Day Trip: Palmetto State Park
Palmetto State Park feels more like boggy Florida than Central Texas.
Photo Credit: Stephanie Myers
Every time I think The Bearded One and I have covered all the state, county and city parks within a relatively short driving distance – and found the best ones – something pops out and surprises me. Most recently, that was Palmetto State Park.
About an hour and a half south of Austin, off Highway 183, Palmetto State Park presents a unique ecology for the area. At more than one point, I felt transported to a prehistoric time, with ferns and palms growing around vine-covered trees in a steamy climate. The combination of the easy but interesting trails and a perfectly lazy swimming hole quickly shot the park into my Top 5 area favorites.
Palmetto State Park is composed of 270 acres in Gonzales County along the San Marcos River. Like many other Texas state parks, it was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, and opened in 1936. The CCC buildings are well preserved and provide a man-made marvel next to the natural ones in the park, when you think about how young men built these structures by hand. One of particular interest is the stone water well and pump along the Palmetto Interpretive Trail.
Hiking the trails in Palmetto State Park transports you to a more tropical terrain reminiscent of Florida due to its location, where a number of eastern and western species merge, like the dwarf palmetto for which the park is named. In addition, the park is home to some of the largest trees I’ve seen in Texas and is a great spot for birding. Located along the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, more than 240 species of birds have been spotted within the park.
More at http://www.austinpost.org/day-trips/day-trip-palmetto-state-park .
Park Website: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/palmetto
[font color=green]The park is located off of US 183 and south of I-10 between Luling and Gonzales. It is within two hours of San Antonio, Austin and most of the Houston area.[/font]
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It looked like an oasis during the Texas heat and it's nice to read that other people have the opportunity to enjoy it.
It's also a nice legacy that FDR and the CCC left for future generations. I wonder how our descendants will look upon the people of our era (the Tea Party, in particular) with the selfish mentalities and "brother, we can't spare a dime" attitudes towards building infrastructure and good things that aren't geared for crass commercialism. 
I thought that Texas Park Rangers were on the Endangered Species List. 
At least your BIL was able to retire after all of those years with state service. I hope that he gets the opportunity to visit the other parks in the state system now that he has retired. There are plenty of beautiful places in Texas to visit despite the bashing we sometimes endure from other DUers. 
Please pass this along to your BIL: 
Thanks for checking in--that should only be a hop, skip and a jump for you.
From camping there in Boy Scouts. In the 1970s 
There are far too many parks to visit, but I would like to go back to that one, as well as Brazos Bend State Park the next time my GF is in town.
And yeah, we've got some of the greatest state parks to sample, if only the bashers would "take a chance" and visit every now and then
