Barton Creek Trail Cave is one of Austin’s many caves located in Barton Creek Wilderness Park. A handful of people know about this cave. This news article will explain the geology and biology behind Barton Creek Trail Cave. Barton Creek Trail Cave is also known as Barton Creek Greenbelt Cave. 
Barton Creek Trail Cave was named after a creek called Barton Creek which is located in the Barton Creek Wilderness Park. This cave was named after Barton Creek and the trail running northside along it. Barton Creek Trail Cave is a relatively large cave that is not gated. Not many people are aware of this but Barton Creek Trail Cave is one of the few caves that are ungated in Austin. Not too many ungated caves exist these days. Barton Creek Trail Cave is one of many caves located in Barton Creek Wilderness Park and Barton Creek Preserve.
“One has to complete a 15 minute walk from the entrance to reach Barton Creek Trail Cave. You will be greeted by a set of limestone boulders once you arrive. These limestone boulders can be seen from the base of a cliff. However oak trees cover the view of Barton Creek Trail Cave depending on season.” says Michael Mixerr.
Barton Creek Trail Cave is a relatively large cave which has a huge entrance which is a 20 foot wide opening that leads into a sink collapse. In the northern part of the sink collapse, a small crawlway leads into another cave which is a much smaller room of the larger cave. This part of the cave is only accessible by crawling through a small hole at the entrance which leads to a horizontal crawl passage that extends less than 4 feet. It extends even further too.
Michael Mixerr claimed there were no signs of wildlife when he explored Barton Creek Trail Cave. “There are not any species of wildlife to be found in Barton Creek Trail Cave. Not even the small of insects can be found in this cave.” No animals were found to be inhabiting this cave either.
People have gotten stuck inside of Barton Creek Trail Cave before. For example, in 1993, a 21-year-old woman got trapped at least 1,000 feet inside a cave off the Barton Creek greenbelt near Loop 360 and Mopac Expressway (Loop 1).
[Emergency workers late Monday were attempting an intricate mission to rescue a 21-year-old woman trapped at least 1,000 feet inside a cave off the Barton Creek greenbelt near Loop 360 and Mo-Pac Boulevard (Loop 1).The woman, who was unidentified, became trapped in a narrow passageway while exploring the cave with a friend about 6:30 p.m, rescue workers said. The friend managed to get out of the cave and call for help. Emergency Medical Services were called about 7:15 p.m., and some rescue workers were able to reach her about 10 p.m.
To free the woman, workers were using an airhammer late Monday to enlarge a passageway leading to the spot where she was trapped, said Sally Muir, EMS spokeswoman. The area the workers were trying to enlarge is about 60 feet into the cave, Muir said. Travis County Precinct 2 Constable Mike Simpson said the rescue was expected to take several hours.
He said he was told "it very" well could be daybreak before they effect a rescue. It's just a slow, tedious process. Due to space limitations. They're very cautious when they move, and they cannot move very swiftly." Austin Fire Department Lt. Andy Sackett said the woman's friend reported that she was conscious and alert in the cave. "Her only complaint is that she's losing circulation in one leg." Emergency workers said the woman apparently had a foot wedged in some sort of funnel point in the cave, an area sometimes called "One-Legged Man."]
There was another incident around 1993 where a woman found herself trapped inside Barton Creek Trail Cave. The woman was trapped for several hours in Barton Creek Greenbelt Cave before she freed herself. Somehow she freed herself without any help. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/356030244/)
On March 18, 1993, a proposal was brought to City Council to let the Texas Cave Management Association manage recreational use of city-owned caves also is prompted by the need to protect the ecology of caverns as the fauna in caves are very unique. (Ref: Austin American-Statesman, D4, Thursday, March 18, 1993)
“Protection of caves and the people who explore them is on the Austin City Council's agenda today, as council members consider allowing a nonprofit group to inventory and manage caverns on city property. The item stems partly from a woman being trapped for several hours in a Barton Creek greenbelt cave before she freed herself. The proposal to let the Texas Cave Management Association manage recreational use of city-owned caves also is prompted by the need to protect the ecology of caverns.”
“The group also would monitor the use of the estimated 140 caves on municipal property and determine which are suitable for recreational exploration and which should be closed to the public. ; The group would establish recreational hours for those caves open to the public and accompany explorers or monitor their activities while they are in the caves, Warton said. Calderon said the umbrella agreement to be voted on today does not involve any immediate cost to the city. Subsequent contracts requiring funding may be needed.”
The location for Barton Creek Trail Cave is 3918 South MoPac Expressway, Austin, Texas, US 78746.
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