Stayed here for 4 nights on our cross country trip. Camping in a NuCamp T@g, which is a tiny…read moreteardrop trailer with an outdoor kitchen. Got caught in a severe wind storm one night, which blew our canopy down so we had to get up at midnight in the rain to secure but Parkwise it was a great place. Very busy but sites are large so that helps a lot. Bathrooms are the best we've seen in Texas - clean, hot water, great water pressure, fully stocked. Beautiful lake with fishing, and kayak, canoes and paddleboars to rent. Lots of birds and great hiking among boulders and rocks. Will come back on future trips.

I love visiting overall, but last trip was god awful. I haven't got a cabin in over 5 years. I…read morebooked cabin 7 and it reeked of cigarette smoke. It was deeply embedded into the chairs and mattresses. It absorbed into all our clothes and sleeping bags and stuff sitting in there two days. After coming home our stuff is been in the garage a day and the smell is so potent the garage smells like faint smoke from airing out. If smells bother you even slightly, avoid that cabin at all costs. Not sure if others smell like it now too, and a bunch of jerks have just chain smoked in all cabins or just this one.

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.

Longhorn Caverns is a great place to go to see some natural Texas beauty. Our tour guide Emily was…read moreabsolutely amazing. She is extremely knowledgeable, confident, and has great puns! We lucked out and got her on a walking tour but you can normally find her on the Wild Cave Tours. My wife has severe anxiety, Emily was extremely understanding, helped her stay calm throughout the walking tour, and gave our family an unforgettable experience. I couldn't thank her enough for everything she did. I highly recommend checking out these Caves, and if you have the gumption to get muddy, spring for the Wild Cave Tour. Either way you go, it's a great experience!

Pictures don't do this place justice!…read more On this beautiful Saturday, I was seeking adventure! This tour is such an amazing deal. My tour guide Eryn was amazing and so funny. Caves are so interesting and there is so much to learn about them . Longhorn Cavern offer 3 different tour options. The cavern walking tour is just like a casual walking tour. The black light tour is where you wear hard hats and walk with a light. The Wild Cave tour is for the extreme explorers who are okay with tight spaces . I chose the cavern walking tour. I highly recommend shoes that have a tight grip. The gift shop has really good options for keepsakes. Also, if you get thirst drinks are available to purchase. I saw a section for pizza, but it was sold out. I had amazing time during my visit. The cave is beautiful and there is so much to see.

First time here and we loved it. Not a huge resort so you can get in and out very easily. Stayed in…read morea cabin and were very clean. We had dual bunk beds and moved them together to make a large bed for us and our two little ones with no gap in the middle. AC worked great and it had a ceiling fan. Outside is a nice bbq grill with a separate fire pit and small picnic table in great shape. Your door is steps from the water with an incredible view. Bathrooms and showers looked recently updated and were cleaned daily. In-laws had an rv spot and there was not a single sticker burr to be found! Also, staff was friendly and not uptight about a second vehicle being slightly off the pavement at the rv sites. Would recommend to everyone and will definitely stay here again.

Black Rock Park Cabin 48 Great spot. Cabins are pretty close…read moretogether. Beds are so loud, squeaky and barely comfortable. Definitely take fitted sheets. The wind was crazy but it was really peaceful. There's a 9 hole putt putt golf course, $9 per person, that is in good condition but not maintained at all, it was covered in leaves and twigs. Bathroom with shower was very close to cabin but it was dirty and there was no hand soap and the handicap bathroom ran out of toilet paper. We would still stay here again.

Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge makes for a great day trip if you don't mind about an…read morehour drive from central Austin, depending on traffic. I did a couple of stops while we were out there, Doeskin Ranch and Shin Oak Observation Deck. The main hike was Doeskin Ranch. There's a restroom right near the trailhead. It's not plumbed, just a chemical toilet, but it was clean, stocked with hand sanitizer, and being able to use the bathroom before starting the hike made the whole experience more relaxed. The hike itself was nice but very seasonal. I went in January, so the landscape was mostly golden-brown grass with limited greenery and not much tree cover. You're mostly enjoying bushes, rocks, and scattered trees rather than lush views. I'd really like to come back in late spring or late fall when things are greener and more alive. The trail is fairly rocky and there aren't many mile markers, although the trails seemed pretty easy to follow. After Doeskin Ranch, I stopped at the Shin Oak Observation Deck, which is very close by. There's a nice gazebo with a scenic outlook and a short, meditative gravel trail with three or four nature signs encouraging you to slow down and be present. It takes about 15-20 minutes to walk through depending on your pace. I recommend starting toward the left and going counterclockwise so you encounter the signs head-on instead of from behind. Overall, both stops were enjoyable. They're not hikes I'd feel the urge to repeat soon, but they made for a fun day hike and I felt worth the drive.

This refuge is a bit spread out, we went to both the Doeskin Ranch and Warbler Vista portions and…read morehiked a few miles. There wasn't any shocking moment of awe, but there's lots of birds around and a neat little creek, it's a good place to get some appreciation of the Hill County and get (mostly) away from development.

I'll have to say this is one of my favorite parks for hiking. There are so many trails! You can…read morespend an entire day and then some just hiking. Of course getting to view the falls is wonderful. It's a lovely, peaceful, and serene setting. The swimming areas, canyons, and rocks are great to climb, rest, nature watch, and splash around. A quick 45 min-hour drive from Austin making it a great place for a day trip. A few hours in nature does the soul good!

Pedernalas Falls. We hiked the short path to the falls. The view was beautiful. But guess…read morewhat... no falls. Pretty dry here at the park. Well there was some water running on the other side We did hike down to the river bed and walked around the rock formations. Pretty cool! On the way out of the park we saw some Greater Kudu! Beautiful animals!

Dana Peak Park offers many trails, lake side views with fishing, and places to park. The trails are…read moremarked for your reference. The trails are for hiking and bicycling. It is also dog friendly. Pretty much dirt trails, so after rains, it can get muddy, but we are in Texas, so that only happens occasionally. You can get several miles in on the various trails. Others are friendly and willing to point you in the right direction. I've been here a couple of times now and enjoyed both times. I do recommend hiking with someone else in case of emergencies. You never know when you might come across a snake, so be safe!

Beautiful area to picnic and enjoy the quiet peace of nature. We went on a warm winter day. It was…read morenot crowded but appeared to have quite a few people on the trails...making it safe to go alone.

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.

First timer review. We recently bought a TJ this year and wanted to take it out. Little last minute…read moreLabor Day trip and it did not disappoint. We pulled up to the park and the first person we encountered was so helpfully. We told them it was our first time and they walked us through everything no problem. Once we got in and on the trails we started easy. We slowly worked our way up and were able to do some trails we didn't expect to do. Can't say enough great things about the place. Definitely want to go back and continue to get better.