Tiny Blanco State Park is a Huge Hit With Texans

Blanco State Park, nestled right in the middle of town, is a staple of the Blanco community. Kids walk to school along the cypress-lined banks of the river, and families return to the historic swimming area year after year.

Before the park was a park, it was a patchwork of different people’s properties. In the early 1900s, nearly 20 Blanco landowners, most of them ranchers, decided to donate parcels of their land to create a community park.

“I think that is what makes it special, is a lot of the original families [who donated the land] are still here, so it’s been a generational thing for many people,” says Mark Pearson, the park’s superintendent. “We’ll see people whose granddad donated the land to this place, and they’re here with their kids and their grandkids.”

Once the land was donated, the park was developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Established by Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of the New Deal, the CCC created jobs for young men building parks and infrastructure.

CCC Company 854 arrived in Blanco on June 16, 1933, and worked for 11 months. In addition to roads, a pavilion and unique stone “couches” (more on those later), they also created two dams along the Blanco River. Later, a concrete swimming pool was constructed within the dammed area, offering the safe feeling of a pool immersed in the wild beauty of the Blanco.

Because the park is so centrally located in town, visitors can enjoy the unique experience of swimming beneath towering cypresses, and then drying off and walking to a nearby restaurant for a delicious meal. And while the park is primarily known for its swimming opportunities, there’s plenty to do in the colder months. Birding and camping are also excellent here, and there are two official hiking trails and several unofficial trails.

“It’s right in the middle of the community, and one of the smallest parks in the state, but it’s a cool little park with a lot more going on than people realize, and a lot more potential than they know,” says Pearson.  

Blanco State Park has 35 campsites, all with electricity and water. Some are 30-amp, others are 50-amp, and the park also offers full hook-up sites with 50-amp and sewer connections. For a little more luxury, seven screened shelters are available.  

“I was doing a fishing program, and the other people were really into it, but this one kid — he was like 7 or 8, I think — he just really wasn’t all that into it. We tried, but he just wasn’t catching a fish and wasn’t very entertained, and I get that. So I was talking to him a little bit about the history while his parents were fishing, trying to get him interested in other aspects of the park. We were near one of the campsites that have what the CCC called a ‘stone couch.’ So I said, ‘This is a stone couch. These are really cool. You don’t see them at every park built by the CCC, so they’re pretty unique.’ And he sits down on it, and he looks at me, and he’s like, ‘Well, this is not very comfortable. You should really add couch cushions or pillows or something to make it more comfortable.’ And I said, ‘You know, that’s a good idea.’” -Park Interpreter Kathryn Tiedemann

Settle in at the park’s bird blind to watch the local birds flock to a set of tastefully arranged feeders. “We have a wide variety of birds at the bird blind, and they’re all very hungry,” says Tiedemann. “You can see anything from cardinals to house sparrows. One time, I saw a kestrel, which is a bird of prey, and I was like, ‘What are you doing here?’ Well, he was at the bird blind looking for his next meal.”

The park has a kayak launch area, and Ranger Tiedemann hosts free kayak programs (registration is required, so look online to find one that suits your schedule). “There’s an intro to kayaking program, if you’ve never kayaked before. And then one time we went kayaking looking specifically for turtles, or we went kayak birding.”

“We have some ideal fishing spots,” says Tiedemann. “We have anything from bluegill to the Guadalupe bass, and there’s a lot of good access points to fish. We’re actually in the process of making it more accessible for fishing, so it’s a really good spot for learning to fish.”

Blanco State Park is, above all, a top-tier swimming spot. “It’s got a really cool feel in the summertime when we’re crowded,” says Pearson. “It’s like that swimming pool feel, if you remember that when you’re a kid — the fun, the energy. That’s very much what this park is in the summertime.”