It’s no wonder that San Antonio is one of the top tourist destinations in Texas. But when you’re ready to get out of the city, plan an escape to the many state parks near San Antonio?!
Within a short drive, you will be surrounded by beautiful crystal clear rivers, sprawling fields, and gorgeous forest land in the Lone Star State. These Texas parks are amazing!
This guide will show you some of the fabulous state parks near San Antonio.
This is one of the many reasons that San Antonio is one of the top places to visit in Texas!
Let’s dive into the best state parks near San Antonio!
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State Parks Near San Antonio Within a 1-Hour Drive
Blanco State Park
- Distance: 50 miles
Drive Time: 1 hour
Park Hours (at time of publication): Open Daily-reservation is required
Entrance Fees:$5/day adults, 12 and under are free
Blanco State Park is about an hour north of the Alamo City in the Texas Hill Country.
Situated on the beautiful spring-fed Blanco River, you can enjoy swimming, fishing, camping, picnicking and more!
Blanco State Park is one of the state parks near San Antonio that make for a great day trip from San Antonio!
This is also a great area to see the bluebonnets in Texas if you visit during springtime!
Government Canyon State Natural Area
Driving Distance: 27 miles
Drive Time: 30 min
Park Hours (at time of publication): Open Fri-Mon 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Entrance Fees: $6/day adults, 12 and under are free
Government Canyon State Natural Area is one of the Texas state parks in San Antonio!
Government Canyon, with over 12,000 acres of forest land, offers more than 40 miles of hiking and biking trails in Central Texas.
While exploring, walk to the historic Zizelmann House and check out the 110-million-year-old dinosaur tracks!
This is one of the best Texas state parks for geocaching and bird watching while enjoying the nature trail.
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Guadalupe River State Park
Distance: 39 miles
Drive Time: 45 min
Hours: Open Daily 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Entrance Fees: $7/day adults, 12 and under are free
Suppose you mention Guadalupe River State Park to native Texans. In that case, they will immediately associate it with tubing in Texas thanks to the four miles of Guadalupe River frontage land in Spring Branch, Texas.
Guadalupe River State Park also offers more than 13 miles of hiking and biking trails, including the .3-mile River Overlook Trail, which provides a great view of the Guadalupe River.
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Lockhart State Park
Distance: 67 miles
Drive Time: 1 hour
Hours: Open Daily 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Entrance Fees: $3/day adults, 12 and under are free
Lockhart State Park is one of the state parks near San Antonio that is great for escaping the summer heat.
Lockhart State Park has a great swimming pool open during the summer and a nine-hole historic golf course!
Of course, since it is a Texas state park, you can enjoy fishing, hiking trails, camping, and more.
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Old Tunnel State Park
Distance: 61 miles
Drive Time: 1 hour from downtown San Antonio
Hours: Sunrise – 5 p.m., After 5 p.m. with a “bat viewing ticket.”
Entrance Fees: Free, bat viewing tickets are extra
Old Tunnel State Park is one of the best Texas state parks around.
Over 3 million Mexican free-tailed bats have made their home in the abandoned railroad tunnel on the property.
You can visit Old Tunnel during bat season, May to October, to see the bats emerge from the abandoned railroad tunnel for their nightly feeding.
This state park also offers hiking, bird watching, and wildlife viewing from the half-mile nature trail on site.
Palmetto State Park
Driving Distance: 65 miles
Drive Time: 1 hour
Hours: Open daily (reservations recommended)
Entrance Fees: $3/day adults, 12 and under are free
Palmetto State Park offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful San Marcos River, the swamps, and a small lake all in one spot.
In addition, you can enjoy the many trails on the property, including Palmetto Trail, which takes you past the dwarf palmettos that gave this state park its name.
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State Parks Near San Antonio Within a 2-Hour Drive
Choke Canyon State Park
Driving Distance: 87 miles
Drive Time: 1 hour 15 min
Hours: 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Entrance Fees: $5/day for adults, free for children 12 and under
Choke Canyon State Park is a short trip from San Antonio, Texas, that offers first-class fishing thanks to the 26,000-acre Choke Canyon Reservoir.
Like most Texas parks, Choke Canyon offers camping, swimming, geocaching, birding, and more. It even has basketball, tennis, and soccer facilities!
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Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Distance: 88 miles
Drive Time:1 hour 30 min
Hours: 6:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Entrance Fees: $8/day adults, 12 and under are free
Head about 1.5 hours from downtown San Antonio, and you will find Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. This is one of the unique Texas parks thanks to the large pink granite rock that is Enchanted Rock.
The Native Americans who once called this land home believed that Enchanted Rock was inhabited by spirits who protected it, and many tales surround it.
Visitors love to come to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area because it is one of the best state parks for rock climbing in the Lone Star State.
Remember to hike some of the trails after a few hours of exploring the rock.
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Garner State Park
Distance: 94 miles
Drive Time: 1 hour 30 min
Hours: 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Entrance Fees: $8/day for adults and children under 12 are free
Garner State Park provides easy access to the beautiful Frio River, another Texas favorite for river tubing in the summer.
In addition to the great water activities, Garner State Park also offers guests the opportunity to fish, geocache, picnic, play mini golf, and participate in the summer dance!
Goliad State Park & Historic Site
Distance: 92 miles
Drive Time: 1 hour 45 min
Hours: 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.; historic buildings 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Entrance Fees: $4/day for adults, and children under 12 are free
Goliad State Park and Historic Site is a Texas park just under a two-hour drive from downtown San Antonio, Texas.
Goliad offers visitors the opportunity to learn about the Spanish missionaries and Native Americans who helped to shape this area. You can visit the restored colonial-era mission, Mission Espíritu Santo, to see firsthand what life was like for the early missionaries.
While visiting Goliad, you can fish or kayak on the San Antonio River before exploring its walking trails.
Hill Country State Natural Area
Distance: 64 miles
Drive Time: 1 hour 15 min
Hours: 8:15 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Entrance Fees: $6/day adults, 12 and under are free
If you are looking for one of the more rugged Texas parks, the Hill Country State National Area is perfect.
Located on a former ranch, this is the perfect place for horseback riding on the 5,000 acres.
Mountain bikers love visiting this area, thanks to the rugged trails here.
You can make a weekend of it and enjoy their primitive campsites or the lodge, which sleeps nine and has a kitchen and bathroom.
Lost Maples State Park
Distance: 91 miles
Drive Time: 1 hour 45 min
Hours: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Entrance Fees: $6/day adults, 12 and under are free
The Lost Maples State Park is a great year-round experience, but this is one of the most popular Texas parks when the leaves change colors in the fall.
During your stay here, you can go fishing, birdwatch, camp, geocache, or just enjoy a relaxing day in nature!
Please note that you must stay on the trails at Lost Maples, as the area contains steep terrain.
Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site
Distance: 74 miles
Drive Time: 1 hour 15 min
Hours: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Oct.- May), 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. (June – Sept.)
Entrance Fees: Free
This is one of the Texas parks that history buffs will love to see, as it is the birthplace of our 36th President. Lyndon B. Johnson State Park is located in the small town of Johnson City, Texas, in the Texas Hill Country.
You can tour the LBJ Ranch, see Johnson’s birthplace, and visit the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm.
When you’re done, cool off in the seasonal swimming pool!
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McKinney Falls State Park
Distance: 71 miles
Drive Time: 1 hour 15 min
Hours: 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Entrance Fees: $6/day adults, 12 and under are free
McKinney Falls is a gorgeous state park just over an hour from San Antonio.
Locals flock to McKinney Falls State Park in the summer to enjoy seeing one of the Texas waterfalls and swimming in Onion Creek. Of course, you can also enjoy the miles of hiking and biking trails, try your hand at fishing, and camp here.
While hiking, don’t miss the Rock Shelter Trail to see where early visitors camped at McKinney Falls.
Pedernales Falls State Park
Distance: 77 miles
Drive Time: 1 hour 30 min
Hours: Open daily, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
Entrance Fees: $6/day adults, 12 and under are free
Located on the beautiful Pedernales River, Pedernales Falls State Park is the perfect place to come and recharge for the day.
This area also allows you to swim, fish, hike, ride horses, and geocache. Take the .5-mile Twin Falls trail to get to a popular scenic overlook.
Pedernales Falls is close to the Lyndon B. Johnson Site, so you could easily combine visiting these Texas parks.
South Llano River State Park
Distance: 121 miles
Drive Time: 1 hour 50 min
Hours: Open Daily, see website for details
Entrance Fees: $5/day for adults, 12 and under, free
Visitors flock to the South Llano River during the hot summer to float in the cool blue waters. This park is so popular that it even supplies tube rentals.
You can also bring a paddle boat if you prefer to paddle the river. Of course, the area also has hiking trails and loads of wildlife and is an International Dark Sky property.
Devil’s Sinkhole
Distance: 133 miles
Drive Time: 2 hours
Hours and fees: Access by reservation only- see website
Devil’s Sinkhole is an easy drive from San Antonio, Texas, but visiting this park means you have to plan as it is only accessible with a reservation.
Like Old Tunnel, bats are the main attraction here. From late spring to early fall, you can see the Mexican free-tailed bats emerge from the cave at sunset.
They also offer guided nature walks and birding tours of the 1,860-acre property.
Texas State Parks Near San Antonio Within a 3-Hour Drive
Kickapoo Cavern State Park
Distance: 151 miles
Drive Time: 2 hours 40 min
Hours: 8 a.m. Friday to 5 p.m. on Monday
Entrance Fees: $3/day for adults, 12 and under, free
Head west of San Antonio to find Kickapoo Cavern.
Given its name from the two caves on the property, Kickapoo Cavern and Stuart Bat Cave (entry to the caves if not permitted).
Here, you can explore the trails, do some hiking and mountain biking, camp, and, in the evening, view the bat colony leaving the cave (mid-March to the end of October).
Seminole Canyon State Park & Historic Site
Distance: 194 miles
Drive Time: 3 hours
Hours: Open daily
Entrance Fees: $4/day for adults, 12 and under, free
Seminole Canyon State Park and Historic Site tells its own story thanks to the pictographs left behind by the early dwellers on the canyon walls.
This fascinating park will allow you to peek into history while enjoying the outdoors. You can camp, hike, mountain bike, geocache, and more.
Don’t miss the chance to hike along the Seminole Canyon’s rim or see the Rio Grande River!
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About the Author:
Michelle Snell-Founder/Writer
Born and raised in Texas, Michelle Snell graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas at Arlington and her Master’s Degree from Texas Wesleyan University. Her passion for travel has taken her all over the world. She has received multiple awards for her writing. She has been featured in numerous publications, including Travel Awaits, Fort Worth Magazine, Fort Worth Weekly, NewsBreak, Voyage Dallas, Ella Inspires Magazine, and more. You can view her complete profile on MuckRacks.
SS
Sunday 9th of January 2022
Wow, I am a native Texan and haven't heard about most of these places. This is a treasure trove of amazing parks I'd love to visit!
texasonly
Monday 10th of January 2022
Aren't they great! I am so glad we could introduce you to new places in our home state! Enjoy!
Nancy
Saturday 8th of January 2022
Whether it's state parks or national parks, I love visiting them all! Thanks for sharing all these great spots to get outdoors when it's so important.
texasonly
Saturday 8th of January 2022
I do too, Nancy. They are such a great way to connect with nature. Thanks for reading and taking time to comment :)
Yvonne
Saturday 8th of January 2022
We were just in San Antonio last month and I wish I would have known about these parks. Guadalupe River State Park looks beautiful! I look forward to visiting the next time I am in the area.
texasonly
Saturday 8th of January 2022
Oh man, I guess that means you have to go back!! Thanks for visiting and taking time to comment!
ANUKRATI DOSI
Saturday 8th of January 2022
Garner state park looks so so dreamy. I would love to visit a place like that.
texasonly
Saturday 8th of January 2022
That is a great one for sure!
Megs
Saturday 8th of January 2022
Wow! All of these places look like amazing places to visit! I didn't realize how much diversity there is in Texas. Thanks for sharing 💚
texasonly
Saturday 8th of January 2022
They really are great! Thank you for reading and taking time to comment! :)