One Of America's Best-Ranked State Parks Is This Texas Hidden Gem With Endless Outdoor Activities

Texas is a large state, so it makes sense that it is full of underrated travel destinations like the pristine shores of Mustang Island and the stunning but too-often-overlooked Guadalupe Mountains National Park. On top of this, the Lone Star State is also full of plenty of smaller hidden gems to look out for like Garner State Park — which is perfect for people who want to spend time in a scenic spot full of wildlife and plenty of options for outdoor activities. In fact, Garner State Park was ranked as the ninth-best state park in the United States in 2024 by HomeToGo when looking at important qualities like popularity, size, trails, wildlife, and beauty (which HomeToGo dubbed "picturesqueness"). For people who already know about Garner State Park, this ranking probably comes as no surprise considering that this park is in the middle of Hill Country and contains both the clear calm waters of the Frio River as well as the iconic Mount Ol' Baldy.

Located around three hours from Austin and an hour and a half to two hours from San Antonio — which just so happens to be an iconic and lovely city to visit with the highest amount of free things to do in the United States — Garner State Park is easy to visit on a day trip. This state park also offers plenty of outdoor adventure options for solo travelers and families alike.

As the park that contains Texas' famously clear and pleasant Frio River, one of the most popular things to do at Garner is to boat, paddle board, raft, or tube in the cool flowing waters of this winding river in summer. The best thing about floating on the Frio River is that as you relax on your way down the nearly three-mile-long path of twisting waterways, you can also take in the surrounding picturesque limestone cliffs and rolling hills. While you are free to bring your own inner tubes and boats, you can also rent a kayak or SUP from the park's boathouse for $15 to $20 an hour or you can rent an inner tube from the park store for a fee of $10 per day (after a deposit of $20).

While the summer months at Garner State Park are perfect for swimming and floating, when the weather cools off a bit in autumn and winter, it's time to hit the trails. There are plenty of trails within the park including the Mount Ol' Baldy trail which will lead hikers on a quick but steep hike up the tallest hill in the area, from which you can get incredible views of the surrounding Hill Country. Other hiking options include the Crystal Cave Trail, Foshee Trail, and the Bridges Trail. Many of these trails also connect to each other, making it easy to extend your hike by connecting several trails together or keep it short and sweet.

Because Garner State Park is a place that local Texans have been heading to for summer relaxation for generations, the park can get quite busy on weekends and holidays. To avoid the crowds, one Redditor on r/texas recommended trying to go "during the week" when the park is "almost empty on the trails and the water wasn't overwhelmed with people." The best season for tubing and boating is in the hot summer months. Although you can hike in summer, as one reviewer on TripAdvisor noted, "If you want to hike, the fall, spring, or winter are lovely." If you hit the trails in summer, you will want to make sure and finish by 10 a.m., they added.

Although a visit to Garner State Park is doable on a day trip, it is also possible to stay at the park if you want to spend more time taking in the gorgeous views. The park has a total of 17 cabins available to rent onsite. The price of these cabins is typically either $130 or $150 a night depending on whether the unit comes with a fireplace. The park also has various campsites available, some of which have water and electric hookups for RVs and motorhomes. The price of campsites ranges from $15 per night to $35 depending on amenities, and it is recommended that you reserve your spot in advance as sites can book up quickly.