State and National Parks to Visit in the Highland Lakes area in the Texas Hill Country

Pedernales Falls State Park, 5211.7 acres, in Blanco County east of Johnson City, was acquired from private owners in 1970 and was opened to the public in 1971. It is located along the banks of scenic Pedernales River.

History: This area, formerly the Circle Bar Ranch, typifies the Edwards Plateau terrain.

Activities: Activities include camping; picnicking; hiking; river swimming; tubing; wading; mountain biking; fishing; bird watching (checklist available); and horseback riding (Customers must bring their own horses and no overnight equestrian camping is allowed.) River recreation is in a limited area.

Volunteer Opportunities: For information on volunteering at the park, visit the web site maintained by The Friends of Pedernales Falls State Park at www.friendsofpfalls.org.

Facilities: Facilities include campsites with water and electricity (special rates are available); a sponsored youth group area, which may be used by any youth group with an adult sponsor; hike-in primitive campsites (2 mile minimum; no pets allowed; no groundfires); picnic sites; restrooms with and without showers; a trailer dump station; 19.8 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails; 10 miles of equestrian trails; and 14 miles of backpacking trails. Be sure to stop by the Texas State Park Store.

The park has a covered bird viewing station with feeders and a drip bath. Food is provided November through March and the bath is maintained all year. The station can accommodate about 15 people. There is no charge to use the viewing station other than standard park entrance fees. This is an ADA accessible facility.
Link to Park fee information.
Link to park facility map In PDF format

Elevation: 1197. Weather: July average high is 94; January average low is 32; first/last freeze: November 3/April 3; May, August, and September are wettest months. Open: 7 days a week year-round, except when wildlife management activities dictate closure of all or part of the park (call for dates).

Area Attractions: Some nearby activities include Inks Lake, Longhorn Cavern, Blanco, and Guadalupe River State Parks; Lyndon B. Johnson National and State Historic Sites, in Johnson City; Admiral Nimitz Museum in Fredericksburg; Enchanted Rock State Natural Area north of Fredericksburg; and Aquarena Springs in San Marcos. Many wineries are in the area including the Texas Hills Vineyard. You may want to refer to nearby parks.

Picture of Pedernales Falls State Park.

Directions: The park may be reached by traveling 9 miles east of Johnson City on FM 2766 or by traveling west of Austin for 32 miles on US Highway 290, then north on FM 3232 for 6 miles.

WARNING - The Pedernales River running through the park can flash flood with little or no warning. The water in the river can rise from a placid stream to a raging torrent in a few minutes. If you are in the river area and notice the water beginning to rise, you should leave the river area IMMEDIATELY. Flash flooding is a common phenomenon in the Texas Hill Country, and park visitors are encouraged to be alert to weather conditions.

Camping fees vary; entrance fee. For reservations call 512/389-8900. Current conditions including fire bans and water levels can vary from day to day. For more details, call the park or Park Information at 1-800-792-1112.

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