The Great Outdoors

A scenic state: The 4 best autumn hikes in Central Texas

Colorado State Park is at its best after a generous autumn rainfall, whichswells the Gorman Creek and subsequently feeds the picturesque 65-foot tallGorman Falls.

Colorado Bend State Park/Facebook
Enchanted Rock is best known for its geological anomaly, a huge granite domesteeped in Native American mysticism and lore.

Photo by Tian Rose
Every autumn, the leaves on the trees in Lost Maples State Natural Areatransform from a rich green to kaleidoscopic hues of orange, red and yellow.

Lost Maples State Natural Area/Facebook

A lot of people erroneously believe that Central Texas doesn’t offer much in terms of a traditionally scenic autumn. While it’s true that the area’s fall and winter temperatures could be best categorized as schizophrenic, we can still enjoy the same offerings of, say, a crisp November saunter in New England.

The following hikes represent some of our favorites in Central Texas. During the cooler days of autumn and winter, these sites are chock full of seasonal flora, lending a more enjoyable experience than in the summer months.

Lost Maples State Natural Area

Vanderpool
If you’ve never visited Lost Maples State Natural Area, then do yourself a favor and make the three-hour trek southwest to Vanderpool. Situated on the idyllic Sabinal River, the park boasts a unique display of Uvalde bigtooth maples along the popular East Trail.

Every autumn, the leaves on these trees transform from a rich green to kaleidoscopic hues of orange, red and yellow. Huge crowds regularly flock to witness this transformation and also take in the park’s breathtaking views, rocky plateaus and waterfalls.

Even on the Lost Maples’ busiest days, park visitors can easily escape the crowds by taking on steeper climbs to the windswept ridges surveying Can Creek and Mystic Canyons.

Up there you’ll not only find solitude, but also a seemingly “lost” stand of maples, juniper and cacti. Before making the journey to Vanderpool, check the Lost Maples Foliage Reports, which offer bimonthly updates on the color status of the changing leaves.

Colorado Bend State Park

Bend
Take TX-71 West to Llano and follow signs north along Highway 16 into Colorado Bend State Park. Upon approaching the park, you’ll venture through familiar Hill Country pastorals – mesquite trees, grassy pastures, distant peaks and winding dirt roads – that open onto quick glimpses of the Colorado River valley below.

The park is at its best after a generous autumn rainfall, which swells the Gorman Creek and subsequently feeds the picturesque 65-foot tall Gorman Falls. The waterfall can be accessed by way of the self-guided 1.5-mile Gorman Spring trail. The park’s other attractions, such as wild caves, sinkholes and other protected portions are accessible via guided tours only.

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area

Fredericksburg
Enchanted Rock is best known for its geological anomaly, a huge granite dome steeped in Native American mysticism and lore. The park’s most popular jaunt is the three-quarter-mile Summit Trail, which leads to the top of the dome and offers panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

Although the hike itself is pretty short, the 800-foot climb makes it very strenuous. Even in the autumn, be sure to pack lots of water and some snacks for a quick picnic once you make it to the top.

Mount Bonnell

Austin
Although Mount Bonnell is admittedly more of a tourist destination than a hike, the city-operated park certainly challenges this distinction with spectacular views of the Austin skyline and Lady Bird Lake.

Make the short 190-foot climb up a steep set of stairs and find a private lookout spot along the hill slope. These nooks are perfect for picnicking or simply taking in autumnal glow of the city from one of its highest points.

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News for campers

New 650-acre state park coming to Lake Palestine in East Texas

Photo courtesy of TexasLand

Lake Palestine

East Texas is gaining a new state park at Lake Palestine that will include amenities like hike-and-bike trails, campsites, and lakefront access.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation has paid more than $10 million for a 650-acre ranch at Lake Palestine that will be converted into a state park, the agency says. If the park opened today, it would be the 90th state park in Texas.

The ranch, roughly 100 miles southeast of Dallas, had been on the market for a little less than $10 million. Roughly 60 percent of the ranch is wooded, and about 40 percent is pastureland.

The foundation will make improvements to the site, about 18 miles west of Tyler, before handing it over to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in late 2027. That’s when funding from the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund will become available for the department to acquire the property.

The deal preserves one of the last large habitat sites in that part of East Texas and will ultimately expand public access to Lake Palestine. The lake encompasses more than 25,500 acres and touches four counties. White-tailed deer, bobcats, and waterfowl are among the creatures that populate the habitat.

“Opportunities to protect a property like this don’t come along very often, and when they do, timing is critical,” Anne Brown, the foundation’s executive director, said in a release. She said the land will “ultimately become a place where generations of Texans can enjoy the outdoors.”

The Pollard family had owned the ranch, which housed their pecan farm, since 1940. Aside from the pecan orchard, the property includes pine forests, ponds, a seven-acre lake, and Lake Palestine frontage.

Sam Pollard, president of Texas Pecan Nursery, said the property “is part of my soul. It means a lot to me that we can leave a legacy for people to enjoy.”

The foundation says visitors to the future park will be able to enjoy blufftop views of the lake, watch wildlife and birds, and walk around the pecan orchard. They’ll also be able to take advantage of boating, paddling, swimming, and fishing at Lake Palestine.

Rodney Franklin, director of the state park system, called the site an “East Texas gem” and thanked the Pollards for enabling “this special slice of the Pineywoods to be accessible for generations of Texans.”

The parks and wildlife agency plans to create the park in phases, starting with guided access, followed by daytime access and then full-day and overnight access. The agency will invite public input about the park’s development.

Planned amenities include hike-and-bike trails, traditional and primitive campsites, day-use areas and lakefront access.

The NextEra Energy Foundation, a philanthropic arm of NextEra Energy and NextEra Energy Resources, chipped in $100,000 to support the future park. NextEra supplies electricity to about one million customers in Texas, mostly through its Gexa Energy subsidiary.

In addition, the wildlife foundation tapped into the state’s Land Conservation Loan Fund for the ranch purchase. The voter-approved, donor-supported fund aids land conservation efforts. Dallas-based Lyda Hill Philanthropies was an inaugural backer of the loan fund.

lake palestine parks state park texas