![]() Bandera also has a lot of hotels and restaurants so it’s a good place to be based for exploring more of Hill Country. The Bandera City Park is located right outside of town and is popular for swimming and BBQ. The Hill Country State Natural Area is nearby and a great place to go horseback riding. In Bandera, TX you can check out the shops on Main St, learn about Texas heritage at the Frontier Times Museum or explore another park. The Cowboy Capital of Texas is located an hour outside of Lost Maples. It has beautiful views, delicious wine and is perfect to relax at after a hike. Lost Maples Winery is located right outside of the park. Combine the two parks for an incredible weekend trip! Read more about visiting Garner in my blog post! Lost Maples Winery Garner State Park is a 40 minute drive from Lost Maples and has incredible hiking along with a large variety of activities from paddle boarding to mini golf. It is still a beautiful and peaceful trail, I recommend doing it if you have the time. The West Trail also has another steep climb and unfortunately there’s not much of a view when you get to the top. This spot was perfect for a close look and there was no one else around to spoil the moment! Water seeps magically from the rock face into a tiny pool, where fish swim and colorful leaves have fallen. The spring labeled as ‘point of interest five’ on the park map was a huge highlight for me. The east trail had a better view and more fall foliage, but the west trail was nice because of its lack of crowds and beautiful springs. I did a giant loop that includes the East Trail and West Trail (it ended up being about 8 miles total). There are multiple viewpoints during the trail, my favorite was the view of where the East and West trails meet. It’s definitely a work out, be sure to bring proper shoes and plenty of water! At the top, you’ll be rewarded with expansive views. After about two miles, the trail begins a steep climb. You’ll pass by the unique ‘monkey rock’ formation and a secluded grotto that curves up over the river. The East Trail includes incredible views of the Sabinal River valley. There is a big lawn here with picnic tables and some beautiful trees within feet of your car! From there, head to the Maple Trail where you’ll find the largest concentration of maple trees and foliage in the park. To find the trees with the most autumnal colors, head to the main parking lot closest to the Maple Trail. View from the East Trail Where to find Lost Maples Fall Foliage If you are interested in staying on a ranch that offers activities like horseback riding, check out the Flying L Ranch Resort or the Mayan Dude Ranch. Here you can find cabins near ruins at Silver Spur Dance Hall & Ruins. Stay in Bandera if you are looking for a slightly larger small town that is further east. There you can stay right on the Frio River at Howdy’s on the Frio or in a cabin in town at Frio Springs. If you are combining this with a trip to Garner State Park, stay in the City of Leakey to be in between the two. Check out The Lodges at Lost Maples or A Piece of Heaven Cabins. You can also find cabins in Vanderpool located right outside the park. It’s a beautiful place to camp and the hike-in spots feel especially secluded. The park offers 28 campsites with electricity and 50 sites of hike-in primitive camping at different points on the trails. Where to Stay at Lost MaplesĬan Creek, near where the East and West Trails meet If you come outside of the fall, you’ll also have the advantage of much less crowds. The sites give you the chance to go backpacking at reasonable distances. While most visitors flock to the park for fall foliage, the park is wonderful for hiking or camping all year round! The trails offer expansive views, plus there are several options for primitive camping. Be sure to reserve your entry in advance as it fills up quickly during these peak months. I visited on November 13th, 2020, right at the peak amount of fall foliage. The exact timing depends on the weather of the year, but mid-November tends to be your best bet. ![]() The park’s website releases a fall foliage report in October and November each year, so you can check to see when the leaves are changing color. People flock to this park during the fall for good reason. ![]()
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