The first Texas state parks opened in the 1930s, and there are now 86 operated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
The TPWD breaks the Lone Star State into seven different regions, each containing its own state parks. The regions are Big Bend Country, Gulf Coast, Hill Country, Panhandle Plains, Pineywoods, South Texas Plains, and Prairies and Lakes. The number of parks in each region can vary, with the Prairies and Lakes region being home to the most, with 22 parks, and the South Texas Plains region having the least, with seven total parks.
The number of visitors at each region and park varied as well. The Texas State Parks hosted over nine million visitors in the 2022 fiscal year. The Prairies and Lakes region had the most visitors for the year, with over 3.1 million, followed by the Hill Country region, with over 2.3 million visitors, as reported by KXAN Austin.
Some individual state parks also had high numbers of visitors during the 2022 fiscal year, but which parks had the most?
Inks Lake State Park had the tenth most visitors, with a total of 232,690 in FY 2022. The park has a lot of activities, as the TPWD says, “you can swim (no lifeguards on duty), boat, water ski, scuba dive and fish.”
The park with the ninth most visitors in FY 2022 was Guadalupe River State Park, attracting a total of 238,841 visitors. At the park, the TPWD says there are over 13 miles of hiking trails ranging from the “2.86-mile Painted Bunting Trail to the 0.3 Mile River Overlook Trail, which leads you to a scenic overlook of the river.”
Dinosaur Valley State Park ranked eighth for the most visitors in FY 2022, with a total of 243,001 visitors. As one might expect from the name, “it’s easy to find dinosaur tracks in the park,” all visitors have to do is “just head to the river!” according to the park website.
Brazos Bend State Park was the seventh most visited Texas state park in FY 2022, which attracted 272,837 visitors. Located just 45 miles from Houston, the park is described as a “nature lover’s paradise. The TPWD reminds guests to “be sure to bring your walking shoes, binoculars, and camera” so they can enjoy their visit to the full.
The Enchanted Rock State Natural Area ranks sixth among the most visited Texas State Parks in FY 2022, drawing in 307,686 visitors. The park’s centerpiece has been around for a long time, as the TPDW states: “The massive pink granite dome rising above Central Texas has drawn people for thousands of years.”
Cedar Hill State Park, located just 20 miles south of Dallas, welcomed 324,420 visitors in FY 2022, ranking it fifth among Texas State Parks. There is a lot to do at this park, as the TPWD says visitors can “relax by the lake, tour an old Texas farm, or explore our rugged limestone hills and rare prairie pockets.”
Ranking fourth for the most visitors is McKinney Falls State Park, with a total of 335,332 visitors in FY 2022. The TPWD website states that there are over 81 campsites at the state park, located within the city of Austin, with nearly nine miles of hiking trails throughout the park.
The top three most visited Texas State Parks in FY 2022 start with Palo Duro Canyon State Park, ranking third with 442,242 visitors. Palo Duro Canyon is the second-largest canyon in the United States, and the TPWD says visitors can “experience the canyon’s rugged beauty and enjoy its colorful history.”
Coming in second for most visited state parks is Garner State Park, with a total of 517,317 visitors in FY 2022. According to the TPWD, it is not uncommon for Garner State Park to have frequent repeat visitors, as its website says that “Fun traditions and beautiful scenery bring people back to Garner State Park time after time.”
Finally, the most visited Texas state park in FY 2022 was Ray Roberts Lake State Park, which hosted 885,173 visitors in 2022. Located just an hour north of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, the park’s location makes it the perfect place to “escape the bustle of the city and get back to nature,” according to TPWD.