A Day at Pedernales Falls State Park

Let’s face it: We live in Texas, where triple-digit temperatures rule the summer day. Come summer, we want to scurry into our air-conditioned caves and hibernate until October rolls around. The idea of a day trip? Outdoors? The mere thought gives me the shivers.

But what if the outing involves a beautiful, clear and frigid stream of varying depths, in which you and your family can play, splash, float and even swim to your hearts’ content? What if the banks of this river offer spots to lounge in the shade in between dips? Are you with me yet?

My family recently enjoyed a weekend of camping at Pedernales Falls State Park, and while the thermometer hadn’t hit its scorching Summer high yet, the days felt hot enough to appreciate the variety of options the park had to offer. Situated off of US 290 West, headed toward Johnson City from Austin, the Park charges $3 per person, plus a campsite fee for campers, and $5 per person for day admission.

Whether you’re staying the night or not, I recommend putting a hike to the falls at the top of the day’s agenda. The park does not allow swimming or wading at the falls, so it makes sense to visit early in the morning, before the midday heat intensifies.  The hike itself is relatively short and mostly shaded, culminating in a flight of stone steps toward the falls area.

During our visit, our whole family loved leaping and scrambling over the boulders that overlook the falls, finding hidden caves among the rocks, spying embedded fossils, and digging in the wide swathes of soft sand that, but for the lack of pounding surf in the background, evoked a day at the beach.

Once everyone is glistening sufficiently, we recommend a short drive through the park, following signs (or the park map) toward the swimming area. Upon reaching that parking lot, seek a shaded table for picnicking, generous hydrating, and reapplying sunscreen.

By now, your troops will no doubt have just one thing on the mind: water. But take it from someone who learned the hard way: Make absolutely sure, as far as is parentally possible, that all bladders are emptied at the restrooms in the parking lot before heading down the trail. It’s a long and steep one, and you don’t want to hike it more than once up and back. Trust me.

But oh! Halfway down, we caught a glimpse of our destination and we knew our huffing and puffing was about to pay off in spades. The river here is just about as perfect as it gets to find refreshment. We swam; we floated inner tubes through gentle rapids; we built small dams (my engineer husband simply cannot leave a stream unaltered); we hunted minnows; we watched older kids soar off the rope swing.

Surrounded by such beauty, lulled by the cooling current, you might be similarly persuaded that summertime in Texas ain’t all that bad after all!

IF YOU GO: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/pedernales_falls/