Blanco State Park

The second state park of our holiday Vanabout was Blanco State Park. We stayed here only one night and primarily chose it as a stop because it is just down the street from the Real Ale Brewery (home of one of my favorite beers Hans Pilsner), but we were totally charmed by this little park!

Like Garner State Park, Blanco was built by the Civilian Conservation Corp in the 1933-1934. You can see many of their signature structures such as benches and picnic pavilions around the park.

There is one campground with about 30 spaces (with full hookups!) plus a variety of day use areas up and down the river. Even in mid-winter, the campground was full!

There is only technically one trail at Blanco, but just walking down the shore of the Blanco River is nice. There are these great bald cypress trees all along the river bank. The river was a little sleepy on the evening of our walk, but I bet it is bustling during the summer with swimming, tubing, etc!

The Blanco River was still and even a bit delightfully spooky during our visit.

We watched these guys for a while in the river.

On our one morning in the park, we got up and did the Caswell Nature Trail. Almost a mile roundtrip, it is covered in a canopy of cedar before sloping down to the Blanco River. There is spillway you can walk out onto, assuming the river is calm. The trail follows the river back to the campground.

I’m not sure what her criteria is, but The Caswell Nature Trail was Zoe’s favorite trail of the trip. She was downright puppy-like!

Walking on water! Well, on the spillway at least.

Although it’s not a big “destination park” like nearby Garner or Pedernales, I would definitely visit this little gem again!