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Parks

Hiking at Texas State Parks

These State Park treks take you from the deserts to piney trails.

Story by Texas Parks and Wildlife

May 2023

hikers hiking up to enchanted rock

Chase Fountain | TPWD

hikers hiking up to enchanted rock
Chase Fountain | TPWD

ENCHANTED ROCK STATE NATURAL AREA

The trek up the Summit Trail to Enchanted Rock is less than a mile long, but the steep ascent up the famed pink granite dome is a lung-pumper. Several other trails offer alternate views of the rock, which was formed over a billion years ago when molten magma crystallized into granite miles below the earth’s surface.

HUNTSVILLE STATE PARK

East Texas pines shade the trails around the lake at Huntsville State Park, offering occasional spectacular views of the water. The park, just over an hour north of Houston, is lush with green vegetation in spring and summer; fall and early winter bring vibrant foliage.

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS STATE PARK

This rugged desert park lies within the El Paso city limits, but its gorgeous vistas of the Chihuahuan Desert provide a feeling of peaceful solitude. Favorite hikes include North Franklin Mountain and Aztec Cave.

DAINGERFIELD STATE PARK

Daingerfield’s sweeping lawns and fiery red fall colors welcome visitors to a piney-woods paradise. Take a hike through the “cathedral of trees” that surround the East Texas park’s glittering lake.

COLORADO BEND STATE PARK

The 1.1-mile hike to Gorman Falls leads visitors into a world of soft moss and sparkling water; the Spicewood Springs trail is a Hill Country gem, taking hikers alongside waterfalls and pools.

As Seen in the
May 2023 Issue
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