This is a very peaceful and beautiful spot along the river. There is only one hiking trail. Very…read morewell shaded. Seems this is where the tubers stop for a break. The water is kind of shallow They have a playground for kids and definitely a good spot to walk your dog in this Texas heat

Great place to cool off. Secret tubing area. Great for kids. Place your picnic area, walk up a ways…read moreand float down.

Short walkway in the walnut springs park if you plan to walk back and forth but crossing towards…read morethe library is like a hidden gem. Beautiful painted squirrels definitely recommend walking this area leading to max stark park.

Small but beautiful park. Water was low. Got to see a water moccasin in The little creek. Nice…read moresidewalks to walk on. Also have baggies and trash cans for puppy poo

Best place to relax. I love the river and playing volleyball or even throwing a football around…read more This place is great!

So even though Tx State regs allow the general public to Sewell Park (02.01"Sewell Park is a…read moreproperty of Texas State ... Generally, it is open to the public if the applicable policies and procedures are adhered to"), the City of San Marcos started charging $15 parking at Lions Club (if over 2 hrs, in nearly empty lot during weekday) and, although not clearly communicated, the City Marshall's sit and watch if anyone walks into Sewell Park and then issues a $100 ticket on the vehicle for being "parked in a No Parking Zone" and "Driver observed leaving city park". Much more militant/surveillance atmosphere than I was used to visiting Sewell Park since the 1970's but I guess that is where most our tax dollars go to promoting these days. Parks are becoming just for the wealthy. Sewell Park itself was great otherwise.

Great, secluded state park next to a neighborhood. I'd consider Palmetto a hidden gem in Texas. I…read moredrove here from Austin and it took me about 1.5 hours. The way I took lead me down a neighborhood street, which led me straight to the park's headquarters. They had a small and very limited selection of gifts for purchase, but the park ranger there was friendly and recommended a couple of trails and points of interest. I hiked a series of trails along the outside perimeter of the park, which combined was about 3.5 miles. Each new segment had a different ecosystem and it was interesting to see different sights and hear new sounds. The trails are mostly shaded, though I went on an overcast day. There's also a low river crossing where I saw some people fishing on. At all Texas state parks, no fishing license is needed to fish. The sound of the river was soothing and refreshing. I genuinely enjoyed my time here and would love to return here to visit again someday.

We really enjoyed our time at Palmetto State Park, despite the inclement weather we experienced…read more The park is beautiful and well maintained. Lots of families get day passes for the playground, swimming, and fishing. We stayed at a water only campsite right next to Oxbow Lake, that was also within walking distance to the park headquarters. There were TONS of gorgeous trail options and we were able to hike about 4 miles around the park. Although the park no longer offers boat rentals (you can bring your own), they do have a fishing loaner system, which we took advantage of. All the park rangers and volunteers were lovely. April was our Park Host and she was on top of it! She patrols diligently and even helped clear a water moccasin from the roadway. The only reason for this four star review is because of the parks bathrooms. The campgrounds aren't huge, but there are only two family style bathrooms in each campground. Each bathroom is a toilet/shower combination, so during peak season, I could see campers waiting a long time for the facilities. The bathrooms were also poorly maintained (dirt, bugs, critter poop, etc) plus day visitors have access to the campground bathrooms, which also poses a problem for accessibility.

This is a really lovely place to spend some time outdoors. A beautiful park right by the water,…read morewith a peaceful, relaxed atmosphere. There's a café along the shore where you can sit, have a drink, and enjoy the view of the waterfall -- such a nice spot to slow down and take everything in. It's a great area for walking and casual strolls, and there's also a playground for kids. Overall, it's a wonderful place to relax, whether you're visiting with children or just coming on your own. Perfect for a walk, some fresh air, and enjoying the water. Definitely a spot worth coming back to.

Come with your family don't bring a lot of things. It's very unwalkable with bigger items like a…read morerolling chest. Don't bring those bring a shoulder bag version. don't think you're gonna be able to lay out your towel and sit down. It's not a beach. It's very much a river first come first serve. It starts getting dirty later in the day with all the water but that's what we get for moving a lot. There is no camping on the other side of the wall. If you're facing up to the restaurant that would be the right side. Be careful bring your water shoes!!!!!

Twas a nice and short trail in the community! Had a nice 1 hr 15 walk on Saturday afternoon! The…read moreweather is great, nature is awesome and people are beautiful! A lot of shades are there which was nice! Like it a lot and wish the creek is not dried up

Didn't realize all the pics I got here were with my baby boy. Lol easy walk. Little off trail…read moreaction. Little confusing at first but was able to use my all trails app and it directed me where to.

I went tubing with a group of friends. We got our tubes from Corner Tubes just right across the…read morestreet from Prince Solms Park. Walking wasn't that bad. It gave me a chance to stretch or warm up before getting to Comal River. According to the website tubeinnewbraunfels.com, the part of river after the chute is on the park ground. I enjoyed the tubing experience. But I was trying to catch up with my friends, I didn't fully investigate the park features. I just saw a big warning sign with information at the front entrance and the last public exit by the river. I noticed the life jacket stand but I didn't know if it was free or not. There weren't that many people last Saturday. I guess it was a good time to go tubing.

Park is just ok. Parking now $20. There's a sign that says picnic tables $25 on weekends. A lot of…read morefools smoking cigs and weed. No personal grills allowed. Park needs more tables and some shades.

Love coming here & just listening to the water. Good views. Some good areas to sit & hang out…read more Limited space in my opinion to hang out but love taking the dogs for a walk out here. Parking can be difficult sometimes but overall it is a nice park. Hoping they will re-open the other side of it at some point.

You know those scenes in movies where kids are swinging off old ropes into a shady river while…read moretheir friends are making out downstream, and you think, "Where did these punks find such a cool and private place to hang?" Well, congrats, you just found that place via Yelp. John Stokes park is wedged between farmland on the other side of I35, down the narrow and unsuspecting Cape street. Even on a Sunday, the park wasn't so busy that there was nowhere to sit or have to ourselves, and the people there made a comfortable mix of college kids, adults, and families. The best part of the park is the 30ft high, man-made waterfall that drops into a sort of cove. A perfect touch. Chances are, you'll see fearless kids flipping from the falls into the water below, which is at least a sight to see, if you are not the daredevil type. There are also park benches here for eating, drinking, or talking. If you live here in town, forget the Sewell Park swimsuit competition. Forget the Cheatam Street theme park crowd. John Stokes state park is the best place to experience and enjoy the San Marcos river. Tip: Much of this river park is tree-lined, so if you need direct sunlight to enjoy swimming in the cool river water, visit around noon when the sun is overhead.

We were nearby supporting a Taiwanese restaurant so I randomly pulled up kids activities in San…read moreMarcos on Yelp. The Children's Park appeared and looked like a lot of fun. Since the kids were still wide awake and the little one hates car rides, getting their wiggles out before heading back to Austin seemed like the right strategy. We came and this park did not disappoint! It was a Saturday afternoon at 3:15pm and all the kids were out having fun. We couldn't park in the parking lot so had to do roadside parking with a short walk. I especially loved the smaller kids area for the 1.5 and 5 year old. We spent a good hour here just goofing around. We spent the next 30 minutes in the bigger area and my 5 year old had a blast, 1.5 year old, not too much. Overall, I really like the layout and will be back when we visit San Marcos again!

Awesome and fun place to take the kids. This place is definitely worth the drive if you are coming…read morefrom San Antonio.

Paved walk ways. Play place for kids. Basketball court. Seems very well maintained. Restroom was in…read moregood condition. Definitely recommend for a walk or for your daily runs!

This park has a lot going for it starting with lots of parking and includes a very nice splash pad…read moreand well-designed play escape with swings. Other amenities include lots of covered picnic tables with grills, soccer fields, paved sidewalks and trails, but no pool. Built in 2015, they also included a concessions area and public bathrooms. The well designed play scape is as good as they get and the splash pad is very popular with the small kids in the neighborhood. Not far away from the splash pad you'll also find a skate park and basketball court. Definitely a great place for a picnic, to go for a bike ride, or hang out under one of many of the park's shade trees. Plenty of photos below to get you into the parking lot.