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Public land in Texas

B

bitter1

Joined
Mar 3, 2008
Messages
1,071
I was wondering if anyone knew of some public land around central Texas where I live that I can just go around hiking and having fun, I know alot of land is private here in Texas which is surprising since we are a huge state. But I just want a place where I can go and not worry about paying a park fee or something or other.
 
bitter1 said:
I was wondering if anyone knew of some public land around central Texas where I live that I can just go around hiking and having fun, I know alot of land is private here in Texas which is surprising since we are a huge state. But I just want a place where I can go and not worry about paying a park fee or something or other.
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If you are in Round Rock, it is worth paying the $60-odd for the Texas State Parks pass. As far as public land, there ain't a whole lot around because we like everything big, including our back yards. I think you can get into Huntsville SP without paying, but I am not certain. Check out the TPWD website...
 
There is quite a bit of national forest land in east Texas, but I think in west Texas most land is private.
 
I don't mean to jack your thread but I've been meaning to ask the same question about Virginia. I live in suburbia and all the parks I know of are pretty much 'leave no trace' which is great but I'd like to find some land where I can have a campfire, collect berries and build a shelter without having to worry about a park ranger or a gun-toting property owner coming after me.

Maybe one of the mods could make a sticky where people could share locations or links to help others find locations to practice some wilderness and survival skills? Just an idea...
 
The name escapes me right now, but there's a preserve area off Loop 360 near SouthWest Parkway where you can park and go hiking.

There also used to be a few spots along Spicewood Springs road that you could do the same thing. Sorry I can't give exact locations.
 
lukus said:
The name escapes me right now, but there's a preserve area off Loop 360 near SouthWest Parkway where you can park and go hiking.

There also used to be a few spots along Spicewood Springs road that you could do the same thing. Sorry I can't give exact locations.
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Balcones Canyonlands?
 
Lost Maples is an incredible place :thumbup: If I didn't live so far South, I'd visit on a regular basis if I could :(

I've wondered the same thing down here in the Corpus Christi, Alice, Kingsville, Mathis area (south texas, gulf coast). There's always fishing to do, but not much for hiking around other than a park here or there, and even at that, nothing where you could practice firemaking and bushcraft (unless you don't get caught).
 
dougo83 said:
If you are in Round Rock, it is worth paying the $60-odd for the Texas State Parks pass. As far as public land, there ain't a whole lot around because we like everything big, including our back yards. I think you can get into Huntsville SP without paying, but I am not certain. Check out the TPWD website...
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Excellent advice.

I would certainly put the $60 on a park pass as well. Since hunting is down, park money is down as well. They have a lot of volunteer forces at some of the parks, but they ALWAYS need money. In fact, in the face of the current economic problems, the last park I went to over the summer the Park Rangers told me they were talking about shuttering some of the parks since they can't afford to maintain or upgrade them.

Since you are in RR, you have some great places (state parks) that you can get to easily. You can't miss Perdinales State Park, and it is an easy drive from Austin. Lots of trails, lots of water (pretty rare this far south!) and the park is quite clean with lots of places to roam and explore off the trails. There are a lot of natural springs there in one area of the park, and just a few feet off the trail and you feel like you are alone.

Like any affordable place to to, skip these places during holidays. They can get pretty busy if you prefer total solitude.

Bastrop State Park is an easy drive for you as well. Great hiking trails, big pine trees, and some areas look positively "foresty". Another strange thing this far south.

I don't mind a bit paying the money to keep our nice State parks in shape. Here in San Antonio, we have a few "natural areas" they have just opened up, with more on the way. They have hiking trails, just north of the city.

You might want to check out Austin as well. This is a handy site, and it mixes city with State parks.

http://www.trails.com/activity.aspx?area=11538

Note that it shows the Bastrop trails ( 2 or 3 of them ) as well as the Perdinales trails. None of them are long, but if you make the Perdinales trip you will spend a lot of exploring time.

My last trip there this past summer required me to explore a large cut shelf in the limestone mini cliffs, and that seemed to take about 4 hours. We weren't far in, and actually didn't get far. But we had a great time!

Robert
 
smcclown05 said:
I don't mean to jack your thread but I've been meaning to ask the same question about Virginia. [ ... ]

Maybe one of the mods could make a sticky where people could share locations or links to help others find locations to practice some wilderness and survival skills? Just an idea...
Click to expand...

So don't jack the thread. If two or three more areas chime in, no one will know who's talking about what. And you'll get more information with your own thread with it's own title.

Stickies are unlikely for the same reason: we'd need a separate one for each state, or an index stickie listing threads for each state. Who maintains it?
 
Enchanted Rock S.P. near Fredericksburg has some really nice hiking and rock scrambling/climbing. Also has some hike in primitive camping. Take some basic climbing gear if you go off trail on top of the dome.The cave on the park map is worth finding also.--KV
 
+1 on Lake Georgetown and Inks Lake! Enchanted Rock is great too if you can avoid the "crowds".
 
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