Train Tunnel Turned Bat Tunnel

Old Tunnel State Park divides the Guadalupe and Pedernales rivers, in between Fredericksburg and Comfort. The park is only about 16 acres, which makes it one of the smallest, the smallest actually, in the state park system. When railroads started to emerge in Texas in the late 19th and early 20th century, Fredericksburg was on the list to join the bandwagon, but they had to nag at the civic leaders of town. In the early 1880s, the campaign began for the railroad to be created in the "Big Hill". It was announced in 1886 that the railroad would in fact be built and that a line would be in the Hill Country. Things did not go as planned once the construction began, and the line began to veer west towards Kerrville just 20 miles south of Fredericksburg. A new person came into town, Temple Smith, who ended up being a big figure in the building of the railroad. People said that he could "lift the spirits of an entire town". The crew consisting of 250 men, along with animals including oxen, mules and horses, worked long hours for six days out of the week for about six months to complete this large, 300-yard tunnel. There was 14,222 cubic yards of rubble removed from the tunnel and worksite. After completion of clearing the tunnel, the first train passed through the tunnel on August 26, 1913, carrying supplies to complete the tracks, and by October, Fredericksburg had a railroad. The railroad ran for about 29 years in total, and the last train chugged along through that tunnel on July 29, 1942. Since the closing of the railroad, the tunnel has now become a tourist site for bats. During "bat season", approximately 3 million Mexican free-tailed and cave myotis bats will swarm out of the tunnel out into the night sky above the hills and out into the horizon. While the park is free to enjoy, you do have to pay to watch the bats arise from the cave. Whether there to watch the bats or not, it's still worth the trip.

Source: The Hill Country Legacy of Old Tunnel State Park - Texas Highways

Hidden over in Fredericksburg was a cute little food truck park, Munch Park. Although only two of the trucks were open at the time we went, being it was mid-afternoon, it was still fun. There was good food, and it was a great atmosphere. It was a good place to enjoy some food, relax, play cornhole, listen to music, and just have fun.