Armadillos that let you walk right up to them. Feral hogs or two. Songbirds chirping in the trees. A river that’s perfect for splashing, swimming, and floating. A lake that’s home to beavers. South Llano River State Park is a special place. It is remote, far away from the crowds.
We stopped at this park by chance – on our way back from McDonald Observatory and Fort Davis in Far West Texas. And it completely stole our heart. The park is located just south of I-10 near Junction and makes a wonderful detour for anyone road tripping this route.
South Llano River State Park was formerly a working ranch with over 1000 sheep, goats, and cattle living there. It was owned by Walter White Buck Jr, who donated the land along with the family house and outbuildings in 1977. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department opened the park in 1990.
The very first thing you notice on entering the park is the wildlife. First, we encountered some deer grazing fearlessly along the park road and then were greeted by a nine-banded armadillo crossing the road right in front of our car. We saw another armadillo on the trails and this one was super curious – even letting our kids touch its shell. Several Rio Grande Wild Turkeys also live within the park, a large area of the park is closed during roosting season from October to March.
“South Llano River State Park is home to one of the largest Rio Grande turkey roosts in Central Texas.” – TPWD
The spring fed river is nice and cool. There’s always some water flowing in the river and it is enough for swimming or tubing even on the dog days of summer. The park has tubes for rent or you can bring your own. You can even put your kayak in when the river’s full and do the South Llano Paddling Trail, a little over 6 miles long.
The park is one of the top birding parks in Texas. You can watch plenty of birds right from the 4 birding blind in the park. The blinds are maintained well and stocked with bird food and water – because of which many songbirds seek them out. Best time to visit if you’re into birding is during spring and fall migration. On the trails you can see herons, kingfishers, golden-cheeked warblers and egrets.
“Every golden-cheeked warbler in the world is born in the Texas Hill Country” – TPWD
There are many excellent hiking trails within the park in both the shaded river bottomlands as well as in the slightly bare backcountry area. The River trail is an easy walk through pecan groves with plenty of opportunities to see birds and wildlife. Buck Lake Trail takes you to the oxbow lake that is home to beavers. Overlook trail is strenuous but views at the end are worth it.
Hiking along the river and dipping my toes in the water was my favorite part of visiting South Llano River State Park!
The park amenities are well-maintained. Day use picnic area has plenty of benches and tables to enjoy a snack. The park also has an amphitheater available to rent for large groups. It is frequently used to host star parties. We also saw many people fishing along the river access trails and on Buck Lake. You can catch Guadalupe bass and catfish and there’s no need of a fishing license within the park.
When the day attractions cease and the sun winds down, you can enjoy the gorgeous night sky. This is an International Dark Sky Park and the stars are gorgeous on new moon nights. We did not camp on this trip, but took a walk around the pretty campground and can’t wait to plan a stargazing trip in the near future.
In spite of so many attractions, South Llano SP is way less busy compared to other Texas Hill Country State Parks like Garner or Inks Lake. Even in summer, you can sometimes have the park to yourself – especially on weekdays.
South Llano River SP and Kids
This park is perfect for kids for so many reasons. The water is spring fed, so it doesn’t get either very cold or very warm. There’s always some water no matter when you go. The river is quite slow moving, making it safe even for small kids. Family water fun is one of the main reasons to visit this park.
Kids can get a Junior Ranger journal from the park headquarters, complete the designated activities, take an oath to protect parks, and become a proud owner of the South Llano River State Park Junior Ranger badge.
They can enjoy looking out for birds and animals. My son wanted to see beavers on Buck Lake trail, but we lucked out. He did get to see 2 armadillos and one even let him walk up close and touch its shell. A cool moment indeed! The Walter Buck House is now a nature center and has many ranching and historic exhibits which are cool to see for the whole family.
My Top 11 Things to do at South Llano River State Park
- Swim, float, and tube the Llano River
- Kayak the South Llano Paddling Trail (Trail Info here)
- Watch Rio Grande Turkeys from bird blinds during roost season
- Fish for bass, catfish, and sunfish
- See the Historic Buck Family House and outbuildings. This house belonged to Walter Buck, who donated the park land. The house was also the original visitor center of the park. Adjacent cemetery has graves of early settlers.
- Bird watch from park’s 4 bird blinds – Lora’s Blind, Agarita Blind, Juniper Blind, and Acorn Blind
- Enjoy wildlife viewing in the park – look out for armadillos, deer,
- See the 100 year old sheep barn next to Lora’s Blind
- Visit Park Headquarters to get Junior Ranger Journals for kids and support the park by buying merchandise
- Mountain bike the park trails
- Camp at the park and see the night sky studded with stars, constellations, and the Milky Way.
Must Do Hiking Trails in South Llano River State Park
- River Trail has couple of points to access the river and walk through the pecan and oak forest spotting birds. (1.6 miles)
- Buck Lake Trail takes you to Buck Lake, an oxbow lake of the Llano River. The park ranger told us beavers are commonly seen here, but sadly we didn’t see a single one! (1.6 miles)
- Turkey Roost Trail is a one way trail that connects Lora’s Blind and Old Barn to the park headquarters (1.6 miles) and connects to the Interpretative trail.
- Interpretative Trail is good to see native trees in the area in a short time (0.4 miles)
- Scenic Overlook trail takes you to highest point in the park. Short but strenuous trail with lots of climbing and beautiful views (0.9 miles, one way)
- Mid-Canyon Trail is a backcountry trail that’s famous for wildlife sightings. You can also look out for water seeping through the canyon walls (2.5 miles)
- Frontera Trail (4 miles) and East Ridge Trail (2.8 miles) are popular for mountain biking
- Windmill Hill Trail branches off from Mid-Canyon Trail and takes you past several windmills built during the ranching era
Important Information
- Official Website
- Official Park Facebook Page for recent updates
- Trail Map
- Park Address – 1927 Park Road 73, Junction, TX 76849
- Phone Number – (325) 446-3994
- Park Reservations