Holidays
October 2024
Oct
12
5:30p
End Date
Fall Forest Fest
Stephen F. Austin State Park
Join us for a night of community, fun, and education at Stephen F. Austin State Park
Oct
12
6:00p
End Date
Creatures of the Night
Inks Lake State Park
Join us for a fun and educational experience to learn about some of our our nocturnal creatures!
Oct
19
10:00a
End Date
State Park Spook-Tacular
Ray Roberts Lake State Park - Johnson Branch Unit
Join rangers all day while we celebrate Halloween.
Oct
19
12:00p
End Date
Creature Features
Dinosaur Valley State Park
Grab your spookiest friends and stop by the different booths highlighting cool animal adaptations in celebration of Halloween!
Oct
19
4:00p
End Date
Oct
19
5:00p
End Date
Candy and Cauldrons Trick-or-Treating
Martin Creek Lake State Park
Enjoy a spooky kooky time at Martin Creek Lake State Park
Oct
19
5:00p
End Date
Halloween in the Park
Sheldon Lake State Park & Environmental Learning Center
Join us for a haunting good time!
Oct
19
5:00p
End Date
Boo in the Park 2024
Lake Tawakoni State Park
Welcome to our annual "Boo in the Park" celebration. Bring the family out for a campsite decorating contest, pumpkin carving contest, and trick or treating.
Oct
19
6:30p
End Date
Campsite Decorating Competition and Trick or Treating
Ray Roberts Lake State Park - Johnson Branch Unit
Join us for our nighttime spook-tacular event: Campsite Decorating and Trick-or-Treating
Oct
19
7:00p
End Date
Halloween in the Park
Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Grab your costumes and trick or treating bags and come down to the canyon for a spooky evening in the park
Oct
20
3:00p
End Date
Sea Center Spooktacular
Sea Center Texas
Join Sea Center Texas for our annual Halloween Spooktacular. Sunday, October 20th from 3pm-6pm.
Oct
25
5:00p
End Date
Campfire Stories
Martin Dies, Jr. State Park
Gather 'round the campfire to hear adventurous tall tales and scary stories!
Oct
25
6:30p
End Date
Campfire Cures: Scary Stories & Fears of the Dark
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Sit around the campfire with a ranger and shed some light on your fears of the dark.
Oct
25
7:00p
End Date
Halloween Night Hike *Registration Required*
Guadalupe River State Park
Join us for a hauntingly fun night hike through the eerie trails of Guadalupe River State Park!
Oct
25
7:00p
End Date
Zombie Survival Game Night
Huntsville State Park
Join us for an interactive game learning about survival essentials in a post-apocalyptic world.
Oct
26
10:00a
End Date
Spooky Wildlife
Ray Roberts Lake State Park - Johnson Branch Unit
Join rangers for a spooky wildlife talk focused on the creepy wildlife that we have around our park.
Oct
26
10:00a
End Date
Pumpkin Painting
Goliad State Park & Historic Site
Break out your creativity and paint a pumpkin! Will you be a lucky winner taking home a prize?
Oct
26
11:00a
End Date
Snake Seasons
Ray Roberts Lake State Park - Isle Du Bois Unit
Celebrate spooky season with some live snake fun!
Oct
26
1:00p
End Date
Pumpkin Decorating Competition
Ray Roberts Lake State Park - Johnson Branch Unit
Show off your wildlife or park scene painting skills to win prizes!
Oct
26
3:00p
End Date
Oct
26
4:00p
End Date
Decorate a Halloween Mask
Purtis Creek State Park
Join a ranger to decorate an animal mask and learn about Leave No Trace!
Oct
26
4:00p
End Date
Oct
26
5:00p
End Date
Ghouls Night Out at Lake Whitney
Lake Whitney State Park
The Horseshoe Loop will be our Trick or Treat Trail from 5 pm to 7 pm. COSTUME CONTEST from 4:30 to 5:30 judging for best adult, child and pet! Participating campsites will get a 20% discount and provide fun for the visiting ghouls and goblins looking for eeks and treats at these campsites.
Oct
26
5:00p
End Date
Oct
26
5:00p
End Date
Oct
26
5:00p
End Date
BOO-gill Fishing and Haunted House
Huntsville State Park
Join us for an evening of fishing and a haunting look at what lurks in the woods.
Oct
26
5:30p
End Date
Night Hike - Fall Trees and Tall Tales
Mission Tejas State Park
Come to Mission Tejas State Park for a night hike with park staff and hear tall tales and legends of the people who lived here and the beasts they told stories of.
Oct
26
5:30p
End Date
Oct
26
5:30p
End Date
Trick or Treat in the Park
Martin Dies, Jr. State Park
Join us for family friendly fun! The Trick or Treat loop will be closed to traffic so we can stay spooky and safe! This event is free and open to the general public
Oct
26
6:00p
End Date
Oct
26
6:00p
End Date
Oct
26
6:00p
End Date
9th Annual Boo Camp
Lake Bob Sandlin State Park
Come join us for some family friendly Halloween fun!
Oct
26
6:00p
End Date
** Cancelled ** Spooky Science Fest: ** Cancelled ** Night of the Living Bugs! ** Cancelled **
Estero Llano Grande State Park
Celebrate and save our tiny heroes! Come and see how! Bring your friends and family of all ages, in costume if you like, to join what has been 1,000 to 2,000 others for our annual Fall Festival to learn a little science and perhaps to be frightened just the right amount!
Oct
26
6:30p
End Date
Wildlife Trick or Treat
Government Canyon State Natural Area
Take a short, wooded hike to visit a series of trail stations where you'll learn about "spooky" wildlife including scorpions, bats, skunks and more. Bring your trick-or-treat gear!
Oct
26
7:00p
End Date
Star Party with UT ASA
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Join the University of Texas Astronomy Students Association for a very spooky Star Party!
Oct
26
7:00p
End Date
Haunted Hollows Hike
Lake Whitney State Park
The Towash Forest Trail may be an easy 1-mile to walk, but you never know what you may encounter in these hollows!
Oct
26
7:00p
End Date
Spooky Star Party
Pedernales Falls State Park
Come join the Austin Astronomical Society in viewing stars, planets and galaxies through dozens of different telescopes the weekend before Halloween!
Oct
26
7:00p
End Date
Spooky Creatures of the Night Hike
Lockhart State Park
Ever wondered what (or who) goes bump in the night?
Oct
26
8:00p
End Date
Haunted Trails
Take a spooky stroll through our CCC Camp Trail... If you dare!
Oct
26
8:15p
End Date
Sounds of the Night
Government Canyon State Natural Area
Sssshhhh...did you hear that? What was that noise?
Oct
31
5:30p
End Date
Oct
31
6:00p
End Date
Oct
31
7:00p
End Date
Spooky Halloween Night Ride
Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park
Look and listen for the creatures of the night while taking a ride through the park after dark.
November 2024
Nov
2
7:00p
End Date
Trail of the Dead
A family friendly Halloween/Day of the Dead event complete with ranger-led night hikes, candy, educational booths, crafts, and more!
Nov
23
9:00a
End Date
Chisholm Trail Turkey Trot
Lockhart State Park
Ready, Set….Gobble! Join us for a 1-mile or 5K run/walk to celebrate fall in the park!
Nov
26
2:00p
End Date
Dutch Oven Friendsgiving
Lake Corpus Christi State Park
Join your friends at Lake Corpus Christi State Park!
Nov
27
10:00a
End Date
Turkey Talk
Guadalupe River State Park
Join us the day before Thanksgiving for a gobble-tastic experience!
Nov
27
2:00p
End Date
Nov
28
10:00a
End Date
Guided Turkey Hike
Galveston Island State Park
There has never been a Wild Turkey recorded in the park, but that won’t stop us from looking for one!
Nov
29
End Date
Opt Outside Day at Guadalupe River State Park
Guadalupe River State Park
Skip the stores and #OptOutside with us!
Nov
29
End Date
Opt Outside Kayak Tour
Galveston Island State Park
Opt out of the biggest shopping day of the year by taking a kayak tour out on the Galveston Bay. *Registration Required*
Nov
29
9:00a
End Date
Nov
29
10:00a
End Date
Turkey Peak Turkey Trot
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Include Enchanted Rock in your Turkey Day weekend plans, and come walk, run, or jog this 3.0-mile trail challenge!
Nov
29
10:00a
End Date
Hike off the Turkey
Caddo Lake State Park
Take a hike through the forest with a ranger to hike off that Thanksgiving meal!
Nov
29
10:00a
End Date
Nov
29
10:30a
End Date
7th Annual Turkey Trot 5K/1-Mile Fun Run
South Llano River State Park
Come earn those Thanksgiving calories!
Nov
29
2:00p
End Date
Opt Outside Beach Walk
Galveston Island State Park
The Gulf of Mexico is our destination. What exciting things will we see along the way?
Nov
29
2:00p
End Date
Nov
30
10:00a
End Date
Deck the Halls
Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site
Learn about making Christmas decorations with natural materials.
December 2024
Dec
6
9:00a
End Date
Christmas at Old Fort Concho - Education Day
San Angelo, TX - Fort Concho National Historic Landmark
Kick off the holiday season by visiting Fort Concho’s largest annual event. Held during the first full weekend in December, Christmas at Old Fort Concho transforms the fort’s 40 acres and 24 buildings into a winter wonderland.
Dec
7
9:00a
End Date
Christmas at Old Fort Concho - Public Days
San Angelo, TX - Fort Concho National Historic Landmark
Kick off the holiday season by visiting Fort Concho’s largest annual event. Held during the first full weekend in December, Christmas at Old Fort Concho transforms the fort’s 40 acres and 24 buildings into a winter wonderland.
Dec
7
10:00a
End Date
Winter Holiday Traditions
Government Canyon State Natural Area
Celebrate the holidays the old-fashioned way by hand-crafting items families might have been made on the historic ranches that became Government Canyon.
Dec
7
10:00a
End Date
A Mother Neff Christmas
Mother Neff State Park
Join us for our annual holiday celebration in the park.
Dec
7
12:00p
End Date
Art in the Park: Christmas Cards
Guadalupe River State Park
Join us for an early National Christmas Card Day Celebration!
Dec
7
1:00p
End Date
The Storied Past of Christmas
Mission Tejas State Park
How did early Texas pioneers celebrate Christmas? Where did the Santa Claus stories come from? Why do we decorate trees in our homes at this time? Join our park interpreter for a presentation on the history of Christmas and how the ways we celebrate this season have changed (or not!) over the years.
Dec
7
2:00p
End Date
Dec
7
6:00p
End Date
Dec
7
7:00p
End Date
Christmas Campfire Story and S'mores
Government Canyon State Natural Area
Bring a blanket and settle in for a festive story read by a ranger, then make s'mores over our campfire.
Dec
13
End Date
Christmas in the Park!
Purtis Creek State Park
See the camp loop lit up like a winter wonderland and CAMP FOR FREE when you decorate your campsite!
Dec
13
5:30p
End Date
Christmas in the Park
Atlanta State Park
Experience a Christmas Wonderland and meet Santa inside the Pineywoods of Atlanta State Park!
Dec
13
6:00p
End Date
Christmas Light Up the Park Event
Bonham State Park
Bonham State Park's Annual Christmas Light Up the Park event. Drive through the campground and see the campsites decorated for the holiday season.
Dec
14
10:00a
End Date
A Simple Country Christmas
Martin Dies, Jr. State Park
Join our festive holiday activities in the park!
Dec
14
1:00p
End Date
Christmas with the Fishes
Sea Center Texas
Join Sea Center Texas for an underwater Christmas spectacular.
Dec
14
1:00p
End Date
A Crafty Caddo Christmas
Caddo Lake State Park
Deck the halls in our CCC Hall. Join us by the fire for hot chocolate, cookies, and creating your own Christmas tree ornaments. All supplies will be provided!
Dec
14
1:00p
End Date
Wreathed in History
Mission Tejas State Park
Come to Mission Tejas and make your own Christmas wreath! Create a piece of art with an East Texas take on the holiday tradition as you learn about what wreaths have meant for the many different cultures that used them.
Dec
14
1:00p
End Date
Lakeside Christmas
Fort Parker State Park
A Fort Parker Holiday Celebration! Take pictures with the Christmas Beaver, make Christmas Ornaments, Play Games . . . Play Games . . . Play Games, and many other holiday festivities.
Dec
14
2:00p
End Date
A Very Marshy Christmas
Sea Rim State Park
Watch Santa and Mrs. Claus ride in to Sea Rim State Park on an airboat and join them for hot cocoa, Christmas crafts and photo opportunities!
Dec
14
4:00p
End Date
Christmas in the Park
Guadalupe River State Park
Join us for a night of holiday magic on Saturday, December 14th as Guadalupe River State Park transforms into a winter wonderland!
Dec
14
5:00p
End Date
Twinkle Tour 2024
Lake Tawakoni State Park
Join us for our annual Twinkle Tour at Lake Tawakoni State Park. Enjoy all the festive Christmas lights and listen to a reading of The Night Before Christmas at the amphitheater.
Dec
14
5:30p
End Date
Christmas in the Park
Goose Island State Park
See the park in lights, enjoy holiday activities, and CAMP FOR FREE when you decorate your campsite!
Dec
14
5:30p
End Date
Christmas in the Park
Atlanta State Park
Experience a Christmas Wonderland and meet Santa inside the Pineywoods of Atlanta State Park!
Dec
14
6:00p
End Date
Holiday Light Drive-Thru
Lake Corpus Christi State Park
Check out our camper's holiday spirit by taking a drive by lighted campsites and park buildings!
Dec
14
6:00p
End Date
Christmas in the Park 2024
Lake Whitney State Park
It's the most wonderful time of the year!
For camping, making holiday memories and inviting everyone to see homes on wheels decked out for Christmas.
Decorate your campsite for this weekend and you will save 20%.
Donations of non perishable food items are also being collected.
Voting slips will be handed to all that come to see the festive campers during the event timeline.
Dec
14
6:00p
End Date
Christmas Light Up the Park Event
Bonham State Park
Bonham State Park's Annual Christmas Light Up the Park event. Drive through the campground and see the campsites decorated for the holiday season.
Dec
14
6:00p
End Date
Holly Days in the Park
Come out and experience the holidays in the park!
Dec
14
6:00p
End Date
Country Lights
Martin Dies, Jr. State Park
Drive, bike or walk thru the 200 camping loop to experience campsites adorned with holiday themed lights, sounds and decorations
Dec
14
6:00p
End Date
Dec
14
7:00p
End Date
Cross Timbers Cowboy Christmas – Music & Poetry
Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway
Bring the whole family to the Lone Star Amphitheater and experience Christmas cowboy style.
Dec
15
5:30p
End Date
55th Annual Tree Lighting
Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site
Enjoy this special tradition started 55 years ago by President and Mrs. Johnson.
Dec
20
End Date
Holiday Heritage Trail Hike
Galveston Island State Park
Take a hike on our self-guided Holiday Trail!
Dec
21
9:00a
End Date
Home for the Holidays Hike
Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site
❄️Join us for a moderate 2-mile holiday hike through the stunning landscapes of Hueco Tanks!
Dec
21
10:00a
End Date
Watercolor Holiday Cards
Lake Corpus Christi State Park
Create a watercolor card for your loved ones this holiday season!
Dec
21
10:00a
End Date
A Lost Pines CCC Christmas
Bastrop State Park
Celebrate Christmas in the Lost Pines with an evening full of holly jolly good times in the park for the whole family!
Dec
21
1:00p
End Date
A Crafty Caddo Christmas
Caddo Lake State Park
Deck the halls in our CCC Hall. Join us by the fire for hot chocolate, cookies, and creating your own Christmas tree ornaments. All supplies will be provided!
Dec
21
1:00p
End Date
Dec
21
2:00p
End Date
Holiday Gift for the Birds
Lake Corpus Christi State Park
Show your backyard birds some love with a hand-decorated feeder!
Dec
21
3:00p
End Date
Christmas in the Park
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Tell Santa your wish list, sip hot chocolate, color a greeting card, and join us for a very special Christmas night hike this December!
Dec
21
6:00p
End Date
Winter Solstice Night Hike
Government Canyon State Natural Area
Take a walk over fields and through the woods on a starry (fingers crossed), moonless night...the longest night of the year.
Dec
21
6:00p
End Date
Holiday Festival of Lights
Inks Lake State Park
If you're camping with us on Dec. 21, please bring holiday decorations to brighten up your campsite!
Dec
31
9:30p
End Date
Black Light Hike & Scavenger Hunt at Midnight!
Fort Parker State Park
Take a New Year’s hike at midnight with a Fort Parker State Park ranger! Visit the 1/2-mile Bur Oak Trail and see what you might with an awesome black light! Continue the New Year's fun with a "Riddle-Me-This" scavenger hunt by moonlight. Can you answer the riddles to ring in the New Year?
Dec
31
11:30p
End Date
First Day Hike: Midnight Kick-Off!
Purtis Creek State Park
Join a ranger for a midnight hike along the Wolfpen Trail to kick off the new year!
January 2025
Jan
1
End Date
First Day Honey Creek Guided Walks *Registration Required*
Honey Creek State Natural Area
Experience the natural and cultural history of Honey Creek on our First Day Hikes!
Jan
1
End Date
Self-Guided First Day Nature Hikes
Guadalupe River State Park
Experience the great outdoors and join us for a self-guided First Day Hike!
Jan
1
10:00a
End Date
First Day Hikes
Mother Neff State Park
Kick off the start of the new year by exploring the natural beauty of Mother Neff State Park.
Jan
1
1:00p
End Date
New Year's Plunge
Devils River State Natural Area
Join our first New Year's Plunge at the Devils River.
Jan
2
7:00a
End Date
Christmas Bird Count - 101
Galveston Island State Park
Spend your holiday season contributing to the nation's longest-running community science bird project!
Jan
2
11:00a
End Date
Christmas Bird Count - 101
Galveston Island State Park
Spend your holiday season contributing to the nation's longest-running community science bird project!
December 2025
Dec
31
9:30p
End Date
Black Light Hike & Scavenger Hunt at Midnight!
Fort Parker State Park
Take a New Year’s hike at midnight with a Fort Parker State Park ranger! Visit the 1/2-mile Bur Oak Trail and see what you might with an awesome black light! Continue the New Year's fun with a "Riddle-Me-This" scavenger hunt by moonlight. Can you answer the riddles to ring in the New Year?
December 2026
Dec
31
9:30p
End Date
Black Light Hike & Scavenger Hunt at Midnight!
Fort Parker State Park
Take a New Year’s hike at midnight with a Fort Parker State Park ranger! Visit the 1/2-mile Bur Oak Trail and see what you might with an awesome black light! Continue the New Year's fun with a "Riddle-Me-This" scavenger hunt by moonlight. Can you answer the riddles to ring in the New Year?
December 2027
Dec
31
9:30p
End Date
Black Light Hike & Scavenger Hunt at Midnight!
Fort Parker State Park
Take a New Year’s hike at midnight with a Fort Parker State Park ranger! Visit the 1/2-mile Bur Oak Trail and see what you might with an awesome black light! Continue the New Year's fun with a "Riddle-Me-This" scavenger hunt by moonlight. Can you answer the riddles to ring in the New Year?
December 2028
Dec
31
9:30p
End Date
Black Light Hike & Scavenger Hunt at Midnight!
Fort Parker State Park
Take a New Year’s hike at midnight with a Fort Parker State Park ranger! Visit the 1/2-mile Bur Oak Trail and see what you might with an awesome black light! Continue the New Year's fun with a "Riddle-Me-This" scavenger hunt by moonlight. Can you answer the riddles to ring in the New Year?
December 2029
Dec
31
9:30p
End Date
Black Light Hike & Scavenger Hunt at Midnight!
Fort Parker State Park
Take a New Year’s hike at midnight with a Fort Parker State Park ranger! Visit the 1/2-mile Bur Oak Trail and see what you might with an awesome black light! Continue the New Year's fun with a "Riddle-Me-This" scavenger hunt by moonlight. Can you answer the riddles to ring in the New Year?