With spring break less than a month away, Texans are finalizing their travel plans for the weeklong vacation from routine. Texas State Parks campsite reservations are filling fast, but many hidden gems still have sites available.
Well-known favorites such as Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, Garner State Park, and Inks Lake State Park are almost completely booked for the week of spring break.
With capacities at parks leading to gate closures, visitors are encouraged to venture to alternative sites near their favorite Texas State Parks. Many state parks around Texas still have multiple sites available over spring break including campsites, screened shelters, limited-use cabins and full-service cabins.
Anyone planning to visit popular parks should expect lines to enter, and possibly even park closures.
Updates to the status of the parks and park closures can be found on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s park pages or on park social media pages.
On the coast, two parks still have campsites available for spring break adventures.
Goose Island State Park in Rockport has wooded sites available for reservation during spring break. Visitors will be able to launch their boat from the ramp and fish the bay, go birding from a bird viewing platform, picnic and visit the centuries-old Big Tree that survived Hurricane Harvey generally unscathed.
About 30 minutes south of Port Arthur, Sea Rim State Park has 5.2 miles of Gulf shoreline and 4,000 acres of marshlands for families to enjoy. Sea Rim offers visitors a chance to swim, kayak and fish.
Kayaks are available at the park for rental. Families can stroll along the Gambusia Nature Trail during their stay. This boardwalk trail leads through the marshes giving visitors a chance to see native wildlife.
Three parks within two hours of the DFW Metroplex have campsites still open for spring break.
Located about 20 minutes from central Dallas, Cedar Hill State Park has primitive or developed sites available for reservation during spring break. The park offers several trails for visitors to hike and bike.
Families can also try geocaching and nature watching. Along the shores of the 7,500-acre Joe Pool Lake, families can fish for largemouth black bass, crappie and catfish from one of two lighted fishing jetties.
Eisenhower State Park, situated about an hour away from Dallas, has sites still available the week of spring break for families to enjoy the shores of Lake Texoma.
Bring a rod and reel, or borrow one from the park, and fish for striped bass, crappie and catfish from the lake. With more than 4 miles of trails, park goers can find places to swim, boulder, geocache and picnic along the shoreline, with a picnic basket of one unique option. Wildflowers may be in bloom, as well.
Just south of the DFW Metroplex on IH-45, Fort Boggy State Park has sites available for reservation. Located just off the highway halfway between Dallas and Houston, Fort Boggy offers visitors hiking and mountain biking along park trails.
The park’s 15-acre lake is open to visitors to swim, fish and paddle. Fort Boggy has rods and reels available to borrow for anyone who wants to try fishing.
Several parks around San Antonio still have openings for spring break.
In Bandera, an hour and a half from downtown San Antonio, Hill Country State Natural Area offers visitors a chance to have a spring break closer to nature. As a state natural area, the site is less developed than a park, allowing for a unique vacation experience.
With sites still available, Hill Country SNA has about 40 miles of multiuse trails for hikers, equestrians, backpackers and mountain bikers to explore.
Just north of Garner, Lost Maples State Natural Area has sites still available for spring break adventuring. With plenty to offer to the whole family, visitors can hike through the unique Uvalde bigtooth maples, view native wildlife, hunt for geocaches hidden throughout the park, and stargaze. Sink a line in the Sabinal River or Can Creek and try to catch some fish during spring break.
Other parks around the state with openings for spring break include Big Bend Ranch State Park, Falcon State Park, Lake Casa Blanca International State Park, Lake Colorado City State Park and San Angelo State Park, just to name a few.
To reserve a spring break adventure in a Texas State Park, make an online reservation on the TPWD reservation page or reserve by phone by calling 512-389-8900.
