If you find yourself in Phoenix in the summertime (first of all, so sorry about that), you can experience a remarkable event at the Phoenix Bat Cave. We visited late one July evening and it was a sight unlike anything we’ve ever seen!
In the middle of the city, an unassuming storm drain tunnel is home to 10-20,000 Mexican-tailed bats. Tens of thousands of bats. Can you imagine wandering into that place? Yikes!
But luckily you don’t have to go into the tunnel to experience the bat cave! Each evening, as the sun begins to set, a small group of people will gather at the top of the tunnel and wait.
At first it seems like nothing is going to happen, and it’s a little eerie because everyone is being very quiet. Too much noise and the bats might sense predators and decide to stay in for the night.
Then, a few bats silently emerge from the tunnel and fly away. And then…a LOT of bats emerge and fly away. Thousands of bats fill the twilight sky and fly away in search of their evening meal.
What a sight! Even as bats emerge by the thousands, it’s still eerily quiet, as they make almost no noise. 5 minutes, 10 minutes go by and they are still flying out at an alarming rate!
The bats seem to turn into a black river in the sky, making a swirling pattern as they fly into the night.
The Phoenix Bat Cave is a really neat experience, and we highly recommend making a visit if you can! The gate around the tunnel includes some signs with information about the bats and reminds visitors to stay quiet. If you do, you’ll be rewarded for your patience!
Unless you are afraid of bats, in which case, maybe skip this one!
