Flowing over and around huge slabs of limestone, the Pedernales River can be turbulent. But most often it is tranquil, and a great place to relax and recharge. We are just 30 miles west of Austin. Come over for an afternoon swim or hike, or load up your gear for an overnight adventure. The river awaits!
Choose a site with water and electricity or hike to a primitive site. Bring your group to the Youth Group Camp or Equestrian Group Camp.
Beautiful landscape including the namesake Falls as well as some long, challenging hikes with creek crossings and steeper ascents for the seasoned hiker. Great for dogs and groups of friends to explore together. Recommend bringing snacks and water when doing the longer trails.
This State Park offers everything from fishing, swimming, camping, hiking, bird watching, horseback riding, photography, and everything in between. There are a multitude of campsites and RV spots in the campground, a large group site, day use area, swimming area, etc. There are miles of hiking trails and scenic overlooks. The Pedernales River is perfect for swimming and fishing. The falls are a beautiful place for pictures and fishing. I had a great stay here. The rangers are helpful and the entire park was very clean.
This park is such a hidden gem! The grounds are naturally beautiful, and there is a river just a few minute walk from your site. My dog was SO excited about this (and so was I) she did some zoomies for at least 5 minutes haha. The stars are INCREDIBLE here.. seriously if you enjoy star gazing THEN COME HERE!!
The camp ground is wonderful. Very spread out and wooded for privacy between the campsites. Hook ups for both water and electricity, if needed. Extremely dog friendly! Has a good little spot with a picnic table for eating at camp. Also has a built in grill over the fire for cooking. The trails are the must for going to the park! Great hike down to the Pedernales Falls and cool little caves to explore. On the other end of the park, there are longer trails (roughly 4 Miles) with scenic overlooks of the Pedernales River. State Park is about 25 mins away from Johnson City (closest city) if any groceries are needed.
Camping is great. primitive sites are a few miles hike in. very doable. beware of cayotes and curious deer.
great camping areas with the river near by. about 20 miles worth of hiking trails. You can ride bikes or horses here too. Lots of great swimming.
this is Texas and this place will prove it to you. it can get hot here, the flash flooding is real and the area is well worth a visit. you will see increadible views and great campsites. the hiking and biking is great as well. great for primitive hammock camping.
We kicked our summer off with this campground a few years ago. The grounds are abundant with wildlife, and shade was not easy to come by. Fortunately, the river offers an excellent source for cooling off. While I frequently grade an area based on the trails, I realize that this state park offers a unique geological feature. This is an excellent place to camp during the summer if you prefer water activities that can be offered by the river. The campgrounds are modern, with nearby facilities, fire pits, tables, and easy to access trails. Given the dry environment, the area is subject to burn bans. Dog friendly and has a Jr. Ranger program available for kids.
This park is a popular weekend destination for people living in Austin and San Antonio for day use and overnight camping - so it gets busy. During the week the park has much more availability for camping. There are a limited number of reservable developed and primitive campsites. Try to make a reservation as early as possible if you plan to visit on a weekend. The developed campsites have water and electricity with restrooms nearby. The sites have varying coverage of trees and shade. The primitive campsites are located down a trail and are basically a cleared patch of land surrounded by trees. All of the campsites are within walking distance to the Pedernales River. However, the actual Pedernales Falls is about 2.5 miles away from the developed campground. I typically drive to see the falls. The falls is not what one might think of as a traditional waterfall. It is more like a river that has carved out a pathway through limestone rock. While this might not sound all that interesting, it is quite dramatic to actually walk along the riverbed and explore the falls up close. During the dry season or when there limited rain, it is possible to walk along the riverbed and explore the falls and all of its intricacies. During the rainy season or when there is heavy rain, the falls turns into a turbulent raging river and access is restricted. There are a few established hiking trails that wind through the trees and over the hills. There are some hidden water holes that are swimmable for the more adventurous. Be aware of snakes in the spring and summer.