Fall is many folks favorite season for good reason. Pumpkins, campfires, s’mores, football, sweaters come out of hibernation, and best of all, the changing colors of the fall season. Texas has one of the best places in the world to see nature’s most beautiful fall colors. Deep in the Texas Hill Country lies Lost Maples State Natural Area. Its unique landscape of limestone and giant maple trees make a perfect fall getaway for those who love a good pumpkin spice latte.
The park opened appropriately on September 1, 1979 and has over 200,000 visitors each year. It is just five miles north of Vanderpool, TX and has the beautiful Sabinal River running through its hills. The park is a little different than your average state park here in Texas, it is a designated a natural area. Meaning that the main focus of the park is to maintain and protect the lands natural state. Your whole family will still find plenty to do here though. You can wonder through the park on over 10 miles of trails, one of which takes you to a cliff with a 2,200 foot drop off! Because the park is a natural area they require you to stay on the winding trails and designated areas but you won’t miss a thing in this spectacular place. Go fishing, look for birds and other wildlife, camp, backpack, hunt for geocaches, and stargaze year round. Lost Maples is one of the best places in Texas to stargaze and look into space. The park has almost no light pollution allowing the stars to literally shine a little brighter here.
Lost Maples is best known for its amazing fall foliage that cover the hills of the park. People from all over the world come to see its changing leaves and camp under the towering colorful trees. Starting the last two weeks of October and ending in November (depending on weather) you can visit the park to see this beautiful fall sight. The uncommon Uvalde Bigfoot Maple trees that cover the park are what create this dream world. There is evidence that shows that people have been drawn to this place for centuries. Three different Native American tribes inhabited the area at different times throughout history. It doesn’t matter who you are, you can’t help but admire the ocean of colors that Lost Maples becomes this time of year.
This is definitely Lost Maples’ most popular time for visitors and most weekends it fills to capacity with happy campers. Its operators suggest trying to visit during the week. They also have an incredibly helpful “Fall Foliage Report” on their website (listed below) that gives weekly updates on the changes occurring throughout the park. This way you can make sure you are planning your trip at the perfect time to see the bright yellows, reds, and oranges of those unique maples.
We at Texas Life Magazine hold a special place in our hearts for Lost Maples and its peaceful hills. Our family vacations nearby almost every year and we were engaged on one of the trails in the park by the Sabinal River. Lost Maples is beautiful and unique. It is definitely a place to add to your travel bucket list.
