Exploring more of Hideout Cave with Michael Mixerr.

Hideout Cave is one of Austin's forgotten caves which is located in a cave preserve called Goat Cave Karst Preserve Park. Not too much history, biology, or geology is known about this cave. This cave is Austin’s lesser known caves. Michael Mixerr will explain, explore, and expose everything from the history down to the biology and geology of Hideout Cave.


Hideout Cave is a small narrow cave which contains several karst features and is home to insects tat located in Austin, Texas. This cave home to many spiders and mosquitos as well as hosting an abundance of karst features such as limestone rock formations and calcite.

Hideout Cave has a remarkably known narrow entrance on the inside and outside. There is a slightly steep drop outside which connects to the entrance where the inside starts getting very narrow to where only 2 or 3 people can squeeze their way through. Accessing the inside of Hideout Cave is difficult due to the narrow entrance that is 2 feet wide and difficult to crawl through whether going in or out. There is a steep drop inside of Hideout Cave which goes 12 feet downwards into a 2 foot tall pit. This part of the cave is only accessible through crawling. Going in a small group is recommended when touring or exploring Hideout Cave.

Hideout Cave is connected to a series of caves located within Goat Cave Karst Preserve Park. Hideout Cave is connected to Goat Cave, Maple Run Cave, and Wade Sink. Here Hideout Cave and Wade Sink connect to each other in both directions.

Hideout Cave is difficult to enter group to due to the steep drop inside the cave and narrow entrance. Bringing groups will be easy to due to a steep drop outside the sink. Going in small groups is recommended when touring Hideout Cave.

Spiders and mosquitos inhabit the entrance of Hideout Cave. Spiders are said to be living inside of the perimeter of this cave. Cicurina varians can be found in this cave. (Ref: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/db50/0ec8079d931d0f9e5ee0d95485d35b80bd04.pdf)

Hideout Cave has a moist environment with a high level of moisture. The moist environment is a subtle breeding ground ideal for spiders and mosquitoes among other insects. Many insects inhabit Hideout Cave as insects inhabit and compromise a huge portion of natural wildlife in the caves of Texas. This cave is no exception. That is why there are many mosquitoes in this cave.

“Upon entering Hideout Cave, I felt a sense of moisture the first 10 seconds I was down there. You can feel a sense of moisture down in that particular cave. The moist environment is a subtle breeding ground for mosquitos. I had noticed mosquitos had been swarming all over me while I was 20 feet-30 feet into Hideout Cave.” said Michael Mixerr.


Now the rock formation of Hideout Cave is native limestone. Many cave in Central Texas have a rock formation of native limestone. There is an abundance of geologic features such as limestone rock formations and calcite on the ceiling. Storm water runoff enters Hideout Cave when it rains. Water flows over the drainage banks and flows to the entrance of Hideout Cave which is how calcite forms. Hideout Cave can be traced to Blowing Sink Cave as consequently their catchment areas are part of the subsurface catchment area for Blowing Sink Cave. Hideout Sink is a sinkhole that is located 2 feet north of Hideout Cave. Here both Hideout Cave and Hideout Sink are connected to each other. (Ref: http://www.austintexas.gov/watershed_protection/publications/document.cfm?id=196480)

Hideout Sink is a sinkhole that is located 2 feet north of Hideout Cave. Here both Hideout Cave and Hideout Sink are connected to each other.

Measurements of Hideout Cave are as follows: Hideout Cave has a depth of 22 feet and a distance of 929 meters (929 m) which leads into a collapsed rock formation. This sinkhole has a distance of 929 meters. (Ref: http://www.austintexas.gov/watershed_protection/publications/document.cfm?id=196469)


Here is the history of Hideout Cave.

Hideout Cave had been used as storage for trash in the past by landowner A. L. Wade from 1940 to 1970. A. L. Wade owned the property of Goat Cave Karst Preserve Park for more than 2 decades. This cave has also been used as a supplementary feed for goats. That is why there are a few remnants of trash that can be discovered if you dig deep enough.

A. L. Wade had filled in some of Hideout Cave using large boulders to prevent his goats and cattle from falling and getting lost.

A. L. Wade sold his property on a warranty deed to a man named Bill Milburn in 1983. Bill Milburn would transfer the property to his business called MILBURN BILL INC (BILL MILBURN INC) in 1984. The property was sold again in 1988 when Bill Milburn sold the property to the City of Austin on a warranty deed. (Ref: http://propaccess.traviscad.org/clientdb/Property.aspx?prop_id=335036&year=2021)

Hideout Cave was converted to an animal den in 1993 by the City of Austin with the help of Texas Speleological Survey. Boulders were used to partially fill the entrance. (Ref: https://digital.lib.usf.edu/SFS0054791/00001)

COA and BCP completed a contract with Rich Zarria on improving safe access to Wade Cave and Hideout Cave. Recent excavation work has opened these caves up for guided public access including Hideout Cave. Phase II chemical tracers injected in Hideout Cave and Wade Sink in the Goat Cave karst preserve on February 4, 2012 at 2:30 am. (Ref: https://digital.lib.usf.edu/content/SF/S0/07/02/59/00001/K26-05539-appendix-i.pdf)

Today Hideout Cave is part of Goat Cave Karst Preserve. The preserve has four caves. The Underground Texas Grotto and the Austin Nature Center lead scheduled tours of Goat Cave. (Ref: https://communityimpact.com/austin/news/2013/09/23/goat-cave-karst-preserve/)

Hideout Cave is also part of a preserve which is called Hideout Sink Karst Preserve. The City of Austin owns the cave. Austin Parks and Recreation manages the cave. Hideout Sink Karst Preserve is located at 8903 Coastal Drive, Austin, Texas, US 78749. (Ref: https://outgress.com/portals/hideout-sink-karst-preserve.342935/)

Hideout Cave is located at 3900 Davis Lane, Austin, Texas, US 78749.