Hiking

Whether you enjoy strolling around a quiet lake on a gentle, shaded path or backpacking a rugged climb to a stunning view, you’ll find paths and pinnacles to suit your pace.

Family-friendly Hikes

Pedernales Falls is a favorite for family hikes, with a duck pond, a quarter-mile nature trail to a scenic overlook of Twin Falls and a wheelchair-friendly wildlife-viewing station. The easy, seven-mile Wolf Mountain Trail wraps around Tobacco and Wolf mountains, winding along the small canyons created by Mescal and Tobacco creeks. Stop to cool your heels at Arrowhead Pool, where Bee Creek spills into stair-stepped pools. At McKinney Falls State Park, much of a pleasant, easy three-mile paved hiking loop runs along pecan-shaded Onion Creek.

Dramatic and Demanding Hikes

The 19-mile loop of the Rancherias Trail through Big Bend Ranch State Park leads backpackers from the narrow ribbon of the Rio Grande along Highway 170, also known as River Road, into timeless, rugged canyon terrain, across thornscrub mesas, past seeps and springs and remnants of historic homesteads. Watch for tall Havard bluebonnets in the spring.

The Lighthouse Trail takes its name from the Lighthouse Rock formation that has become the emblem for Palo Duro Canyon State Park. This trek offers an immersion in color-coded geology, with layers of rock ranging from bright red to yellow, pink and lavender. The cottonwoods here are spectacular in the fall.

An abandoned railroad line that passes by Caprock Canyons State Park has been transformed into a scenic 64-mile trail that passes over trestles and through Clarity Tunnel, the state’s longest railroad tunnel.

Accessible Hikes

Only 20 miles from Houston, you can take an easy walk on Creekfield Nature Trail into the verdant marshes of Brazos Bend State Park, where gators laze among lily pads. This unique trail has tactile displays and interpretive information in braille. Make a stop at the handicapped-accessible George Observatory and gaze into the heavens while surrounded by a natural world that seems unchanged for eons.

Hiking into History

The frontier forts of Texas open a window into the early days of the state, offering miles of hike and bike trails through striking scenery surrounding historic structures. At Davis Mountains, you can climb Skyline Trail to a high ridge above Limpia Creek for a superb view of Fort Davis and a breathtaking panorama of this kinder, gentler mountain range. The trail continues all the way to the fort. Watch for the beguiling Montezuma quail that inhabit the park.

Surf the Desert

For a unique family adventure, walk or “surf” the dunes at Monahans Sandhills State Park near Odessa. This unique park is set in a true desert environment, including sand dunes more than 70 feet tall, various reptiles and wildlife and native plants such as miniature Shinoak trees. Boogie surf boards are available for rent at the park office.

Into the Woods

For protection from the hot Texas sun, try the state’s shadier scenic trails. Martin Dies, Jr. offers trails through the primeval Big Thicket. At Huntsville State Park, the hiking trail around Lake Raven cuts through pine forest. At neighboring Bastrop and Buescher State Parks, both with backcountry hiking loops, you can compare the tall pines at Bastrop to the towering oak canopy at Buescher.

Sunset Sights

To take in some dazzling sights at sundown, try the Sunset View Trail in Franklin Mountains State Park, which offers a dramatic 360-degree view of the sunset and the lights of El Paso. (Hikes must be scheduled in advance.)