A little piece of the tropics lies just an hour from Austin and San Antonio. With multiple sources of water (including the San Marcos River), Palmetto State Park is a haven for a wide variety of animals and plants. Look for dwarf palmettos, the park’s namesake, growing under the trees.

This small park offers a large amount of fun, both on water and land. You can swim, tube, fish and canoe here. Besides the flowing river, the park also has an oxbow lake, an artesian well and swamps. We rent one- and two-person kayaks and stand-up paddle boards through Paddle EZ. Life jackets and oars are included. Read through our water safety tips before you visit. Be cautious when swimming in the river. Rain upstream can cause flash flooding.

Hike or bike our trails, camp, geocache, go birding or study nature. Hike the Palmetto Trail which winds through a stand of dwarf palmettos. Host a gathering at our CCC-built picnic pavilion, which has an air-conditioned kitchen. Choose one of our 19 tent sites or 18 RV sites. Camp with up to 49 of your friends at our secluded group site. Or rent our air-conditioned cabin (for up to six people). Fish in the river or in Oxbow Lake, which has a fishing pier. We have some fishing equipment to loan. Remember, you do not need a license to fish from shore in a state park. Canoe the San Marcos River. The river has a steady current, but no rapids; check river conditions at the park. Bring your own canoe and arrange your own shuttles.