Contact Information
P O Box 705
Brackettville, TX 78832
830-563-2342
Devil's Sinkhole State Natural Area, formerly part of the Whitworth Ranch, is a 1859.7 acre area located approximately six miles northeast of Rocksprings in Edwards County. It was acquired in 1985 and was opened to limited access in 1992. The Sinkhole property does not front a public roadway.The Sinkhole, discovered by Anglo settlers in 1867, is a registered National Natural Landmark. The main attraction is the Devil's Sinkhole itself. It is a vertical cavern with an opening measuring approximately 40 x 60 feet and a vertical drop to the main cavern of about 140 feet. The main cavern is circular and reaches a total depth of 350 - 400 feet.
Access to the park can be obtained only by contacting Kickapoo Cavern State Park to prearrange a tour. Access into the Sinkhole is prohibited. A per person fee is charged for participation in prearranged tours. Call Kickapoo Cavern for information on tour dates and fees.
Since the depth of the cave reaches below the water table, there are freshwater lakes around its
perimeter. These lakes support two unique organisms; one, an endemic amphipod, and the other, a rare aquatic isopod. Both these organisms are crustaceans. Also, the walls of the vertical shaft of the cave support a Mexican fern species found in few other locations in the United States.
The most obvious life form found in the Sinkhole is the large seasonal population of Brazilian freetail bats. These small, flying mammals put on quite a show in the evenings when they leave the cave to forage. A population of from three to four thousand cave swallows inhabit the cave at night while the bats are gone.
The remainder of the park property is typical of the Edwards Plateau. There are rather deeply cut canyons on the southern end of the site. These canyons provide a more mesic environment and, therefore, support trees such as escarpment black cherry, Buckley oak, Lacey oak, and pinyon pine. Plateau liveoak is the dominant tree species on the uplands. A large population of the endangered Tobusch fishhook cactus also occurs on the park site.
Minimal development was completed in September 1996 including picnic sites, a chemical toilet,
and some trail development allowing some wheelchair accessibility up to within 50 - 60 feet of the sinkhole to allow a good view of the freetail bat emergence.
Nearby attractions include Kickapoo Cavern, South Llano River, Garner and Kerrville-Schreiner State Parks; Lost Maples, Devils River, and Hill Country State Natural Areas; and Seminole Canyon State Historical Park.
For more details, call Kickapoo Cavern State Park or Park Information at 1-800-792-1112.
Recreational opportunities offered by the Devil's Sinkhole State Natural Area includes, viewing natural scenery and picnicking.
The Devil's Sinkhole State Natural Area is located at an elevation of 2450 feet. Temperatures within the park range from a January average minimum of 35 degrees, to a July average maximum of 95 degrees. The park has an average annual rainfall of 23.6 inches. Current weather conditions can vary from day to day. For more details, call the park or Park Information at 1-800-792-1112.
