I can't say I recommend Lockhart State Park from my last visit here. Even though it's the only…read moreTexas state park with a 9-hole golf course, the hiking trails weren't very interesting and I was concerned about getting hit by golf balls as one of the trails cuts right through the fairway. The trail system here seemed almost like an afterthought, as there weren't any scenic viewpoints to look forward to. There were large shrubs everywhere and nothing interesting around. They say to my have a fishing pond, but it was small and it looked like it was devoid of any life. I thought the CCC group area and the day-use areas were cool. I can see locals taking advantage of the amenities. But for me, hiking trails are the biggest draw and unfortunately I left disappointed.

I enjoyed hiking the trails to take a break from the highway while on a roadtrip. It was well…read moreworth the $3 entrance fee. While I've seen prettier landscapes, the ones at Lockhart are decent. No waterfalls, apparently, the creek onky flows when it rains... But there are a few nice views from the higher elevations of the hiking trails. They have some flatter trails and a few that are more challenging. I hiked several as they were short. I managed to finish 5 in 30 minutes, and it was an enjoyable hike. Lockhart also has a golf course, camping spots, and a swimming pool (in season). It would make a nice place to camp out for a weekend get-away. The gentleman at the office was kind and helpful.

I was looking for a fishing spot, away from everyone. This is it. I didn't catch anything, but it…read morewas a nice, quiet, and peaceful day. If you want to get away from the noise of the city for a while, I highly recommend this quaint park. I spent several hours here and only saw a couple of people. The trails are great. For a nice walk and/or take a pet. Although it's requested to clean up after yourself, I was disappointed to see trash. There's a small free parking lot (gravel) at the beginning of that particular entrance.

I do really love this park, I come here all the time. It's super quiet and a great example of the…read morenative habitat in the area (post oak Savannah). However it's developed a bit of an off leash dog program. There's poop left everywhere, and dogs running loose despite the numerous environmental issues caused by off leash dogs, the citywide leash las, and the rule stated on the front sign. I even saw someone who let their cats run loose the other day who asked me to avoid a large section of the park with my (leashed) dogs. I would have been happy to, provided they were also leashed. And of course the people who let their dogs off leash aren't concerned about other people in the park so they'll yell and curse at you if you ask them to call their dog or try to defend yourself from a strange dog barreling at you across the field. It's happened several times. I bring my dogs on a long line and they get to run around and explore to their hearts content without increasing erosion, lowering biodiversity, or being rude to other park goers. The city really needs to take some responsibility for enforcing responsible pet ownership laws.

Great place to bring your family if you're new to San Marcos…read more Kayaking, tubing, fishing, etc. There's nothing you can't do here. The view, the vibes, the fun that happens here can't be missed out on. Unfortunately, a portion of the river is closed down due to COVID. Better safe than sorry.

Sewell Park is right on the Texas State University campus. The main draw is the spring-fed San…read moreMarcos River that runs right through it. The water is crystal clear and stays a refreshing 72 degrees year-round, which is perfect for beating the Texas heat. It's a fantastic spot for tubing, kayaking, swimming, or snorkeling. The park itself is really well-maintained with grassy banks for sunbathing, a couple of sand volleyball courts, an outdoor basketball court, and plenty of space to just hang up a hammock and relax. You can even rent gear right there at the Outdoor Center.

If you like to kayak and are near the Canyon Lake, Spring Branch, or Bandera areas, you're going to…read morewant to know about Nichol's Landing (also called Specht's Crossing) on the beautiful upper Guadalupe River before it flows into Canyon Lake. From this spot, you can end your short paddle trip from Guadalupe State Park, or start a longer 3-6 hour trip down to FM 311 or Rebecca Creek Crossing. This small day-use park under an overpass off Old Spring Branch Road has just 20 parking spaces, so depending on when you go, you may need to arrange a drop-off or pickup via friend or river outfitter that doesn't leave a vehicle. There is a dumpster for trash and a couple of porto-johns if you really need to answer nature's call. The signage at the entrance is a bit confusing on when and how you need to pay a fee, the proceeds of which are used to maintain the park. The clear facts are that it's free when there is no attendant on duty. Otherwise (generally weekends & holidays from Memorial Day to Labor Day, basically summer months from end of May through early September), you pay a fee upon entry based as follows: If parking... $4 per person over age 12 $2 per person age 12 and under If not parking... $1 per person drop-off (any age) Open 9am to sunset, year-round (gates locked at 8:30pm) If you are putting in or taking out, there is a cul de sac where you can park briefly to deal with loading and unloading your 'yaks. The water is less than 50 yards down a couple of pebbly paths. On our recent sunny January Sunday visit, there were very few other vessels on the river and less than 10 people in the park. So peaceful. The Water Oriented Recreation District (WORD) of Comal County manages the park and their website is a great source of information on current river conditions, river laws, and any special events that could impact your day on the river. The Texas Parks & Wildlife "Texas Paddling Trail" page also has great info about Nichol's Landing and what you'll see on the river. For the upper part of the Guadalupe and the lower outside of New Braunfels city limits, the rules (enforced with fines up to $500) are: Wear a life vest or other PFD Don't trespass on private property Pets on leash at all times No firearms No fireworks No campfires No camping No glass No styrofoam No plastic containers under 5oz No littering No jumping from bridges, dams, trees, or cliffs

What a nice, clean place to go swimming! This place is…read morelocated near the bottom of a bridge that crosses the Guadalupe River. This spot charges for access to the river, I paid $4 to get in. They seem to have various other charges that can apply if you're just launching a kayak or a tube. The river was clean here! There wasn't trash floating around, and the place was picked up. The water wasn't very deep here, the deepest spots being chest deep, but most of it was about knee deep. Someone has come through here and made lots of little wading pools out of rocks and set up stone dams so your tube doesn't go floating away very easily. There's also lots of shade through here, with many large cypress trees lining the far side of the river. On the near side, there aren't many trees, so many people brought their own canopies. Since there's a charge to get in, this place wasn't so crowded, so it was easy to get a patch of river to myself. There are trash cans provided, and they also give away mesh onion bags for your garbage. There are no restrooms, or changing rooms. Parking was easy, along a paved road and spaces painted in white. The end of the parking lot doubles as a helicopter landing pad for added safety.

This review is for the swimming hole - an awesome swimming spot just an hour away from Austin!…read moreNumber one tip is to make sure you have reservations ahead of time on the website. You will want to show up a little bit ahead of time because people will be lining up to get in once the reservation time opens and you don't want to waste your reservation time just waiting in line. Service was kinda off-putting, the lady was not very friendly and she also wasn't very clear about the wristbands and whether or not all of us needed them or if just the kids needed them. Other than that, the place itself was very nice and other staff walking around were very nice too. They did round everyone up around 5pm because of lightning storms within 10 mile distance so they have to clear the area and hold for 30 mins before they can allow you back, but luckily we were pretty much ready to leave anyway. Our reservation specifically included a picnic table so we had a designated spot with our name reserved just near the swimming hole. The nice part about reservations means that the place doesn't get super crowded. The kids really liked the swing but even just floating around was really nice. The water itself is mostly shaded by large trees so you aren't burning in the sun. Definitely recommend bringing food and drinks to enjoy a picnic out here, since they had one vending machine nearby. The bathrooms were super clean and not terribly far from the water itself so that was super convenient, as well as nice changing rooms! This was a nice way to spend the afternoon cooling down from the Texas heat.

We visited during the 2-6pm time slot and now I understand why reservations are required. The place…read moreis smaller than I expected, but that actually makes it feel more peaceful and less crowded. Everything was very organized and the staff did a great job keeping things running smoothly. The water was great a bit cold but clear and so refreshing on a hot day. We also had a lot of fun using the rope swing! Just sharing a few tips: large umbrellas aren't allowed, but you can bring a small one, and you'll probably want it if it's sunny. There are some reserved spots available but they're very limited and book up fast. If you don't have one, make sure to arrive early because most spots are first come, first served. You could bring your own food and drinks but alcoholic beverages are not allowed. Overall, such a fun place to spend a few hours and cool off. Definitely worth the visit!

Nice, clean, and well-maintained city park in Buda Texas. Has two ponds for fishing and a 1 mile…read moreloop trail. A nice place for a hike or walk and a nice fishing spot as well. We come here often to hike the loop trail around the lake . There is also a playground and some bar b q pits.

My son had been begging to go fishing and I know nothing about fishing nor do we have any of the…read moresupplies. Moby dick was great because they provided everything (poles, bait, etc). They were kind and helpful and my son caught his first fish! I will definitely be back! Bring lots of water to drink and hand sanitizer bc there is no running water at the pond!

Made reservation and went out to fish with my boys. They're 9 and 11 and both caught a fish and…read moreowner said he'd come out and help catch one if they couldn't. Very quiet and beautiful. Highly recommend it. Appreciate it.