. I was surprised how heavy some of these pieces were. He then turned off the lights and we sat in silence for a few seconds – listening to nothing but the cave. Awesome!
My favorite room was an area with a pool of water. At first it looked really shallow because I could see formations below the surface. It turns out those were reflections of the ceiling and the water was deeper than it looked.
We also passed by a small pool of water that had a bit of a copper color. It’s because in the early days of the cave, visitors constantly threw coins in the water. Over time, the pennies turned the water into the copper-green color. Today, they allow you to throw coins into only one pool “to get it out of your system,” Raphael explained.
The tour finished about 1 hour and 40 minutes later. Afterwards we walked around the grounds which featured peacocks and deer.
Who knew that these wonders existed under a ranch in Texas?
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