Westcave Preserve

Austin may be the Lone Star State’s most forward-thinking city, but just outside town—in the hill country—Westcave Preserve takes you way back in time. Climbing through this 75-acre surprise of limestone caves, cypress trees and waterfalls, you know you’re in a special place.

The Westcave Preserve reaches out to area landowners to teach best practices for conserving hill country land and resources, provides nature education programs for more than 6,000 elementary and middle school children, and partners with a nearby ranch and an Episcopal Mission to run a summer nature camp for children from underserved families.

As Austin grows, the preserve’s board seeks to buffer this unique property and its quiet, otherworldly experience. We’re providing the tools to achieve this goal. With our support, the preserve recently added 45 “wraparound” acres to shelter it from the outside world.

Photos: Canyon Grotto canopied by giant cypress trees (above) / The Conservation Fund; Kids exploring during Westcave Preserves summer nature camp (main page) / Westcave Preserve