See the Hill Country Inside and Out at Wonder World

By Curtis Chicoine

Ever wonder just what the Hill Country actually is? Discover the answer at Wonder World in San Marcos where you can go straight from deep underground where you will see the inside of the Balcones Fault Line that creates the escarpment we call the Hill Country to high above the ground to see how that escarpment rises from the plains.

The highlight of this place is Wonder Cave-Texas' most visited cave and the very first commercial cave in the state. And it's a State Historical Site. Unique and educational? Well, yeah. After all, this cave is different from all the other show caves in Texas in that it was created by an earthquake, the same one that helped the ground to rise up and become the Edward's Plateau. That's what we more commonly call the Hill Country. Began right here maybe 130 million years or more ago.

"Wonder Cave opened in 1903," says Buddy Mostyn, president Cave'n Club, the company that owns Wonder World. "We base our tour through and deep within the earth's crust inside the Balcones Fault Line that severs Texas, running from Ardmore, Oklahoma, to Del Rio and into Mexico."

Guided tours descend into the cave-a comfortable 72 degrees year 'round-every 15 minutes, vividly illustrating how Mother Nature's devastating forces shaped the geological development of Texas, and the fossilized remains of animals from past centuries.

The cave is well lit, with easy walkways and handrails.

The underground stroll concludes with an elevator ride to the top of an observation tower, 100 feet above the ground right on the edge of the fault.

"From atop the Tejas Tower you get a spectacular view of the actual separation between the Edwards Plateau and the Gulf Coastal Plains," Buddy explains. Former cowboy and freight hauler Mark Bevers discovered the cave n 1893 while he was drilling for water.

W.A. Davis-who charged 10 cents for a candle and a guide-opened it to the public in 1903.

Arthur B. Rodgers, a local entrepreneur who also developed what later became Aquarena Springs, bought the cave in 1916 for $50, a gray horse and a saddle. Rodgers installed electric lights, the walkways and handrails. T.J. Mostyn bought the cave from Rodgers' son in 1958 and the family still runs it. Both parks have been attracting visitors to San Marcos continuously for more than 100 years.

But wait, there's more.

The tours continue for some fun at the "anti-gravity house," a powerful optical illusion that skews your perception sideways making it seem like water flows uphill and things that go up don't always come down.

Hop aboard the train for the waterfalls of Mystery Mountain and visit friendly Hill Country critters like deer that are so tame they will eat out of the palm of your hand.

Once your tour is over, grab some refreshments at the snack bar and wander through the huge gift shop or play a video game or two. It's a fun and educational 22 acres.

"Wonder World is also the perfect place for family groups, office gatherings, birthday parties and weather does not matter," Buddy says.

FYI · Wonder World is located on Prospect Street in San Marcos, one mile west of Interstate 35 at the Wonder World Exit 202. The park is open during the summer from 8 am to 8 pm daily, and during the school year from 9 am to 6 pm daily; closed Christmas Day. Parking is free and picnic areas are free. For more information, call 512-392-3760 or visit the web site at www.wonderworldpark.com.