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  • Caverns of Sonora Campground, TX

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    The Caverns of Sonora Campground is located near Sonora, TX, a few miles south of I-10. The big attraction here is the guided tour one can take through the Caverns of Sonora, a National Natural Landmark recognized as one of the most beautiful caves in the world.

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    We arrived on a Thursday afternoon in mid-February and had no problem getting a site for a few days. We picked site 18 for its location near a tree that would provide some afternoon shade - warm weather is forecast.

    Date of visit: Feb 2014

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    Sites 19-26 are in a row of all pull-through sites. The utility posts are fairly close together, making maneuvering a large rig a bit of a challenge.

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    There is a row of short back-in sites, numbered from 1 to 15.

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    Near the front of the park is an area mainly for tenting, although smaller rigs may also use it. There are hookups here also and more shade.

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    The bathhouse is small, but well-designed, clean and offering free hot showers.

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    The kids will love the variety of birds one finds here. Every afternoon a group of peacocks gather on the porch of the park store and office.

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    There is also a flock of guineafowl that wanders the park. These fat birds are from Africa.

    Our Puddy-Tat was kept busy every morning by a colorful male cardinal that kept trying to attack his reflection in the windows of the RV.

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    The Caverns and campground are located on a working ranch, so there are are lots of deer wandering the premises. Near the store is an automatic deerfeeder that several times a day strews some feed onto the ground. Not only do the deer like it, but also the guineafowl.

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    Here is a little sample of what we came here to see - the Caverns. One finds all sorts of formations along the nearly two miles of trail.

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    This is the largest of several pools of water we saw on our trek through the cave.

    The temperature inside the care is 72 degrees with very high humidity making it feel like 88. One doesn't need a jacket or sweater, nor are they even allowed. Also no purses, camera bags, backpacks, food or water.

    There's a reason for that, thanks to some idiots:

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    One of the rarest formations found anywhere on earth was in the Caverns of Sonora - a very thin pair of what looked exactly like butterfly wings, about 6" long and very delicate. Cavern officials believe on November 21, 2006, a group of visitors intentionally and knowingly distracted a tour guide with the intent of destroying the cavern's most famous formation, known as the Butterfly, a bladed helictite. There is a $20,000 reward for the safe return of the wing.

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    Hanging from the ceiling, growing up from the floor, oozing out of crevices - everywhere one looks there is fascination.

    All in all, this is a great travel destination.

    Amenities

    48 sites (35 RV, 13 tent) with E(30/50A)/W hookups - $20

    No dump station

    Showers

    VZW 3G coverage (helped with antenna & amp)

    Coordinates: 30.555085° North, 100.811509° West

    Elevation: 2226'