State Park Getaways – November 2017

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20 Parks for Easy Trout Fishing

folks fishing for trout - video link

Trout fishing is relaxing outdoor fun for children and adults alike. To make it easy for you, we stock 23 state parks with rainbow trout (see #132 - #155) during winter. Many of these parks will also loan you tackle (fishing gear) for free, and you can fish without a license in parks. These tasty trout are meant to be caught and eaten, so you can keep up to 5 a day. 

Below are a few of the parks that have BOTH trout stocking and loaner tackle –  just bring bait and a smile:


Trout stocking begins Thanksgiving weekend and is one of our most popular programs. Refer to the schedule to find out when your park will be stocked. If this is a new experience for you or the kids, check out our how-to-fish resources.  

5 Unique Spots to Overnight

Palo Duro LIghthouse cabin link

Looking for an unusual spot to spend a night or three? Here are some of our park favorites, which you can reserve online or by phone at (512) 389-8900.

Canyon cabin: Palo Duro’s Old West-style cabins have rugged exteriors, cozy interiors, and some of the best views in Texas.  

floating campsite

Floating campsite: Sea Rim's newly-designed camping raft is accessible only by boat and should be available again by Jan. 2018.

Yurt: A modern version of the teepee, the yurts at Abilene have all the amenities for a full-on glamping experience.  

Bastrop cabin

Forest cabin: Bastrop’s mossy stone cabins look like something a hobbit built. They’re utterly unique on the outside and fully updated inside. 

Island campsite: Cross a charming wooden footbridge to reach Martin Creek’s island and its primitive camping area.

Fall foliage report link

Party at the Park 

kayaking girls link

If you want your next special event to stand out in a crowd, make it memorable with an activity-themed party at a park.  

Be it a birthday, job promotion, health milestone, graduation, anniversary, holiday or other event, your guests will enjoy participating in an activity together. Try something new, like geocaching, caving, paddling or horseback riding. Add on a picnic to create even more special memories for your guests. 

Santa hiking party

To get started, visit our Activities page and choose one appropriate for your group. Then pick from the list of parks that offer it. Or use our map to find a park in a specific location.

The free State Parks app also makes it easy to search for activities or amenities like picnic tables and playgrounds. If you'd like a covered facility, at many parks you can rent a picnic pavilion or a dining hall

State parks app

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