7 Top Places to Find Fall Color in Texas

With the first real cold front, the trees will set themselves on fire with colors of yellow, orange and even fiery red.  So pack a picnic and head to a park for hiking, camping, or enjoying the view. With perfect flannel shirt weather and a bright blue sky, many parks in Texas offer the ideal fall color getaway. Whether you want to camp, glam or visit for the day, visitors will find top places to find fall color in Texas.

Top Places to Find Fall Color in Texas

Lost Maples State Natural Area

Big Bend National Park

Garner State Park

McKinney Falls State Park

Daingerfield State Park

Caddo Lake State Park

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

National Parks of Texas

Lost Maples State Natural Area

Maple trees in Texas? Yes, this is one of the Top Places to find Fall Color in Texas. Lost Maples State Natural Area is in the Texas Hill Country, near Kerrville, Texas.

Originally privately owned, Lost Maples State Natural Area opened to the public in 1979. It’s a smaller state park with just over 2,100 acres, located on the pristine waters of the Sabinal River. The limestone outcroppings and lush forest make it a year-round destination.

The Uvalde bigtooth maple trees display the best colors, though sycamores, bald cypresses and several oak varieties add to the show. Their reflections in the Sabinal River, combined with the contrast of the limestone rocks, make Lost Maples State Natural Area a stunning background for photos.

Visitors will find 10 miles of hiking. The Maple Trail is a .8-mile roundtrip hike, best for getting a taste of the fall color on a shorter hike.

Lost Maples State Natural Area offers a monthly dark sky program in which visitors can explore the night sky. The San Antonio Sidewalk Astronomers lead the program.

Lost Maples State Natural Area offers 30 campsites with electricity and water and six primitive sites. The campground has showers and flushing toilets. Camping is $20 a night plus daily adult admission fees.

Lost Maples State Natural Area is 86 miles northwest of San Antonio, Texas, or 5 miles north of Vanderpool, at 37221 F.M. 187. Adult admission is $6 (12+), and kids 12 and under are free. Reservations are a must in the fall. This park will close early when its parking lot is full.

Big Bend National Park

In the West Texas Park of Big Bend, trees burst into color beginning in October. Even in the desert, water percolates to the surface to support trees, such as Cottonwoods, Texas Madrones, and Mexican Buckeyes.

When the weather starts to turn, the Cottonwood Campground lights up in shades of gold and yellow. The Windows Trail is another popular area where you can find Texas Madrones and Mexican Buckeyes.

After a hot and dry summer, the fall is the start of the busy season in Big Bend National Park, so reservations are a must for lodging and camping.

Big Bend National Park is located at 1 Panther Junction. It is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The Chisos Basin Visitor Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the Panther Junction Visitor Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. A seven-day vehicle pass is $30, or you can use an American the Beautiful annual pass. Big Bend National Park doesn’t accept cash for entrance fees.

Garner State Park

Garner State Park is a long-time favorite for Texas leaf peepers. Next to the pristine Frio River, It offers historic cabins and cypress trees. This is one of the Top Places to find Fall Color in Texas.

Dedicated in 1941, Garner State Park was named after Jack Nance “Cactus Jack” Garner, the Vice-President of the United States from 1933 to 1941. It features 1,774 acres to explore, and it is the most popular state park in Texas.

It was developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during their stay from 1935 until 1941. Created by President Roosevelt, the CCC employed young men during the Depression and was responsible for much of the construction in national and state parks in the 1930s.

Activities include miniature golf, hiking up Old Baldy and floating along the Frio River in a paddleboat or kayak. Garner also features a playground. The concession building next to the Frio River has a grill, a sundry store and an outdoor dance floor.

Garner State Park has 335 campsites and 37 screened shelters ($15 a night for a basic site, $25 a night for an RV site, and shelters are $30 to $35 a night). You can also reserve 17 historic stone cabins for the night. The CCC cabins range from $130 to $150 a night, and some feature fireplaces.

Located 10 miles north of Concan, Texas, at 234 RR 1050.  Admission is $8 for adults and kids 12 and under get in free.

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McKinney Falls State Park

Hike along the shore of Onion Creek to see a waterfall and a swimming area. McKinney Falls State Park is the closest to downtown Austin, minutes from the Austin Bergstrom International Airport.

You can find cabins for four people ($86) outfitted with a/c and stocked kitchens, though there are no linens or bathrooms in the cabins.

The campground offers RV hook-ups and tent sites. Close-by restrooms with showers are available, and all sites feature fire rings and picnic tables. 

Located at 5808 McKinney Falls Park, Austin, TX 78744. Day-use adult admission is $6. Due to the close proximity to Austin, day-use reservations are recommended. 

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Daingerfield State Park

Located in northeast Texas, see the oaks in shades of yellow and orange reflect in the 80-acre lake. Hike the Rustling Leaves trail or the Mountain View trail during your visit. Daingerfield State Park even rents paddleboards, canoes and kayaks.

The campground features eight water-only sites and 16 full hook-up sites. For $85 a night, you can rent a CCC cabin for four, six or fifteen guests.

Located at 455 Park Road 17, Daingerfield. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Adult admission in $4 (12+).

Caddo Lake State Park 

On the eastern edge of Texas, explore the bayou bound by cypress trees dripping in Spanish moss.  In the fall, the cypress trees turn a nutty brown before dropping their needles. 

Caddo Lake features over 50 miles of paddling trails for canoes or kayaks. With rental boats in the park, you can paddle a trail instead of hiking.

The CCC companies 889 and 857 arrived in 1933 to develop the area. Using the National Park Service’s rustic designs, the cabins offer the timeless appeal of rough-hewn logs and stone. Find two- to six-person cabins with cooking and bathrooms (starting at $75).

Located at 245 Park Road 2 in Karnack. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adult admission (12+) is $4.

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Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Mountaineers know the Guadalupe Mountains since it’s the high point of Texas at 8,751 ft. Offering a developed trail for high pointers to reach the summit and mark another peak off their list.

In the fall, the trees are the show. Since the park is at the southern tip of the Rocky Mountains, you can find maples and Texas Madrones.

Guadalupe Peak offers a rugged mountain backdrop for over 80 miles of hiking trails, some accessible and over half open to horseback riding.

Located at 400 Pine Canyon, Salt Flat, just south of the New Mexico border and 110 miles east of El Paso. Open 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. The Big Springs Visitor Center is open Monday to Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is $10 per person (16+) for a seven-day pass.

National Parks of Texas 

Kids in Texas State Parks 

Texas State Parks offer a Junior Ranger Program similar to the National Park Service. At the headquarters, you can pick up a Junior Ranger activity journal and complete the required activities for a badge. Some parks loan out Junior Ranger Explorer Packets for use in the park.

Know Before You Go:

• The trees begin to change in the last two weeks of October through the first two weeks of November when the color is at its height.
• During the peak fall weekends, parks fill early, especially Lost Maples, with limited parking.
• Campsites can be reserved a year in advance.
• Call the Park Headquarters or check its website for up-to-date fall color information.
• Pets must remain on a leash.