What’s better than spending time exploring the great outdoors? The warm sun beams down on you, the cool wind breeze blows through your hair, and you take in all of the nature around you. Spending time outdoors is therapeutic for many and comes with several health benefits.
One great way to spend time outside and explore all around you is to take a journey down a few hiking trails. Hiking in Texas is an amazing adventure to take because there are so many wonderful trails to choose from, each with its own unique characteristics.
You might be wondering where the best hiking in Texas is? Because Texas is home to so many wonderful hiking trails, it’s hard to place one specific trail above all the rest. Instead, we’ve decided to create a list of the top 8 places to hike in Texas.
Lace up your hiking boots and grab your jug of water! Here’s everything you need to know!
1. Eagle Point Trail
Eagle Point Trail is located in the Caprock Canyons. The trail itself is a little over 2 miles and is a moderate level of difficulty. Ride your bike, take your dog, and enjoy all of the amazing views.
Do keep in mind, though, that this trail has little to no shade throughout it. Be sure to bring lots of water, sunscreen, and a nice hat! The red rocks and canyons will keep you company along the trail that’ll eventually lead you to Lake Theo.
2. Palo Duro Canyon
Located in Palo Duro Canyon State Park, you can take a hike along the Lighthouse Trail. The trail gets its name from the lighthouse-like formation created by red rocks. The park itself is located near Amarillo and is 6 miles long round trip.
The trail is quite popular due to the 310 ft high lighthouse formation. It’s quite the icon and hikers love to visit and even attempt to climb to the top of it. If you want to avoid large crowds go early in the morning and have a better chance of getting the trial to yourself.
3. Big Bend State Park
Big Bend State Park is a famous state park in Texas, but it’s also home to several amazing hiking trails. The park gives you a desert feel, but there’s lots of vegetation and wildlife all throughout it. Big Bend hiking includes the South Rim Trail, which is 12.6 miles long.
This trail is one of the most popular trails in the entire state. Because of its length, though, it’s not suggested for first-time hikers. Don’t let this stop you, however.
You can always plan to set up camp and get some rest along the way to make the hike more enjoyable.
4. Sculpture Falls Hike
Located in the Barton Creek Greenbelt of Austin, Texas, lies Sculpture Falls. This trail is 5 miles long and sends you through plenty of shaded woods. The length of the trail might seem long, but it’s quite an easy trek.
Families enjoy taking on this trail with children and family pets. When you get to the end of the trail, reward yourself by taking a refreshing dip into the creek!
5. Dinosaur Valley State Park
Dinosaur Valley State Park is located in Glen Rose, Texas. Here, you can discover footprints left in the mud by dinosaurs near the Paluxy River! This is a great place to mountain bike, hike, fish, swim, camp, and more!
To find the dinosaur footprints, you’ll have to take a hike down by the river. Unfortunately, the footprints aren’t always visible and trails might be closed due to weather conditions, but there are guides there to help you and show you all the cool aspects of this park!
6. Enchanted Rock Hike
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area is located right outside of Fredericksburg. Be sure to take a hike down the Summit Trail. If you reach the highest point, you’ll be reward with views of the Texas Hill Country and vernal pools.
The trail is only .67 miles long, but it’s a climb. The distance is from the bottom of the climb to the top. Luckily, the climb isn’t difficult, and it’s worth it in the end.
7. Guadalupe Peak Hike
Up in the Guadalupe Mountains lies the highest peak in Texas. The Guadalupe Peak hike will lead you right to it. If you want to plan an all-day adventure or a weekend trip, then this is the trail for you.
It’s more than 8 miles long and one of the more difficult trails in Texas. You’ll need to bring lots of water and food along with you. It can be done in one day, but plan to spend the entire day doing so.
If reaching the top in one day doesn’t sound realistic to you, then you can plan to camp on the trail overnight and spend a couple of days completing the hike.
8. Seminole Canyon State Park
In the Lower Pecos River Region, ancient people left rock paintings still accessible to humans today. These paintings are known as the Del Rio Rock Paintings and are located in the Seminole Canyon State Park.
If you choose to hike here, you’ll have several different options to choose from. All hikes are guided by a tour guide, who will be happy to answer any questions you have in regards to the rock paintings.
What’s the Best Hiking in Texas?
After reading through this list, which location provides the best hiking in Texas in your opinion? You might not be able to answer this question until you challenge yourself with all of these hikes first.
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