Texas State Parks

Better Reservations Ahead

We are switching to a new reservation system in early 2019. You'll be able to:

• Pick Your Site – Reserve specific campsites, shelters and cabins in advance
• Reserve Day Use – Buy a “Save The Day” Pass in advance, ensuring your entry to busy parks
• Buy Your Parks Pass – Buy or renew your Texas State Parks Pass online.

Sign up today, and we'll email you when new features are available.

Hike Pick: Choke Canyon State Park

Strolling Hawk Alley

When people visit a lake park, they often go for the fishing or boating and overlook the trails. Don't make this mistake at Choke Canyon State Park! Escape from civilization on trails that teem with wildlife.

Take Hawk Alley. This flat trail winds through the thorny scrub brush of South Texas and away from camping areas and parking lots. You will hear the boisterous calls of green jays and the squeaky calls of verdins. Watch for the Rio Grande wild turkey strutting through the underbrush. Look to the skies and you might see a group of Harris' hawks hunting as a team.

Birds aren't the only life on the trail. You might see Texas tortoises, horned lizards, javelinas and white-tailed deer foraging here.

Please dress for the weather and bring plenty of water!

Park Pick: Seminole Canyon State Park & Historic Site

Canyon Views

Hiking at Seminole Canyon State Park & Historic Site offers unforgettable views. The rugged West Texas landscape cuts dramatically to Seminole and Presa canyons below tawny limestone cliffs. Follow the Canyon Rim Trail to see the glassy waters of the Rio Grande.

Along the path, a medley of vegetation - cenizo and creeping ocotillo – offers sanctuary to a bounty of birds. Dive down with a barn swallow that swoops across the vista, and you will see some of the oldest rock art in North America.

Read more in TPW Magazine

Activities and Programs

Fall for Parks

Autumn in Texas brings some of the best weather of the year! Enjoy the crisp fall season with a colorful hike, a feast in the park, or a camping getaway.

  Celebrate the Fall