South Llano River State Park – Texas State Park 20/89
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The Deets
South Llano River State Park is located in Junction, TX. It is just under 2 hours northwest of San Antonio, TX, and is an hour and 15 minutes west of Fredericksburg, TX. One of the main draws of the park is the spring-fed Llano River. It’s a slow-moving river and offers hours of fun. With two miles of river frontage, there is much to enjoy. You can bring a tube or rent one in the park. There is also a designated spot for those with canoes or kayaks to put into the water. Kayaks and canoes aren’t available to rent in the park, but you can get one locally. If getting in the water isn’t your thing, there is plenty of other things to do. You can fish, hike or bike the nearly 23 miles of trails, camp, or stargaze. South Llano River State Park is an International Dark Sky Park!
Another fun fact is that one of the largest turkey roosts in Texas calls the park home. They roost between early October to late March, and the park adjusts the hours during those dates so as not to disturb the turkeys too much. During the roosting season, the park hours in the day-use area are reduced to 10 AM to 3 PM. The park is also a great spot for birders as over 250 species of birds have been spotted in the park. The cost of admission is $5 per adult and free for children under the age of 12 (or free for everyone if using a Park Pass).
The History
The Buck family once owned the land that is now the park. They moved to the area in 1910, and the land stayed in the family until 1977. Buck Jr., who ran the land after his father died, was devoted to land conservation and he deeply loved the land he lived on. He donated all of his property to the state for park use or conservation in 1977. The park opened in 1990. For more information on the history of the park and the incredible man that maintained the land originally, click here.
Our Experience
This park had some high highs and low lows for us. We’ll start with the lows. While the park is very nice and the people are wonderful, it’s just not our jam. We prefer big forests rather than the short ashe juniper that is common in the Hill Country area. It’s nothing against the park at all, it’s just not what we prefer. We’ll talk more about that in the the trails section.
The highs for us were the wildlife! I fulfilled a long-held dream of seeing a golden-cheeked warbler. In fact, we saw two! We were quite lucky in this because up until that morning, they hadn’t been sighted or heard in the park for the season. I had listened to what their song sounded like before we hiked the trails, and to my utter shock, I heard one as we turned onto the West Canyon Loop Trail. If you watch the vlog episode for South Llano River State Park, you’ll see the sheer excitement on my face! In addition to the golden-cheeked warblers, we also saw a house finch, a gray squirrel, and ten armadillos. TEN! We heard one turkey gobble but didn’t see it. In all, the wildlife here is incredible. If you’re at all interested in birdwatching, this is definitely the park for you.
The Trails
Alright, back to the lows. The trails were clean and well-maintained, but they weren’t our cup of tea. The one to come closest was the Overlook Trail. It is a winding path that switchbacks up the hillside to a lovely overlook. The other trails that we hiked (the Turkey Roost Trail, West Field Trail, Interpretive Trail, Agarita Trail, Access Trail, and West Canyon Loop Trail) were more like single-track vehicle lanes. They were all very wide and it looks like most are traversed frequently by park vehicles. This is understandable, considering that the land was once a working ranch. You’ll see old cattle guards and fence posts as you go that date from that time as well. However, because the tracks are so wide and the tree growth is so short, you are walking in full sun 90% of the time. Even with sunscreen, we burnt to a crisp out there. Do not head out there without enough water, especially on a hot, sunny day as we had. Wear sunscreen and clothing that is light but that covers your arms and legs. And don’t forget, take plenty of water.
Our Takeaway
If we’re being 100% honest, I don’t think we’ll be heading back out to this park for the trails or the river. As with the trails, the river has practically zero shade. As someone who burns easily, this isn’t ideal for me. What we would go back for is the wildlife. The birds are incredible. It’s like walking through a symphony of birdsong. If you’re into wildlife watching or birdwatching, you’ll find plenty of action here. Just remember to pack the water and sunscreen!
Prefer to see this park in action? Check out our vlog episode for South Llano River State Park.
Cheers,
Lydia and Billy
