Lost Maples not the only destination for fall foliage
In a state not known for its fall foliage, Texans tend to flock to a few key locations every year in search of changing colors.
Lost Maples State Natural Area, west of San Antonio, is home to some Uvalde bigtooth maples that put on a show every autumn, making it a popular destination.
The park posts regular updates on conditions, with the latest from Nov. 17 reporting “a mixture of trees without leaves, with changing leaves, and with green leaves.”
The park also is known for selling out of day passes quickly during the peak season, so if you don’t have a plan for doing some leaf-peeping on a weekend, you might not be able to get into Lost Maples.
But other Hill Country state parks are showing off their
own fall colors, so you can check these out instead.
Before you go, buy a pass online or by phone, and check parks’ websites for closure dates, as some shut down temporarily to allow hunting on
certain days throughout the season.
Here’s a look at some of the fall foliage options:
Garner State Park
Garner State Park in Concan is best known for its summer activities, which include floating and swimming in the Frio River, and nightly dances. But the park, which is about 30 miles from Lost Maples and less than two hours from downtown San Antonio, has been posting pictures and videos of its cypress trees as they change for the season.
Pedernales Falls State Park
Head north on U.S. 281 to Pedernales Falls State Park, where the riverfront is the best spot to catch cypress trees shifting colors. This weekend, the park is hosting educational activities today and fishing with a park ranger Sunday,
Mckinney Falls State Park
Colors also are changing at Mckinney Falls State Park, where Onion Creek winds through woods and trails. On the southeast side of Austin, the park is about a 75-mile drive up Interstate 35 from central San Antonio.
Guadalupe River State Park
For a spot closer to San Antonio, Guadalupe River State Park in Spring Branch also offers river views and changing colors on its bald cypress trees. While there was little water flow in the river this summer, recent rain means flow rates have picked up, though they remain well below normal. As of noon Wednesday, the river was flowing at about 7 cubic feet per second, up from 0 cubic feet per second earlier this month.
Inks Lake State Park
For one more option, try Inks Lake State Park in Burnet County, where even on cloudy days, the colors are impressive. The park is about a two-hour drive from central San Antonio.