Three close-to-Austin places to camp

Chris LeBlanc sets up his tent in the campground at McKinney Falls State Park, a close-to-Austin place to camp this winter. Pam LeBlanc photo

I’d rather camp in the winter, when crowds are thinner, campfires are cozier, and bugs are scarcer. Plus, who can sleep in a tent when you feel like a strip of bacon sizzling on a hot skillet?

Now is’the perfect time to head outdoors in Texas. Sure, we get the occasional freeze – or even snowfall – this time of year. But usually, it’s just crisp and cool. And in my books, that’s the perfect weather to pitch a tent or park a campervan.

Need some help picking a park? Here are three close-to-Austin places to camp while the temperatures are deliciously cool.

Read more: Six places to park your campervan

Guadalupe River State Park

Jack and Josie Kunisch show off their vintage trailer at Guadalupe River State Park. Pam LeBlanc photo

You’ll find 4 miles of river frontage at Guadalupe River State Park near Spring Branch. It’s great for swimming, but draws big crowds in the summer.

Go now, when swimming isn’t on most folks’ minds – you can hike, camp, and even paddle a canoe without working up a sweat.

I’m especially fond of Bamberger Trail, named for conservationist J. David Bamberger, who once owned the land. (He’s a dear friend, and I’ve written a book about him called “My Stories, All True” on Texas A&M University Press.)

Gigantic cypress trees shade the day-use area by the river, and picnic tables are tucked on small platforms on the hillside. My husband and I ate lunch there last month, watching the occasional blue heron swoop over the river. We didn’t have much company.

For an overnight stay, choose from two camping areas. The park has 85 campsites with water and electricity, plus nine walk-in tent sites and five pre-erected safari tents. I like site 27 in the Cedar Sage loop best.

If you’re interested in neighboring Honey Creek State Natural Area, register online in advance for an interpretive tour.  A guide will share the land’s history, geology, flora, and fauna. The group meets at 9 a.m. on Saturdays at the Rust House.

McKinney Falls State Park

Onion Creek spills over the lower falls at McKinney Falls State Park. Pam LeBlanc photo

For a close-to-home escape, head to McKinney Falls State Park, located at the confluence of Onion Creek and Williamson Creek in southeast Austin.

I remember when the park opened in 1976. My family went there for picnics and birthday parties, and I still go back to picnic and camp. The 641-acre park has 9 miles of trails to explore by foot or bike.

Check out the Lower Falls first. (And pick up any trash you see laying around. Onion Creek runs through Austin and tends to pick up a bunch of trash on its way to the park.) From there, don’t miss the trail that leads to the rock shelter, where indigenous people once camped. In the summer, the Upper Falls are a popular swimming spot.

You can visit Thomas McKinney’s early Texas homestead, built by slaves in 1850, or stare up at Old Baldy, which park officials describe as “one of the oldest bald cypress trees on public land in Texas.” It stands 103 feet tall and measures 195 inches around its trunk.

The Smith Visitor Center, closed due to flooding in 2013, reopened in 2021. I stopped by recently and learned about El Camino Real, a trading route that once went from Mexico into Texas and Louisiana.  Archaeologists say it crossed the river inside the park, just above the Lower Falls. Look closely and you can see indentations made by wagons in the rock slab.

The visitor center, open Friday through Sunday, also features a fun exhibit about bats and the importance of dark skies.

The park has 81 campsites with water and electric hookups, plus six cabins. I like the spots on Grapevine Loop best because they’re tucked back in the trees more than others.

Read more: The best campsites anywhere, ever

Pedernales Falls State Park 

Water trickles over a limestone slab at Pedernales Falls State Park. Pam LeBlanc photo

I’ll preempt this section with a pertinent bit of information: The park’s developed campground will be closed all year for wastewater treatment improvements.

That doesn’t mean you should skip Pedernales Falls in 2024. The park’s backcountry sites, located a little more than 2 miles from the Wolf Mountain Trailhead, will remain open.  It’s an easy walk, and I like to recommend the trip if you want to do a shakeout run for a longer backpacking trip. Plus, the park will be quieter than normal this year with the main campground temporarily closed.

If you go, remember it’s not just about the falls. Yes, make the falls, where the Pedernales River spills down a tilted slab of limestone, your first stop. Then go see other parts of the park.

I like the swimming area downstream of the falls, accessible from the day use picnic area. Depending on water levels and the temperature outside, it makes a great place for a dip, and it’s lined with towering cypress trees. I’ve slipped into the water during a light rain more than once, letting raindrops patter down on me while I relished the feeling of a full body hug from the river.

Afterward, picnic at the tables at the top of the hill, where you can also hang upside down on the branches of the twisty oaks.

And when the campground does reopen, book slot 16. The tent pad is tucked at the back of a long drive, providing a little more privacy than some of the other spots.