Winter Fishing: A few fishermen brave the cold water in the Frio River in January to catch a few trout. The Frio River is the center of activity year-round at Garner State Park. The popular park is located about 100 miles west of San Antonio, Texas. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Frio and Limestone: Limestone is very prevalent in the Texas Hill Country and Garner State Park. Shown is a hillside reflecting in the Frio River in the park. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
By GARY WARREN
Photographer
Formerly of Los Alamos
The most popular camping in any Texas State Park is at Garner State Park. The park is located west of San Antonio, Texas in the heart of the Texas Hill Country near Concan, Texas. Limestone cliffs, old oak trees, and the Frio River lined by bald cypress trees create some of the most beautiful and inviting scenery found anywhere.
Garner State Park was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s and opened in 1941. The park was enlarged in the 1970s and now has almost 1,800 acres of pristine hill country property.
Included in park are seven campgrounds, cabins, a pavilion for social events as well as a gift and souvenir shop, an ice cream and snack shop, the Garner Grill for food, a miniature golf course. The camp store provides many supplies that campers may need and there are laundry facilities as well. A boat house by the river rents supplies for river activities.
The state park offers a wide range of activities for campers and day visitors as well. Miles of hiking trails, biking, picnicking, nature and wildlife viewing are just the beginning of activities available at Garner. The Frio River offers fishing, canoeing, kayaking, tubing, paddle boarding, and, of course, swimming.
One of the major activities at Garner State Park that is not found in any other park of this kind is dancing. Every night from June through August, the dance is held at the pavilion. The dance began with the construction of a large stone dance floor when the pavilion was constructed by the CCC. The music is played on a jukebox and the dance has been a part of Garner summers since the opening of the park.
In addition to traditional tent and RV camping, Garner State Park offers tent sites with screened in shelters or primitive cabins as well as cabins with electric, water, and sewer. Several of these cabins also have fireplaces for the cool evenings. There is a variety of housing and camping choices outside of the park that are available as well.
A downside to visiting Garner State Park during summer months is a reservation is required to enter the park even for a day visit. Unfortunately, this has become the norm for many of the more popular state and national parks as popularity of the camping and RV lifestyle has increased dramatically in recent years.
There are many reasons that Garner State Park is the most popular state park in Texas. The number of activities available, the Frio River to cool down from hot summer days, and the dance held every night during summer months are just a few of the reasons. The spectacular hill country scenery, limestone cliffs, wildlife, and beautiful vistas are the icing on the cake.
We have visited Garner State Park several times including our recent visit in January 2022. Several activities are not available in winter months, but the large crowds are gone as well. Whatever the season or time of year, this park is a beautiful escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Editor’s note: Longtime Los Alamos photographer Gary Warren and his wife Marilyn are traveling around the country, and he shares his photographs, which appear in the “Posts from the Road” series published in the Sunday edition of the Los Alamos Daily Post.
Bald Cypress Trees: Bald Cypress trees line the Frio River as it flows through Garner State Park. These trees grow large, gnarly roots that often become inter-twined. The large root system also grows ‘knees’, which are knots that rise up from below the surface. These trees grow prolifically along rivers and other wet, low lying, areas and can grow more than 100 feet tall. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
The Dance: The famous dance ‘floor’ made with local stones is the center of evening socializing in the summer months at Garner State Park. The dances have been held every summer since the park opened in 1941 and still draw dancers of all ages. This view of the dance floor and pavillion facility are packed with people during the high season but there was not much activity on a January afternoon. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
The Pavilion: The Pavilion is a center for socializing at Garner State Park. The facility was built in the 1930s by the CCC. It houses a gift and souvenir shop and store, an ice cream and snack shop and other services. The stonework is typical of many CCC projects in parks across the country. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Crystal Clear: The water is cold and crystal clear in the Frio River, which runs through Garner State Park. The river is the center of daytime activity during the summer months at the park. The river provides great fishing as well as a variety of water sports and activities for visitors at Garner. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Garner Grill: The Garner Grill has operated from an Airstream trailer, which sits next to the Pavilion at Garner State Park. The grill serves a variety of food for visitors at Garner. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
