History

River view with grass in the foregroundLost Ma­ples State Nat­ural Area cov­ers 2,174.2 acres in Ban­dera and Real coun­ties. It is north of Vanderpool on the Sabinal River. Purchased from private owners in 1973 and 1974, the site opened on Sept. 1, 1979. About 200,000 people visit the park each year.

Evidence shows that prehistoric peoples used this area at various times.

The Spanish began exploring and col­o­nizing around here in the late 17th century.

Apache, Lipan Apache and Comanche Indians ranged over the land. They posed a threat to settlement well into the 19th century.