Springtime made for an excellent time to visit this park, as there were lots of enjoyable…read morewildflowers springing up out of the ground everywhere (my partner could tell you how often I paused our hike to get photos of a new flower I saw along the trail, LOL). Entry was a very fairly priced $5 per person. We were given a map, which if I'm being honest, helped guide us to the parking but didn't offer quite as much help later with the trails, LOL. Really they need some better signage up for the trails. More than half the time we weren't sure which trail we were on or if we were even on a trail that was marked on the map... Good thing the park ranger told us we were "free to explore!" Some of their plaques with information on them could use replacing too, as sun or weather damage has made them fairly illegible. (I'm one of those weirdos that actually likes to stop and read those things, haha. I especially enjoyed the one that had the history of the Reimers family on it.) Seemed to be plenty of parking, all paved too. There was a really nice station at the first parking lot with indoor plumbed bathrooms, a shady overhang, picnic tables, and water fountain (it even tasted pretty good!). The trail that runs along and overlooks the river is probably the "main event" for most visitors to this park, however it is also somewhere you can get adventurous with rock climbing, mountain biking, and riding on horseback. Pretty neat! There were also trails that led all the way down to the river, where you were permitted to swim and/or fish. Hooray for somewhere you can do unattended swimming! Sometimes that's a rarity, so I appreciate you can get in, splash around, and cool off here. =) My partner and I really only explored about half of the trails available at this park, so we may have to come back again sometime to do the rest. The big loop looked to have some good elevation changes and scenery that most parks near Austin are mostly flat or boring hills.

Came in on a Saturday for a short hike as part of a trip to lake Travis. Overall great experience,…read more10$ per person. Lots of different hiking trails as well as rock climbing for a fee as well. Saw some people in the river/beach area as well although we didn't join. Amazing nature and scenery, would come back to explore further if Im in the area.

Beautiful park. I accidentally stumbled upon the park. Really nice size. And gorgeous. Saw a guy…read moreon a bench. And a family throwing a ball with their dog. They have a beautiful memorial for the military. A flag for each branch of the service. The parking lot is crushed rocks and it's large.

This is a very well constructed, manicured and well tended to park that sits along the Backbone…read moreCreek in Marble Falls. Much of the park is covered in Saint Augustine grass as opposed to Bermuda grass and weeds. This park has something a lot of parks do not have, a boat launch. There are some nicely designed play scapes for the kids and public restrooms are available. There are quite a number of picnic tables, some with their own grills, scattered about on the property. There are even some covered picnic table areas and plenty of parking, including eight parking spaces for boat trailers. There are also quite a number of geese and ducks that like to hang out here. Next to the creek is also a small amphitheater where there are some concert dates. There is a gravel trail that runs from this park all the way to Westside park (see separate review) which runs along Backbone Creek. Definitely a nice park for the locals and visitors alike.

Really cool little spot to see the river. Restrooms on site, along with picnic tables and BBQ…read moregrills. Great small local park that gives great sunset views of the Colorado River.

This park popped up on Google maps which prompted me to seek it out down a single lane gravel road…read more It's located at the opposite end of Cottonwood Shores almost bordering the lake. It is considered a nature preserve as there are no amenities whatsoever. There is future development coming, but currently nothing here, but scrub, deer and cactus. This park is not worth seeking out at this time.

I enjoyed visiting Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site, although part of the experience…read morewas limited because the Texas White House was closed for renovations during my visit. It was disappointing not to be able to tour one of the site's main attractions, but there was still plenty to see and enjoy. One of the highlights was driving through the grounds and surrounding area. The route was scenic and offered a nice look at the Texas Hill Country. We also saw lots of cows along the way, which added to the charm and made the drive feel like a genuine Texas experience. Even without access to the Texas White House, I found the site worth visiting. The combination of history, open landscapes, and the relaxed driving tour made for an enjoyable stop. I would recommend it, though visitors should check ahead to see whether any areas are closed for renovation.

The park protects the birthplace, home, ranch, and grave of Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th president of…read morethe United States. During Johnson's administration, the LBJ Ranch was known as the Texas White House because the President spent approximately 20% of his time in office there. Johnson donated the ranch in his will to the public to form the park, with the provision that it "remain a working ranch." You can see his birthplace home, school house, the cemetary where he and his family are buried, the show stables, his prized Hereford cows, and even his downsized "Airforce one-Half" Across the street at the state park you can see the home and building of the Johnson's neighbors, the Sauer--Beckmanns in the living history farm area. There is also a bison herd and longhorns on the property.

This is a small city park that sits on the edge of the Blanco town square. There's not much in the…read moreway of amenities here, just a few picnic tables along the paved path, no grills and plenty of green space. One thing to take note of on the property is one of the most enormous ancient Live Oaks you've ever seen. It is supposedly the second largest in the county, and there is a plaque dedicated to it. Much of the park runs along the creeks edge and that dead ends into the Blanco State Park, which requires an entrance permit. Basically just a couple of acres of green space to enjoy. 10 photos below for more insight.

Absolutely love this place! Stunning views and lots of trails. Great stay! they have R.V spots…read more.. cabins... and tent camping as well.. a general store that provides all sorts of necessities. Would definitely recommen!

We had an incredible time wheeling here at hidden falls. From the start, the staff was super nice…read moreand had a great attitude any time we came in contact with them. Routes seem pretty well maintained and labeled well too. Only downfall is that our first day there the air up station didn't have very much PSI so we had to whip out the old reliables. Non the less, we will be back.

We came here in the early hours of the morning. Hiked a ways up the creek bed and saw tons of…read morewildlife. It was a nice hike... We heard it before we saw it. A rushing water sound made by the many waterfalls into the narrow canyon. I've traveled so many places, but I was awestruck at the beauty of this place. It looks exotic and out of place in Texas. Still, it was wonderful. It should be open to the public and protected at the same time. To get to it, walk the length of the Blanco River from either the north or the south. Really truly do not pass over private property. They will catch you and at the very least you will get a really expensive fine and Class C misdemeanor. They don't mess around. No one owns the river as the Blanco is known as a perennial River and these types of rivers cannot be privately owned. So, take the river from public property and walk up or down it to reach the Narrows. Don't litter as the place is pristine and really don't jump from the cliffs. We tried to be as respectable to the place as possible and left it how we found it. Please do the same when you find it.

This is the most serene , intimate, natural slice of Texas I have ever seen. The natural swimming…read moreholes are what I envisioned the fountain of youth to be like when I heard that term. I have been twice and want to go a few more times in this life while I still can. The water is perfect and clean, the canyon walls are pristine, and the area is quiet. I went to find it on the advice of a beautiful woman and it was worth the cost of doing so. It is extremely hard to get to if you don't have access from the surrounding property owners, and a sheriff will find you on your way out. I actually favor this situation by it has preserved the narrows, even though 99.9999% of people will never see or even know this spot. Life is not fair. I got an expensive misdemeanor after the second time. But I also took the beautiful woman with me the second time, and money can't buy happiness.

Such a beautiful tour! Mara was amazing! I booked an 11 AM tour . It was a hot day, but still not…read moretoo bad. Some areas have steep steps. The trail isn't a circle, so you would go back the way you came. There are several beautiful sites to see along the way. The steps headed to the cave can be a bit slippery Stay hydrated and be ready to take beautiful pictures. I had an amazing time, I hope you do too!

What a great nature preserve! I went on the Grotto Tour and our guide was very informational. West…read moreCave Outdoor Center is located in the middle of nature so there's no phone service available. Prior to our tour, they sent us instructions on how to get to the center and they were very clear. They had signs at the entrance and they were very easy to follow. We booked the 11AM tour and the hike was relatively easy with West Cave and the Grotto at the end of the trail. Our guide was very informational and was able to teach us about the different species of trees and the geography of the area.