History of Sam Bass Cave in Austin, Texas explained.

Sam Bass Cave is one of the most obscure caves of Austin/Travis County. History and geology of this cave have been accurately preserved as some of the other caves in the Austin area. This article will explain the history and geology behind Sam Bass Cave. This is the history of Sam Bass Cave in McNeil, Texas explained.

Sam Bass Cave is also known as McNeil Quarry Cave, McNeil Railroad Cave, and McNeil Cave. These are the names this cave has been referred to as and have gone under. This “Sam Bass Cave” is not the same Sam Bass Hideaway Cave located on SH 45 in Round Rock. That “Sam Bass Cave” is located in Williamson County while this “Sam Bass Cave” is located in Travis County.


The boundaries of Sam Bass Cave are as follows: Sam Bass Cave is located north of Howard Lane bounded by the Mountain Pacific Union Railroad and south of the McNeil Post Office. Boundaries of the area for this cave a bounded by the Pacific Railroad to the west, Howard Lane to the south, and another road to the east. These boundaries on a triangular shaped chunk of land.

Sam Bass Cave is a shallow cave extends all the way to the city of Round Rock, Texas and connects to another cave called Robbers Cave which is just 3 miles away. (Ref: Austin Weekly Statesman, Page 3, June 24, 1897)

Terrestrial Isopods are said to live under the rocks of this cave. These Terrestrial Isopods live “under rocks in darkness and twilight zone of the entrance room”. Here Terrestrial Isopods thrive in a dark shaded environment. (Ref: http://www.nativefishlab.net/library/textpdf/20618.pdf)

Unsurprising the geology of Sam Bass Cave is composed entirely of limestone as is the case with many caves in Texas. So one can expect to see limestone inside of this cave.


Albert Robinson discovered a cave on his property in 1861 when he establishing Robinson Ranch. The cave was known first as McNeil Cave to locals. Albert Robinson owned the ranch land this cave was located on. Keeping people out of McNeil Cave was difficult to being located on expansive ranch land and rugged terrain.

Now this cave later became known as “Sam Bass Cave” during the 1870s due to the fact Sam Bass and his outlaws used this cave to hide their stolen valuables such as gold and silver. Sam Bass would use the inside of this cave to hide as he evaded law enforcement officials from Travis County and Williamson County along with Texas Rangers. (Ref: Austin Weekly Statesman, Page 3, June 24, 1897)

Sam Bass Cave was hideout for outlaws throughout the 1870s and 1880. This led Sam Bass Cave and McNeil Quarry Cave to be a haven for outlaws. Sam Bass terrorized that section of McNeil and Austin. Valuables such as gold and silver were stored here.

The petrified body of a man found in a lime kiln near Sam Bass Cave at this cave in 1887. The Austin Weekly Statesman reported about the finding of this petrified body of a man in their newspaper later that day. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/364651008/)

“Workman at the J. B. Rogers Co.'s lime kiln, yesterday afternoon, found the petrified body of a man. The locality of the kiln is near the Sam Bass cave, and as this interesting relic was found on top of the ground, a close investigation might develop something else equally as interesting.”

In 1897, Austin Weekly Statesman claimed that Robbers Cave is believed to be connected with the Sam Bass Cave at McNeil. Austin Weekly Statesman also claimed that both of these caves connect to each other for 3 miles. Sam Bass Cave was located on a small ledge which extended for several hundred yards under the hill of those old lime kilns near the McNeil Store. Sam Bass Cave was claimed to have been a favorite hiding place of the famous outlaw Sam Bass in the 1870s. (Ref: Austin Weekly Statesman, Page 3, June 24, 1897)

“Close by the spot is a cavern known as the "Robbers' cave" which is believed to lie connected with the Sam Bass cave at McNeil, three miles distant. Its extent and interior arrangements still remain a mystery in spite of the enterprise of many, adventurous spirits who have Sinbad tales to tell of what they saw, or imagined they saw in the course of their explorations.”

[On a small ledge they discovered the cave, entered it and followed it for several hundred yards back under the hill. At McNeil, 15 miles northeast of Austin, is the famous Sam Bass cave. This cave is said to have been a favorite hiding place of the famous outlaw.]

(Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/366249784/)

McNeil Cave was renamed to Sam Bass Cave because the town of McNeil, Texas wanted the cave to be named in the honor of that bandit who terrorized that section of Austin. That is why this cave is named after a notorious outlaw. (Ref: Austin Statesman, Page 11, July 13, 1939)

First signs of wildlife and nature was reported by prominent naturalist J. H. Comstock in 1901 as the first beetle recorded from a Texas cave was found in what was then known as Sam Bass Cave. In 1913, it was described as a new genius and species called Comstockia Subterranea. However this species was later discovered to belong to the Rhacine genus. (Ref: https://digital.lib.usf.edu/SFS0054935/00001)

This cave was used to excavate and mine limestone by Austin White Limestone Company by 1917. This limestone was hauled away to a quarry. Austin White Limestone Company acquired more land in Travis County and Williamson County for their mining operations throughout the 20th century.

In 1939, Judge George S. Matthews said a cave on the road leading from the dam to Camp Mabry, which in earlier days was used as a rock quarry, was opened for tourists and visitors in later years. He said, “This cave or quarry was the local entrance to a cavern extending all the way to Round Rock, where the cave is known as the old Sam Bass cave, named in honor of the bandit who once terrorized that section and who lies buried in a grave at Round Rock. Judge Matthews relates that dynamite blasting in the Austin end of the cavern for breaking rocks in the quarry could be heard by workers in the quarry at Round Rock.” (Ref: Austin Sates man, Page 11, July 13, 1939)


Today Sam Bass Cave is off limits to the public due to liability issues. Austin White Lime Company owns the Sam Bass Cave.

Addresses for Sam Bass Cave are 14005 McNeil Road, Austin, Texas, US 78728 and 14005 McNeil Road, McNeil, Texas, US 78651.