The Best Hiking in Texas

Looking for the best hiking in Texas? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Texas. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top hiking spots in and near Texas

Fredericksburg, Texas

Enchanted Rock Loop

4.9

5.13 mi / 344 ft gain

Once inside the park, you can't miss either parking lots that are surrounded by picnic tables and well marked signs pointing towards the trails. There are also some public restrooms and a truck with some snacks. Once geared up, head straight towards the Summit Trail and begin your adventure! The...
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Austin, Texas

Sculpture Falls

4.1

2.23 mi / 577 ft gain

Sculpture Falls is a hidden gem that is part of the 7.9 mile long Barton Creek Greenbelt in Austin. It's considered an urban oasis and is part of the Edwards Aquifer making the water temperatures in the summer about 70 degrees, and is a perfect way to cool off in the Texas heat! To find the trai...
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Johnson City, Texas

Explore Pedernales Falls

4.8

0.6 mi / 104 ft gain

Pedernales Falls drops 50 feet in elevation over 3,000 feet of titled, layered steps of limestone along the Pedernales River in Blanco County. In order to reach the falls you must enter Pedernales Falls State Park and follow the park road until the very end. There you'll find a parking lot and it...
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Lometa, Texas

Gorman Falls

4.0

3.23 mi / 427 ft gain

Gorman Falls is truly a gem of the Texas Hill Country. This waterfall is situated in Colorado Bend State Park, one of the most diverse state parks in the area, and is what is considered a "living" waterfall. While most waterfalls will get smaller over time, Gorman Falls gets bigger. This is due t...
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Mineral Wells, Texas

Penitentiary Hollow via Red Waterfront Trail

4.9

1.44 mi / 249 ft gain

Lake Mineral Wells is one of the closest state parks in the area located less than an hour and a half from Dallas and only 45 minutes from Fort Worth. It sits in the heart of cattle country and offers several outdoor adventures. The trail starts from the Eastern parking lot and heads straight to...
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Austin, Texas

Mount Bonnell Loop

3.6

0.46 mi / 59 ft gain

The trail up is a combination of manmade and natural stairs that take you up to the top. At the summit, you will find beautiful views of the area, and a pavilion where you can have a picnic lunch. To head back down by a different route, continue on the northern trail, which will take you past mo...
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Burnet, Texas

Camp at Inks Lake's Pecan Flats

5.0

2 mi

Inks Lake is located northwest of Austin and is home to about 200 campsites. For a more unique experience and to be set away from the parks many visitors, choose the Pecan Flats Trail Primitive Camp which is about a mile hike from the Pecan Flats trailhead.Once you enter the park, the Pecan Flats...
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Austin, Texas

St. Edwards Park Yellow & Blue Trails

4.6

1.24 mi

St. Edwards Park offers 2 main trails taking you along a creek, up hill trails with gorgeous views from atop a bluff, through exposed meadows filled with prairie grasses and cacti, and to a small swimming hole with a rope swing. The Creek Trail is a much easier, family friendly hike compared to ...
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Spicewood, Texas

Camp at Pace Bend Park

4.4

Pace Bend is a favorite camping and day use destination near Austin, Texas. The park is approximately 45 minutes West of Austin located off of Hwy 71 and offers visitors a wide range of recreational activities. There is an entrance fee of $10 per vehicle for Day Use only and $15 per vehicle for p...
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Canyon, Texas

Lighthouse in Palo Duro Canyon

4.4

5.88 mi / 492 ft gain

Palo Duro Canyon is considered the Grand Canyon of Texas and the Lighthouse is one of the most unique geological formations found there. In order to reach it you must enter the Palo Duro Canyon State Park and drive down Park Road 5 until you reach the Lighthouse Trailhead parking lot on the right...
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Leander, Texas

Explore Dinosaur Tracks in Leander

4.0

1 mi

About a half mile west from the Hwy 183 bridge that crosses the South Fork of the San Gabriel River lies approximately 12 dinosaur footprints embedded in the river bed. Not many people know about the dinosaur tracks just northwest of Austin in Leander, Texas. This is not a marked trail, there ar...
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Terlingua, Texas

Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend

4.5

1.66 mi / 610 ft gain

Santa Elena Canyon is one of the crown jewels of Big Bend National Park, and something you surely don't want to miss if you pay the park a visit. To get here you will take the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive from Panther Junction, the park's headquarters. This drive has many pull-offs to take advantage...
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Big Bend National Park, Texas

Cattail Falls

5.0

3.0 mi / 360 ft gain

Head south on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive in Big Bend. Just after mile marker 3, you will see signs for the Sam Nail Ranch overlook, and a small opening in the scrub brush will appear on your left... but go slow, it's easy to miss! Turn left down the dirt road. Follow it for about a mile or ...
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Plano, Texas

Arbor Hills Nature Preserve Loop

3.8

2.44 mi / 20 ft gain

Arbor Hills Nature Preserve is a free, fantastic get-away for a quick dose of the outdoors in the middle of the busy city. Safe and family-friendly, this preserve has a wide variety of visitors doing every type of activity, from jogging to mountain biking to drone flying. The playground sits nex...
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Glen Rose, Texas

Blue Hole Trail

5.0

1.15 mi / 223 ft gain

Dinosaur Valley is located in the small town of Glen Rose about an hour and a half Southwest of Dallas. While the main purpose of the park is the continual preservation of dinosaur tracks that were fossilized at the edge of an ancient ocean millions of years ago, there are also tons of activities...
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Concan, Texas

Ol' Baldy, Bird, Bridges, Madrone Loop

5.0

2.77 mi / 938 ft gain

Garner State Park is one of the best parks in Texas Hill Country if you are looking for some hiking with elevation. It is incredibly scenic, has plenty of campgrounds, and is also nearby to Lost Maples State Natural Area - a park very well-known for its fall foliage. If you happen to visit Garner...
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