Located about two hours northwest of Austin, Colorado Bend State Park is a scenic gem near San Saba, Texas. Nestled along the Colorado River, this rugged wilderness offers over 35 miles of hiking and biking trails, winding through canyons, waterfalls, and limestone cliffs—perfect for nature lovers and outdoor adventurers alike.
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| Gorman Falls from Tinaja Overlook |
How to Reach?
Address: 1201 Colorado Park Road, Bend , TX 76824
Park Hours: 6 AM to 10 PM
Entry Fee : $5 per person, kids under 12 yrs - free
This state park offers a hike to a cave, waterfalls, natural springs, fishing, camping, and swimming in spring-fed pools.
Best Time to Visit?
Since it's Texas, the best time to visit is not on a sunny day :-) Trails are not shaded. The waterfall looks amazing after rain, but the trail might be slippery after rain.
A cloudy day would be good to enjoy the scenic view of the Colorado River, hike Spicewood Canyon, or enjoy Gorman Falls.
Where to Stay?
Austin is only 2 hrs away. That would be a good place to stay, but there are some cabins on Lake Buchanan and unique stays and resorts around the area.
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Here are some options:
Things to Do?
Hike Gorman Falls and Tinaja Overlook :
This is the most popular hike in the park. This 70-foot waterfall is accessible by 3 3-mile round-trip trail. There is a restroom available at the trailhead.
Here is our guide for a family-friendly hike to Gorman Falls. The first half of the trail is flat and easy. After 0.5 miles into the trail, there is a path that leads to Tinaja Overlook. It's 0.75 mile leading to a viewpoint of Colorado Bend, adding 1.4 miles out and back, but it is really worth the extra miles. There is a deck with a place to sit, relax, and enjoy the view.
If you can brave it, you can carefully walk to the rock, which gives a clearer view. You can see Gorman Falls from this point as well. It's amazing. That viewpoint is Instagram worthy :-)
Another popular but difficult trail is the Tie Slide Trail, 2.3 miles one-way. This connects to the Tinaja Overlook.
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| Beautiful view of Colorado River |
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| Tinaja Overlook |
Then, we joined our main trail again. Another 0.4 miles is easy. The last part of the trail is steep with rocky terrain. There are chains on the sides of the trail to hold on to while climbing down to the falls. This is the hardest part, and kids need more help.
The waterfalls are beautiful. They are spread over multiple rocks, and one part of the falls is covered with trees. It is not easy to capture the falls on photos, but this needs to be enjoyed personally.
There is a cool spot to sit, have snacks, and take a break. Heading back, of course, is a little tough as we have to climb up at least for 0.5 miles. It is easy after that.
The trail took 2 to 3 hrs, I guess, for us with photo and snack breaks. We went the day after a heavy rain, so the waterfalls were gushing with force.
By the way, our return hike was not smooth. Unfortunately, there were lightning and thunderstorms followed by heavy rain. Fortunately, we reached the car safely, but completely drenched.
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| Gorman Falls |
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| The green moss |
Swim in Spicewood Springs:
Enjoy a series of spring-fed pools and refresh on a hot summer day along the Spicewood Springs Trail. Spicewood Springs Canyon Trail is a 3.8-mile loop.
You might need water shoes for this trail, as there are a few water crossings. Spicewood Springs Trail is 1.3 miles out and back. We couldn't do it due to heavy rain, but I definitely recommend it.
Try the Cave tour if you are up for an adventure!
This website allows you to book cave tours. They offer tours for different difficulty levels. There are around 400 caves in this area. These caves are not regular tourist-friendly ones. You should be ready to crawl, squeeze, climb etc.,
A headlamp/ flashlight, sturdy shoes are required, and you should be ready to get dirty and wet :-)
There is also an activity called Bat Hike, organized by park staff.
Visit Fiesta Winery
Address: 18727 W FM 580
Lometa, TX 76853
This local winery offers wine tastings, pizza, and cheese boards. With $25, you can experience a complimentary wine and taste your choice of 6 wine samples. This winery is only 20 minutes away from the State park. They also have large outdoor seating.
Check here for hours.
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| Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay |
So, that's about a quick trip on a weekend. How do you like it? Do let me know in the comments.
Anything else we missed in this area? Do let us know.
Until next time,
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