Whether you live in a small town or in the city, you probably enjoy getting out to experience a peaceful natural setting. The great Lone Star State makes it easy for you to grab the family and head out to one of the 80 state parks dotted across our land. Yes, 80!
There is much debate among those who love to camp as to whether Fall or Spring is the better time to pack up and get out. The most avid campers, like some of us, would consider the debate of “Fall or Spring?” and reply with a simple query, “why not both?”
The state parks of Texas make it easy for you to choose some interesting and varied destinations that are little more than a hop, skip, and a jump away.
What’s Your Pleasure?
Hiking, day trips, and especially overnight camping allow you to encounter nature and give you an opportunity to observe wildlife face-to-face. It feels good to get away from technology. Get away from daily responsibility. Get away from work. Wait! You may be able to get away from most of the work once you are at the campsite. But as you very well may know, it takes a lot of work to get ready to go camping. You have to plan, purchase, pack, and prepare to get out of town. You gotta muster up some thought and pull out your organizational skills to make sure you have all the food, food prep products and gear, and other necessities (which we have to admit aren’t always necessities as much as conveniences) that make for a successful outing.
Texas State Parks Offer It All
Is it worth all the trouble? You bet it is! Once you get out to the park, and you get camp set up, you can breathe again. Really breathe. The natural beauty of your surroundings, the fresh smell of the outdoors, and the sounds of laughter coalese. Your heart and mind slow down. And before you know it, you are wrapped in peace and serenity. [sigh]
Let’s start planning that next camping trip!
We’ve put together a short list of four state parks that lie within a short drive of Abilene. Check out the highlights of each of the parks. Watch the videos to get a sense of the real adventure you can have in the different locations. Then, visit each of their official pages to find out details on park fees, park maps, events in the park, and learn about the programs for kids called, “Junior Rangers.”
Abilene State Park
We’ll start with the Abilene State Park. Just a short drive from Abilene, this state park feels like it is a different part of the state. Those who visit the park for the first time are pleasantly surprised by its lush vegetation, winding paths, and babbling creek. The Abilene State Park is built within a large grove of oak, cedar, elm, and pecan trees. If you visit in the fall or winter, the trees create an enveloping canopy for the camping and picnic areas. In the spring and summer, you will delight in their cooling shady cover that is rare in most locations of West Texas.
Many are intrigued to learn that the 500+ acre Abilene State Park was once a campground for the Comanche Indians. In the 1930s the Civilian Conservation Corps instituted much of the development of the park, including the stone water tower and the adjacent swimming pool. Across the highway from Abilene State Park one finds Lake Abilene. Visitors can fish this lake without needing a fishing license. For another local fishing opportunity, learn about Cast for Kids.
Location
The park lies about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Abilene, on FM 89.
Map showing Abilene to Abilene State Park
Links
If you are interested in learning more information about the fees, maps, and campsite availability, visit the Abilene State Park Official Website.
If you want to connect with them on social media, visit the Abilene State Park Facebook page.
Things to See and Do
- Camping – Tent, RV, & Shelters
- Recreation Halls – Rent facilities for groups
- Hike – One-mile trail, One/half mile ADA compliant trail
- Geocache
- Bird Watch – Inside a bird watching facility
- Games – Sand Volleyball Court, Horseshoe Pit, Basketball Goal, Playground
- Swim – Historic swimming pool built in the 1930s
- Fish (You do not need a license to fish from the shore in a state park.)
- Lake Abilene
- Buffalo Wallow Pond
- Boat – Rent a kayak at the headquarters (Spring break through November)
Colorado Bend State Park
This beautiful state park in central Texas sprawls over 5,000 acres. The park sits above Lake Buchanan in Lampasas County. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department purchased the park in the 1980s and opened it in 1987. The park occupies the former sites of the Gorman and Lemons ranches.
Location
The park lies about 2.5 hours southeast of Abilene, near Lampasas.
Links
Check out the Official Colorado Bend State Park website for details about the park, reservation, park maps, and more.
Link to the Colorado Bend State Park Facebook page.
Things to See and Do
- Camp – Camping is available with drive-up tent sites, walk-in tent sites, hike-in primitive tent sites
- The River – fish or paddle the river
- The Caves – take a cave tour and explore the underground mysteries
- Hike & Bike – experience 35 miles of hike and bike trails
- Gorman Falls – marvel at the beauty of the 70-foot spring fed falls
Dinosaur Valley State Park
Have you ever wondered where the dinosaurs roamed? Long ago dinosaurs left their footprints in the mud at the edge of an ancient ocean. That ancient ocean lies just a short drive from Abilene (not far south of Fort Worth).
This state park, called Dinosaur Valley State Park, gives visitors the chance to camp in the park or take a walk alongside those giant footprints that can be seen in the bed of the Paluxy River.
Before you head over to the park with a plan on viewing the prints, you should know that the tracks in the riverbed cannot always be seen. Sometimes wet conditions require the trails to be temporarily closed. So check out the park’s social media pages for current status and hiking opportunities.
Location
The park is located 2 hours east of Abilene
in Glen Rose, Texas.
Links
Check out the official Dinosaur Valley State Park website for details about the park, reservation, park maps, and more.
Link to the Dinosaur Valley Facebook or Twitter pages for more information on the weather relating to the visibility of the dinosaur tracks.
Things to See and Do
- Camp – Camp in one of the 44 sites with electricity, or one of the 8 walk-in sites, or one of the 7 hike-in sites, or 1 of the 2 group camps
- Hike & Bike – venture out on the 20 miles of trails throughout the park
- Swim, Fish, and Paddle – in the Paluxy River. Rent a kayak at the park.
- Geocache
- Ride Your Horse – bring your horse to the 100-acre South Primitive Area. A river runs through the wooded, semi-rocky part of the park.
- Take a Guided Tour – horseback or horse drawn wagon rides along the scenic trails. (Reservations required.)
Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Do you know the name and location of the second largest canyon in the United States? Would you be surprised to learn that it is the Palo Duro Canyon, a system of canyons in the Caprock Escarpment in Texas?
The 880-foot-deep canyon is an average of six miles wide, but as much as 20 miles wide in some places. The scenic canyon is 120 miles long.
In this “Grand Canyon of Texas” you’ll find the Palo Duro Canyon State Park, a real jewel among the state parks of Texas. Workers with the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built Palo Duro Canyon State Park more than 85 years ago. Learn more on their History page.
Location
The park lies about four hours north of Abilene, Texas, near Amarillo.
Map showing Abilene Texas to Palo Duro Canyon State Park near Amarillo.
Links
For details on this state park’s camping, park hours, and facilities, visit the official Palo Duro Canyon State Park website.
Link to the Palo Duro State Park Facebook or Twitter pages for more information and up-to-date posts about the park.
Things to See and Do
- Camp – This state park has campsites with water, tent sites, equestrian sites, and backpack camping sites. There are also seven cabins you can rent. Three on the canyon rim, and four on the canyon floor.
- Hike & Bike & Ride – There are 30 miles of trails, including walking and biking trails, as well as even equestrian trails where you can ride your own horse.
- Bird Watch
- Geocache
- Summer Outdoor Musical Event – Tuesdays through Sundays at the Pioneer Amphitheater in the park. Ticket information here.
This is the perfect time to pick your park and make a plan to get out into the great outdoors. An excursion to one of the many state parks in Texas will allow you to distance yourself from daily distractions, reconnect with the beauty of our God-given creation, and revitalize relationships with your family and friends.
When you get outdoors you stretch your mind and stretch your body. Time in the park brings opportunity to teach your kids how to build a fire, how to pitch a tent, how to read a compass, how to identify animal tracks, and how to recognize a variety of birds. Everyone benefits when you learn how to fill your time with entertainment that is not provided by your phone. And I promise, your food will taste better when it is cooked over an open fire.
Bonus Video: How to Cook Stick Biscuits & Gravy Over an Open Fire
As a bonus, we wanted to share a video that demonstrates how to cook one of our family’s favorite camping foods. Cooking biscuits over an open fire! These babies are delicious with gravy or with jelly. They are always a hit!
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