I can't believe I just now visited Palmetto State Park. As a Texas State Alumna who has driven near this area hundreds of times, I'm glad I finally stopped to explore this park.
This place is magical. It's a diverse, tropical habitat just an hour drive from Austin. I was amazed by this swampy landscape located in Central Texas. The abundance of dwarf palmettos (Sabinal minor), found under the large post oaks lightly decorated with hanging Spanish moss , is really beautiful. If you're looking for a quick, easy weekend trip, try camping at Palmetto State Park.
Our friends invited Andrew and I to tag along on their weekend trip, so we packed our camping gear and drove south on Highway 183 for Gonzales early Saturday morning.
Location
78 Park Road 11 South
Gonzales, TX 78629
I recommend taking short and winding Park Road 11 just north of the main entrance via Co Rd 261. They both lead to state park through the small town of Ottine.
When we arrived, it looked very crowded, but we were pleasantly surprised how quiet and spaced out the camping lots were. We had an end lot near the low water crossing. We set up our brand-new Poler tent-- which we love by the way! Super spacious for two adults and a large pup. We bought this 2-person tent: Poler Tent - Chaka Blue.
We spent the weekend eating, laughing, and hiking around the park. Even though Palmetto State Park is fairly small, there are many fun things to do.
Things To Do:
Camp
There are 19 tent sites and 17 RV sites in the park. Like most places these days, you'll definitely need a reservation.
You can also get 24 of your friends together and book their secluded group site. So fun-- I would love to do this one day.
There's also an air-conditioned cabin available for up to 6 people.
Hike
The park has about 5 miles of easy-moderate hiking trails. The trails are pretty short, so you can definitely hike the entire park in a day/weekend.
The Ottine Swamp Trail is absolutely beautiful as it takes you through the magical, unique swamps in the area. The dense clay of the Reklaw Formation doesn’t absorb water easily, and actually traps water to allow small pools to form in the low-lying depressions; combined with the parks location in the floodplain of the San Marcos River this creates the swampy habitat. 1.0 Miles.
Palmetto Interpretive Trail: This short .3 mile hike has the largest abundance of Palmettos. See one of the few operational ram-jet pumps in existence today. Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936, the pump is driven by the force of the rising water column from the artesian well below. Faults in the earth’s crust allow water from below the Reklaw Formation to rise up to the surface.
Mesquite Flats Trail is the best place in the park to see an abundance of Mesquite trees. This is a moderate trail about 1.1 miles.
The San Marcos River Trail is a 1.3 mile hike with scenic views of the San Marcos River. A carpet of inland sea oats covers this area.
Oxbow Lake Trail: An easy .7 mile trail around Oxbow Lake. You'll also find a pier on the lake for fishing.
Pro-tip: Keep your eyes out for snakes. We had a very close encounter! The park requires dogs on a leash, and after we saw a large Cottonmouth on the trail, I was so glad Gus wasn't exploring off-leash.
Bike
I didn't get a chance to bike here, but all the trails are open to bicycles (unless otherwise stated) and great for easy, beginner mountain biking. Check out the San Marcos River Trail, Mesquite Flats Trail and Ottine Swamps Trail.
Kayak/Paddle Board/Canoe
Palmetto State Park has kayaks and paddle boards available for rent on Oxbow Lake.
If you're feeling adventurous, you can also canoe the San Marcos River. Experienced paddlers can start at Luling City Park and paddle about 6-7 hours to Palmetto State Park.
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The weekend really rekindled my love for camping. I honestly haven't been in the mood for tent camping recently. But I had such a great time at Palmetto, I already booked my next State Park reservation.
For your next weekend getaway with friends or family, try Palmetto State Park. We really enjoyed it.
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