why not
Stay a while
There’s plenty to do in the Texas Hill Country—Year round.
Here are a few ideas to get your wheels turning…
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Garner State Park is a great place to visit for a swim or hike, or to enjoy a relaxing weekend. With 2.9 miles of Frio River winding through 1,774 acres of scenic Hill Country terrain, the park offers lots to see and do!
Swim in the Frio River or float its waters on an inner tube, operate a paddle boat, and hike 16 miles of scenic trails. You can also camp, study nature, picnic, canoe, fish, play miniature golf, geocache and ride bikes. And, of course, you can dance.
If you plan to swim or float at the park, read through our swimming safety tips before you come.
Lost Maples State Natural Area
Your whole family will find plenty to do here. Take a hike or a photo, go fishing, look for birds and other wildlife, camp, backpack, stargaze and hunt for geocaches.
Lost Maples protects a special stand of Uvalde bigtooth maples. Many folks come here to see colorful leaves on these and other trees in autumn. The show varies, depending on weather conditions. Check our Fall Foliage report (starting mid-October).
Please stay on designated trails. The natural area contains steep and rugged terrain. Do not climb on rocks or hillsides. Bigtooth maples have shallow roots, and you can hurt the trees by walking over their roots.
Devil’s Sinkhole State Natural Area
The Devil’s Sinkhole is home to one of Texas’ largest colonies of Mexican free-tailed bats and is a National Natural Landmark. A 50-foot wide shaft drops 140 feet into the cavern. The cavern itself has a diameter of over 320 feet and reaches 350 feet deep.
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Recommendations from our staff:
Concan
Leakey
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February
Chili on the Frio: Competition for those that have the best chili, wings, beans, margarita, salsa, or elote. Fun for everyone!
March
Freedom Fest BBQ Cookoff: As if anyone has ever needed another reason to enjoy some BBQ, how about recovering underneath more stars than calories you intake?
Frio Bat Flight (roughly March-September)
April
Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday for ages 12 & Under – SBC
Salsa Festival & Contest at Hippie Chic’s River Shack
May
July
July Jubilee in Downtown Leakey, TX— rodeo, parade, concert & street dance
October
Resource
Visit Uvalde County For more events than what’s listed above.
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Live Concerts & Music Festivals in the Texas Hill Country. Previous artists at House Pasture have included Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Tanya Tucker, Kevin Fowler, Pat Green, Reckless Kelly , Eli Young Band, Randy Rogers Band , Stoney La Rue, Turnpike Troubadours, Josh Abbott, Kyle Park, Wade Bowen, Bellamy Brothers, Jack Ingram, & many more.
Dance Hall at Neal’s Lodges
“The Dance” at Garner State Park
Ever since the depression era Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) competed the construction of Garner State Park in 1941 there has been “The Dance”. The large dance floor is located in front of the Concessions Building on the banks of the Frio River. The building and the short wall around the dance floor is all made if hand shaped native Texas Hill Country stone gathered in the immediate area of the park. The music is provided by a Wurlitzer Jukebox.
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Golf
Frio Valley Ranch in Concan*
Offering a Winter Texan rate through October - April!Horseback Riding
Year Round Adventures
Hill Country Adventures: Birding, kayaking, Frio Bat Flight, campfire storytelling, hike & bike trails
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Great Rides & Drives Thru Texas Hill Country
Starting in Leakey take FM 337 to Camp Wood, drive north from Camp Wood towards Barksdale and take FM 335 to Hwy 41 and return via FM 336 to Leakey. This is a spectacular drive through some of the most remote and beautiful parts of the Hill Country.
An option in Leakey is to take Hwy 83 south to Garner State Park and then take Hwy 1050 to Utopia. Garner Park is a wonderful stop with great access to the Frio River and a very popular summer playground. Take Hwy 187 north through Utopia two-miles and then east on Hwy 470 for another beautiful drive to Bandera. If you arrived to Bandera via Hwy 337 through Vanderpool, take Hwy 187 south towards Utopia and turn left on Hwy 470 towards Tarpley/Bandera.
Between Utopia and Bandera, in the Hondo River Valley is the tiny community of Tarpley. Hwy 470 takes you very near the Hill Country State Natural Park Area. Tucked away in the rugged terrain five miles south of Tarpley on Hwy 462 is this undeveloped and secluded retreat with five thousand plus acres and 40 miles of multi-use trails that wind up grassy valleys, cross spring-fed streams, and steep limestone hills. Equestrians, hikers and mountain bikers can enjoy exploring the trails of this wonderful hide-a-way.
Starting in Bandera we suggest you take Hwy 16 north towards Medina. Hwy 16 crosses the Medina River at several spots and provides great entry points for floaters and fisherman who want to enjoy this beautiful river. There are several outfitters in Bandera that provide guide and shuttle service over this beautiful stretch of the river.
Once in Medina you have two options: Continue on to Kerrville via Hwy 16 or take Hwy 337 towards Vanderpool, Leakey and Camp Wood. Both drives are beautiful and offer great views of the Texas Hill Country. The Hwy 16 route to Kerrville takes you out of the Medina River Valley over a divide and down into the Guadalupe River Valley. The route via Hwy 337 takes you over several divides and into the Hondo, Seco, Sabinal, Frio and Nueces water sheds.
If you choose the Hwy 16 route to Kerrville plan to return via Hwy 173. Kerrville is home to Schreiner State Park. which is located just off Hwy 173 and is a beautiful 517-acre recreation area rising from the banks of the Guadalupe River to the deer and wildlife-filled hills just a few miles from the center of the city. Additionally, Camp Verde (about half way between Bandera and Kerrville) is always worth a stop. An option in Kerrville is to take Hwy 39 up to the beautiful area of Hunt. Hunt is the headwaters area of the Guadalupe River and home to some of the best summer camps in Texas.
Take Hwy 337 out of Medina towards Vanderpool and on to Camp Wood. It offers some of the best views of the Texas Hill Country and provides some very interesting stops along the way. Hwy 337 seems to dead end into Hwy 187, but just turns right, go through the small community of Vanderpool and follow 187 to Hwy 337 west to Leakey.
Another great option here is to follow Hwy 187 a few more miles north to Lost Maples State Park, home of the revered big tooth maple trees. Lost Maples is one of our hidden wonders and well worth visiting especially during the fall colors. It offers great wildlife and bird watching. Another fun stop is the Lone Star Motorcycle Museum on the way to Lost Maples.
Popular Motorcycles Rides
Twisted Sisters – Distance 300 Mile Loop: RR335, RR336 & RR337, without a doubt the best motorcycle roads to be found in the Hill Country of Texas. This route follows canyons and climbs over jagged, steep and crumbling hills. They have light twisty curves with sheer drop offs and much in the way of guard rails. Ranch Road 337 was voted the #1 road to ride in Texas by Ride Texas Magazine.
RR 336 From Leakey: Take Ranch Road 336 North, to Highway 41. Turn left and take 335 South. RR335 merges with Highway 55. Continue south until you reach Camp Wood back to Leaky. The total ride is 95 miles.
The Hunt Loop – From Leakey, take Ranch Road 337 East, go North on Ranch Road 187, then take East on 39 through Hunt. Take Highway 27 in Hunt back to Kerrville. Take 16 out of Kerrville to Medina. Take 337 West back to Leakey. The total for this ride is about 125 miles. *While on 187 stop and tour the Motorcycle Museum. *While in Hunt view Stonehenge Il on RR1340.
Utopia Loop – From Leakey, take Ranch Road 337 East to Medina. Go South on 16 into Bandera. Take 470 out of Bandera to Ranch Road 187 and go south into Utopia. Then take 1050 to Highway 83. Go North on 83 Leakey. This ride is about 100 miles.
