Colorado Bend State Park sits along the Colorado River near San Saba, Texas, with multiple camping areas spread across its 5,300 acres. The park features limestone terrain with elevations ranging from 900 to 1,100 feet. Summer temperatures often exceed 95°F, while winter nights can drop below freezing, creating diverse camping conditions throughout the year.
What to Do
Explore caves and caverns: Colorado Bend State Park offers cave tours where visitors can experience underground formations. "Cave exploring. Nothing else needs to be said. So much fun. Over came fear of daddy long legs, and little creepy crawlers," writes Andrea P. about the South Area Campground.
Kayak the river: The Colorado River provides excellent paddling opportunities with rentals available seasonally. "The water activities were awesome due to the summer heat," notes another South Area camper who enjoyed cooling off during hot Texas days.
Visit Gorman Falls: This 70-foot waterfall requires a 3-mile round trip hike over rocky terrain. "Between the swimming hole and Gorman Falls you have some great views and amazing hiking! Saw some deer and hogs while out hiking on this property," reports Price T. who stayed at South Area Campground.
What Campers Like
Stargazing opportunities: The remote location offers exceptional night sky viewing. "We were able to enjoy the dark sky at their observatory and then from our tent!" says Nathan S. about Canyon of the Eagles Lodge & Nature Park.
Wildlife encounters: The area hosts diverse animals visible from campsites. "First 20 minutes at this park we had deer walking through our camp site," shares Andrea P. from South Area Campground. Another camper at River Backpack Area notes, "We seen lots of wildlife in this park. Beware although rare to see Mt. Lions do roam the terrain."
Swimming holes: Natural water features provide relief from Texas heat. One camper at Sulphur Springs Camp mentions "A spring fed swimming pool cleaned weekly" among the amenities they enjoyed during their stay.
What You Should Know
Limited connectivity: Cell service is minimal or nonexistent in most campgrounds. "Forget about cell service. Curiously enough, I had WiFi because my RV spot was closest to the office. But neither my son nor I had cell service for some miles before arriving at the office area," explains Larry D. from South Area Campground.
Remote location: The park requires significant travel on rural roads. "Getting to this park takes a while, going through lots of back roads. Once you get to the park, you have to drive miles in to get to the headquarters," notes James S. who stayed at the North Area Primitive Site.
Limited supplies: The nearest full grocery stores are 30+ minutes away. "It is a long drive from the gate to the office/campground/riverfront area... This is a very popular park, especially on warm weekends, and the office is rather small," explains another North Area camper.
Tips for Camping with Families
Short hiking options: Several trails under 2 miles accommodate young children. "The hike on the awesome Spicewood Springs trail alone was worth the drive out to the park. My 3.5 year old kiddo was able to do the ~3 mile hike just fine with a little help," shares Melissa G. about North Area Primitive Site.
Educational opportunities: Park rangers often offer programs for children. "The naturalist on staff gave fishing lessons to the kids, had a craft for them to do and talked about the native flowers," explains Stephanie B. from Canyon of the Eagles Lodge & Nature Park.
Dog-friendly campgrounds near San Saba: Most sites welcome pets with standard leash requirements. "My fur babies Loved it!!!" reports Amanda T. about Sulphur Springs Camp, one of several pet-friendly camping options in the area.
Tips from RVers
Site selection matters: Some RV sites offer more privacy and shade than others. "We were in site 13 on the RV Loop. Access to the lake from the site (short walk), wooded area that blocks the wind but you get sun during the day," recommends Erin A. from Canyon of the Eagles Lodge & Nature Park.
Road challenges: Access roads can be difficult for larger rigs. "The camp roads are tight, so be careful getting to your site," cautions James S. who visited North Area Primitive Site.
Concrete pad options: San Saba River RV Park offers upgraded sites for larger vehicles. "Have a wide level concrete pad with full hookups. There is some cable tv cable there but we didn't hook it up. You can have a choice of shade under large pecan trees or wide open sites," explains Bill P. from San Saba River RV Park.
