The Ultimate Texas State Park Guide: Central Texas Edition
In our continuing series highlighting Texas’ state parks, we head to the center of the state and into the limestone caverns and lazy rivers of the Texas Hill Country. Here are the beautiful state parks in Central Texas:
Bastrop State Park, Bastrop
Bastrop State Park’s history is a story of fire and rebirth. Nestled into the Lost Pines, forest fires recently ravaged the park, but now new trees and plants are springing back to life. Visitors can enjoy hiking, swimming, fishing, camping, or relaxing in one of the park’s historic cabins.
Colorado Bend State Park, Bend
Nestled into rolling, cedar- and juniper-covered hills, Colorado Bend is home to one of Texas’ most precious natural features: Gorman Falls. A short, shady hike will lead visitors to the 70-foot spring-fed waterfall. The park also features drive-up and hike-in camping sites and 35 miles of hiking and biking trails.
Blanco State Park, Blanco
This park hugs a mile-long stretch of the lazy Blanco River, and visitors can swim, hike, camp, and fish in its clear waters. The park store offers kayak and tube rentals, and campgrounds can accommodate RVs or tent campers looking for sites with water and electricity.
Inks Lake State Park, Burnet
Located about an hour northwest of Austin, Inks Lake is a picturesque spot that offers cool waters for fishing and swimming, as well as plenty of room for camping or overnighting in its Civilian Conservation Corps-built cabins. The park rents paddle boats, canoes, and kayaks. After enjoying the lake, be sure to hike to Devil’s Waterhole, a small swimming hole surrounded by rock formations in the park.
Longhorn Cavern State Park, Burnet
An ancient river cut the gaping cavern outside Burnet that is now known as “The National Cave of Texas.” Developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the park offers guided tours of the cave as well as exquisite limestone park building architecture from the 1930s.
Palmetto State Park, Gonzales
This semi-tropical haven features some of the unique topology in Texas. The San Marcos River, as well as several springs and bogs, runs through a lush forest with a jungle-like atmosphere. Its name derives from many dwarf palmettos, a palm tree species, that thrive in the park. Hike its eerie trails or paddle or float in the refreshing San Marcos.
Pedernales Falls State Park, Johnson City
The Pedernales River, which can rage in spring rains and dry to a trickle during summer, has carved unique limestone rock stairs into its riverbed, creating one of the most iconic and beautiful spots in the Texas Hill Country. Visitors flock to wander along the formations, but the park also offers plenty of opportunities for hiking and biking, paddling, camping, and horseback riding.
South Llano River State Park, Junction
A tributary of the Colorado River, South Llano is a popular destination where tubers, paddlers, and swimmers take to the river’s cool, spring-fed waters for reprieve from the Texas heat. During cooler months, 22.7 miles of trails offer both easy and challenging terrain for hikers and mountain bikers. The park is also home to one of the largest turkey roosts in Central Texas.
Lake Brownwood State Park, Lake Brownwood
Like so many of Texas’ state parks, Lake Brownwood’s history stretches back to the 1930s and the Civilian Conservation Corps, which constructed the elegant brick halls, cabins, and lodges along the scenic shores of this 7,300-acre lake. The pristine lake is popular for water sports such as driving personal watercrafts and paddling, as well as fishing and swimming. Cabins and camping and accessible campgrounds also make Lake Brownwood a popular spot for weekend getaways.
Lockhart State Park, Lockhart
Lockhart is one of the few state parks featuring a golf course, which was built by the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps. The park also features a swimming pool, a creek for fishing, hiking and biking trails, and a campsite that can accommodate RVs.
Buescher State Park, Smithville
Considered Bastrop’s sister park, this recreational hotspot features a 30-acre lake that is perfect for paddling and fishing and plenty of accessible hiking and biking trails. Cozy campsites—both with water and primitive—as well as screened shelters and cabins make Buescher a great place to take young children into the outdoors.
Guadalupe River State Park, Spring Branch
There are few better ways to enjoy a day in the Texas Hill Country than swimming and floating in the Guadalupe River. Arrive early to secure a spot on the narrow bank, and then spend the day relaxing in the crystal-clear waters that splash over smooth rocks and under shady trees.
Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site, Stonewall
The 36th president came from rugged and humble Hill Country roots, and visitors to the LBJ State Park can experience that firsthand at the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm and the adjacent LBJ Ranch. The visitors center features an exhibit of memorabilia from President Johnson’s time in office and adjacent cabins capture period furnishings. If you visit in the summer, cool off in the park’s pool.
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