The Hill Country SNA provides for a scenic and tranquil experience of the area; it is often viewed…read moreas the boundary between the American South and Southwest regions. The Brazos River is the unofficial divider of East and West Texas, but the Hill Country serves as the physical boundary of two regions and not simply the state. Its defining characteristic is the karst topography that permeates the landscape. I recommend purchasing the Texas State Parks annual pass which allows for access to all Texas SNA for one year and supports the natural areas in the State of Texas. I really appreciated the staff at Hill Country SNA; I found numerous examples of the trail being maintained to prevent erosion and overuse using natural barriers like tree limbs. On Saturday, February 28th, 2026, I encountered a bobcat on Cougar Canyon Overlook Trail. Cats are very infrequently encountered in the wild by humans; I have seen many black bears in the Appalachian Mountains, but never a cat. If you desire to see a cat, I would recommend hiking in the morning or evening as they are crepuscular.

We decided to hike here on a gorgeous Sunday before the cold front hit, and so glad we did! Located…read morenear Bandera, the drive was nice through winding hills and views of exotic animals along the way. Upon entrance to the park, you'll notice a change in the road, not paved whatsoever. A bit of a rugged drive, but not outrageous. Parking was plentiful and we walked toward the visitor building. Inside that building was the most helpful and friendly park ranger, Ms. Juarez, happy to help and spend time to answer any questions. She gave us a nice big legible map and gave us suggestions on trails. Being our first time here, we opted for the "challenging " peak trail. It was a beautiful hike- plenty of signage, plants were labeled, and many variations of yuccas landscaped the area. The hike up to the peak was not that bad actually, not sure I'd call it challenging, but more moderate. It was very doable and there were quite a few benches along the way for beautiful views and/or to take a break. Coming down was easy and we took a few other trails back to the parking lot for alternate scenery. Horses and bikes are allowed. Bathrooms are located at the visitor center and at a few of the other parking lots. We had a pass- free entrance for military and for me as a family member $6 Wonderful place to hike! Approx an 1 1/2 drive from SA

Old Baldy Mountain is part of the Garner Park, one of the thing we didn't know is we need to pay a…read morecamping site and get a permit going in even we will not go for camping and we also need to pay the entrance fee. So the camping site fee is 15$ and then 8$ per person for the entrance fee. It's new to us because we are new to the area. So the baldy trail was for sure a steep one, it's a quick trail but steep and a little confusing. We have managed to hike to the peak and see the beautiful view. I advised to give them a call before going and wear close shoes to avoid any injuries. The place was really nice and clean.

I recently returned for a second time to take our exchange student girls from the Netherlands and…read moreGermany for a Texas Hill Country horseback riding experience. Just like the first time in April, it was a very pleasant, comfortable, and all around positive experience. Eileen is very welcoming and accommodating. Her skill of matching a human rider with a horse and her overall demeanor towards her horses and human visitors is very comforting and adds to the experience. Even if you never sat on a horse before , I highly recommend Juniper Stables located in a beautiful remote setting of the Hill Country.

Just completed a trail ride here and highly recommend you do too! There are located on a beautiful…read more200 plus acre ranch with awesome views and varied terrain. Everyone was friendly and helpful. Good for families. Added bonus they are right next to the State Park and they have trails they use there too! We will definitely go back!

You want an amazing fun relaxing float ? This is the place . Super friendly staff and great…read morelocations to enjoy sunshine, clear water and a mellow cruise. Driver was awesome who drops you off up the road a piece and float back down (I was have too much fun to realize how long we were in the water) easy out back at store. I was sad for it to end but the business has a ton of souvenirs in their shop. And I got a couple really cool shirts at a great price definitely recommend and will be going back again.

This place is anything but "Happy" you start with the rude staff from the checkout lady (owner) to…read morethe tube guy to the shuttle guy, not happy and in fact extremely rude. I've been floating the frío for ten years now and always used them but have noticed the decline in customer service. For that, I will not be returning. The river part clearly isn't their fault, but on their route you have to walk a lot and pick up for butt a lot more. Second day, I chose to go to Andy's. Customer service was on point, very nice (more expensive and a little over priced) but was willing to pay that for the good customer service compared to Happy Hollow. Then, Andy's River float was way better (again I know that's out of human control) but didn't have to walk and it flowed the whole time and lasted longer. Quick pick up service and had a blast that second day. I am from the Abilene area, just like HH and wanted to give them my business and continue to support but I no longer will after this past experience with them.

The first time Thing One came to this camp, he lasted less than two days here. This wasn't because…read morehe was homesick nor because he hadn't been to any camp before. This was because this camp and staff (in my experience) deal poorly with those with mental health issues. Thing One has Asperger's Syndrome and has difficulty making new friends, and has social issues in environments where bullying is prevalent. During Thing One's only stay at this camp, he was bullied by other campers and became distant and disenchanted with the staff here. The director of this camp called me and asked me to retrieve Thing One via a voicemail. My frustration with Thing One's experience here stems from the manner in which the situation was handled. My son was asked to leave, but the children who bullied him were allowed to stay for the remainder of the camp session. Thing Two has come here for the past two summers and has had a mediocre experience here at best. While she is pleased with her counselors she has gotten, she is less pleased with the vernacular and behavior of the children who attend the camp (e.g., lots of cursing and not following the word of Christ). While the camp staff can't control what occurs in one's home outside of the camp, they can certainly control how the children behave when at camp. Each review of this establishment will be unique to those who attend this camp/retreat. Overall, my children's experiences have been less than stellar here. If anyone intends to send their child here, it is advisable that they carefully review the policies of the camp. Further, if the child being sent here suffers from anxiety or other mental health issues, this may not be the best place to send this type of camper because of the staff's inability to work with youth who fit into this category. Other camp attributes No technology is allowed during the camp session. There is no cell service here as the camp is remote. Campers must bring their own Bible for devotional. Digital camper mail may be purchased for a camper at an additional cost (aside from camp fees). As the camp is remote and the terrain is rough, it is advisable to use a truck or SUV to transport campers to the camp site.

Kids always had a great time Beautiful setting ! Clean . Lots to see and do always nice people …read more Clean camps , lofts and tons of excitement .

Great horses, fantastic staff. The cattle sorting clinic…read morewas a blast! We had so much fun. Rustic and charming cabins made for an authentic experience. Thank you Diane!!

I've had horses for 50 years and have know. a lot of veterinarians, but I've never witnessed such…read moreunprofessional behavior from any veterinarian or any other type of "healthcare" provider. he's condescending and blatantly offensive towards people and is volatile and abusive in his approach to handling horses. I'm very surprised that he has any decent reviews at all.

$30 for each regular rider, and $15 for those that are too young to ride alone. Book ahead during…read morethe summer months because they fill up fast! These stables are right up the road from my parents house, and we have always driven past them as we go into Concan/Leaky. We finally decided to book a ride with Elm Creek Stables and are happy that we did! They made sign-in very easy, the ride started on time, the horses were well behaved and nicely groomed, and our guides were very sweet. The gentleman leading the ride stopped along the way to pickup old horseshoes and let my little kiddos keep them as souvenirs. They were so excited. The ride itself gives very beautiful views of the valley, and they have added cute faces to trees and signs along the trail to give it that "touristy trail ride" feel. After the ride ended, the kiddos got popsicles and we walked around and took a look at the other animals. They had a newborn miniature pony, a pig, a blind axis deer, bunnies, and many many horses. We will definitely be back again in the future.

This place is really great. When we first called for information, the woman on the phone was very…read morehelpful. My boyfriend and I were able to come a little early, so the guides could take us on a more advanced ride at a higher elevation. Morgan and Allison were great guides considering how young they are (14 and 15). They easily navigated a beautiful path that they hadn't gone on in about a month. The views were gorgeous, and much of the trail was shaded. The horses were calm, but definitely have their own distinct personality. The ride was about 90 minutes long, and very affordable for the 2 of us. Overall, we were pretty lucky we got to go on such a beautiful ride with just the 4 of us--a very memorable experience. I look forward to visiting Elm Creek again on our next family vacation to the Frio.

This is a small well laid out public park surrounded by residential homes in Kerrville. Several…read moreconcrete picnic tables to sit at, one even has its own grill. There is also a playscape, swings, covered pavilion and a single basketball hoop. This is a well maintained public park in a quiet neighborhood with nice amenities, but no bathrooms.