It’s free admission at Texas State Parks on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023. Here, a visitor admires the Big Tree at Goose Island State Park. Pam LeBlanc photo

You can leave the big bucks behind when you head to a state park this Sunday. To celebrate Texas State Parks Day, officials are dropping the day-use admission fee.

That means you can hike at Pedernales Falls State Park, where recent rains have bumped up flows down the limestone slab, or say hello to one of the biggest trees in the country at Goose Island State Park – all without spending a dime.

“Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wants to continue to connect everyone to our beautiful parklands and we hope that Texas State Parks Day will give someone new the opportunity to discover what makes our state parks special,” said Rodney Franklin, director of Texas State Parks.

The state operates nearly 90 parks throughout the state, from Big Bend Ranch State Park near Terlingua to Sea Rim State Park near Beaumont. They offer opportunities to camp, swim, hike, birdwatch, bike and more.

I’m on a mission to visit all of them. So far, my favorites include Hill Country State Natural Area, Martin Dies Jr. State Park, and Palo Duro Canyon State Park.

Reservations are recommended and can be made online.  Parks will operate as usual and will control admissions by their established capacity limits. All other fees will still apply on that day. Visit the TPWD website for a list of activities and events in a park near you.