Bats in Round Rock
If you have ever driven IH-35 in Round Rock around dusk, you may have encountered this big cloud of flying objects – kinda reminiscent of the Smoke Monster from Lost (yes, I LOVED that show). These are the bats of Round Rock. They are mesmerizing and beautiful and I always get caught watching them and not the road. I’m actually amazed that our cloud of bats doesn’t cause accidents, they are that distracting.
Tips to see the Bats in Round Rock
- Best seen at dusk, March thru November
- Park in the Napa Auto Parts Store parking lot (I called to verify and the store would prefer that you come after business hours to park in their lot, which is 7 PM.)
- Bring blankets or chairs to sit on the lawn of the Napa Auto Parts (They are fine with that)
- Watch your little ones – it is still a busy intersection
- Don’t go under the underpass to see them – respect their “home” plus you’d be in traffic
New Spot to see the Bats in Round Rock
Recently, The Rooftop at URBAN opened in the building behind their popular restaurant, URBAN eat.drink and they are open for sunsets and bat watching! They are open Thursday – Sunday from 5PM-11PM and it is 21 and up, so this would be a fun night with friends or a date night. The bat watching is a bonus.
We saw the bats emerge from under the McNeil Bridge when we visited The Rooftop at URBAN and this is our view:
On Friday nights (usually April-October), the Goodwater Master Naturalists are at Napa Auto Parts. They are there to educate the community about our local bat colony and can share lots of great info! I believe they sometimes also provide bat-related activities for kids, but I’m not 100% sure about that. If you’re planning on going out to go watch the bats and would like to ask questions and learn about them, go on a Friday evening!