Since I am so very jealous of all the gorgeous fall colors that so many areas of the country are seeing this time of year, I made a list of all the parks in Texas that you can experience some beautiful fall foliage in October & through-out November.
East Texas
Daingerfield State Park – Daingerfield, TX
Daingerfield State Park – picture credit: Texas Parks & Wildlife
Daingerfield State Park offers picnicking, camping, boating, fishing, hiking and nature study. Even though the East Texas area is known for it’s pine trees, this park is filled with sweetgum, oak and maple trees that come to life in the fall.
Daingerfield State Park is located east of the Dallas/Fort Worth area, just south of Mt. Pleasant.
Central Texas
Texas Parks: Lost Maples State Natural Area
Lost Maples State Natural Area Photo Credit: Texas Parks & Wildlife
Lost Maples State Natural Area has your best chance to see some true fall color in the South & Central Texas areas. This park offers picnicking, camping, backpacking, sightseeing, hiking, photography, bird-watching, fishing, swimming and nature study. You can check their fall foliage report online before you go.
Lost Maples State Natural Area is located southwest of Austin and northwest of San Antonio near Vanderpool, TX.
Texas Parks: Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area Photo Credit: Texas Parks & Wildlife
One of our favorite parks to visit, Enchanted Rock State Natural Area is gorgeous any time of year. But with cooler temperatures in the fall, it’s an ideal time to go out for a hike. You can hike, backpack, camp, rock climb, picnic, bird, study nature, geocache and stargaze at Enchanted Rock. Here’s our experience and why we love it so much.
Enchanted Rock State Park is west of Austin, and north of Fredericksburg, Texas.
West Texas
Texas Parks: Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Lighthouse Peak in Palo Duro Canyon State Park Photo Credit: Texas Parks & Wildlife
Palo Duro Canyon State Park is the second largest canyon in the United States and it boasts some terrific hikes with outstanding views. Fall is a great time to visit this canyon, where you can experience cooler day temperatures. You may not see the fall colors on trees, but the canyons are so brilliant, they almost look painted. Many activities are available here including camping, hiking, horseback riding, the musical Texas! (only in summer), geocaching, and more.
Palo Duro Canyon State Park is located southeast of Amarillo, near Canyon, Texas.
Texas Parks: Davis Mountains State Park
Fort Davis State Park Photo Credit: Texas Parks & Wildlife
Davis Mountains State Park is a historic park that has miles of trails for hiking during the day, but at night, the skies come alive at one of the best places in Texas to stargaze. The cottonwoods turn a brilliant yellow in the fall, and are a site to see. At this park, you can hike, backpack, mountain bike or ride your own horse, take a scenic drive through the mountains, go camping, stargaze, geocache and study nature.
Davis Mountains State Park is located southeast of El Paso, just outside of Fort Davis, Texas.
What’s your favorite Texas State Park?
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