Colorado Bend State Park

Brining in the New Year at Colorado Bend was a perfect way to start out 2026 🏕️ Weather was perfect and this state park has been on our list for quite some time! Very secluded park with a scenic ride down narrow, curvy roads to get to the headquarters for check in. Livestock in the road, so drive with caution 🐄 We came in the middle of a drought, so a burn ban was in place. It was really nice that the rangers kept up on people who burned anyway to ensure the campers and campground stayed safe of fires! 🔥 we made sure to bring plenty of propane. Trails are awesome and well kept with so many to choose from! We hiked the river trail and very much enjoyed the scenic views! Lastly, site 26 is the best spot if you like some privacy and shade. It’s a walk in site so bring a cart or pack lightly. Walk from the parking area is a straight shot. About 100 feet. One massive tree hugs the entire campsite making a huge shaded spot right off the river. 🏞️

This state park is amazing! It was our first time going here and it is our new favorite. We had perfect weather for our hike. There is shade in many places though for when its warmer. We saw a total of 3 people hiking in our 5 hours there. It was so peaceful and serene.💜

Drove the 1.5 hours from Austin to get some fresh air and stretch our legs at Colorado Bend State Park. There are lots of overlapping trails so you can pick the length of your hike but all of them are pretty flat and easy. It was really quiet when we were there so we got to take in the beauty and serenity of the wilderness. Bonus were lots of armadillos!

The park was beautiful, the campgrounds were big and the park rangers were very helpful. The hikes can be a little difficult and rocky in some areas but the views are well worth the stiff legs after lol. We will be going back to finish the trails we were not able to do on our short stay.

Beautiful state park. $5 per person for day pass. We enjoyed the hike to Gorman Falls. Two waterfalls flowing in January although it wasn't that pretty down by the river with all the debris and dead trees. Still worth the hike and then you can walk along the Colorado River.

My wife and I love camping. We are always looking for new places to explore. We heard about Colorado Bend State Park and decided to check it out. And we were pleasantly surprised. The camp grounds are convenient. There was a bathroom within a 5 min walk of our camp site. There are tons of hiking options. More than we could explore within one weekend so we’ll need to go back. They offer caving, fishing and paddle boarding as well. It is a clean place and pet friendly. Overall, a great experience.

Colorado Bend State Park is absolutely beautiful! After the scenic 6-mile drive into headquarters, I met the awesome park rangers who run this place. They were incredibly helpful, friendly, and gave me some fantastic suggestions for my visit. We chatted for a bit, and I grabbed some souvenirs at the park store before heading down to the river. The views of the water against the hillside are simply amazing. I can’t wait to come back to fully experience the camping and fishing here. Seeing the waterfall is definitely top of my list for the next trip!

Great Experience. Stayed in one of the back packing primitive campsites on a weekday in October. Never saw another person at any of the other sites. Very secluded if you like to get away. I have a smallish 25 pound dog, he was able to handle the trail down to the river bend. It is possible, but I wouldn't recommend for everybody. Be prepared to carry your dog while you hold onto a wire railing for balance.

Just stayed overnight, but really enjoyed what we saw! The area with the campsites and group sites are all along a gravel road nearby the river, which is really nice. The HQ is open from 830am-430pm and we just got there in time to check-in (though the employees are very chill about if you check-in the day after for late arrivals). They have a limited number of drinks and necessities for sale there. There are a decent number of pit toilets spaced out along said road, which is convenient. The drinking water is located close to HQ... we had a challenge finding it in the dark. The map had shown a couple other spots to get water but we couldn't locate them at all. But the flavor of said water once we did find it was pretty good! We hiked in the evening and again the next morning. Very rocky limestone paths, with some decent elevation changes (depending on which trail you pick). Quite a number of parking lots for various trailheads-- again, quite convenient. The most popular trail is that way for a reason! Gorman Falls is quite a neat sight to behold! Stargazing at night was also quite lovely!

This park is home to Gorman Falls, which has its own waterfall. The trail itself may only be 3 miles round trip, but what they don't tell you is that the "trail" is literally just piles of rocks. Even with markers, it's easy to get disoriented because there are piles of rocks everywhere. I ultimately had to send my friend to the even more treacherous trail, which has steep stairs and wires to hold onto as you descend to the waterfall. We also tried to see the river but you can't really get close to it from the campsite. It's not for inexperienced hikers. We drove around the rest of the park but it might be a while before we come back here.

Texas standoff with a cow and her calf, an ostrich laying an egg, and scenery that throws you back to when Cowboys rode horseback across Texas, that's what you see when you make the trip to Colorado Bend Park. Back to nature you go...cell phones for photos only, service doesn't work or is sporadic. Lots of trails but the Gorman Falls trail is well worth the hike. Starts out easy and ends with a downward trek on the rocks to be at the bottom of the falls and by the Colorado River. Still not sure where the fall originates but it is one of the most unique and unexpected falls that I've seen. It's a total of 3 miles (1.5 in and 1.5 out). If you have dogs, know it's pretty rocky near the end. It was a perfect day for a hike...take the trip and throw back to a scene from authentic Texas...watch out for those cows, they free roam!

A very beautiful place to come visit if you're into hiking and camping. It's a pretty big park with various trails that you can go and explore. I've been here a few times in the past and always had quite the adventure. Before even entering the park, you get to see cows around the area (go through someones property), but thankfully, we are easy to get around them when on the road. You do have to book a reservation to get in as they have a capacity limit, so make sure you look up the park information before you go, especially if you want to camp there. We also took the liberty to bring food and get a full tank of gas. Thankfully, you can get a map usually at the beginning of the park and on most trails/camp areas. Spring and Fall are usually the times I like to go as the weather is not too hot and can still enjoy the scenery. The map shows many trails you can take and does say which ones can be difficult to do. Also, it mentions how far the trail goes. Overall, the trails are not too bad to follow as long as you pay attention. Most of them are tagged to show you the way, or they have arrows to go, but if you're not careful, some spots can be difficult to navigate. The last visit I did was the Gorman falls trails and tie slide trails. I would say it's not too difficult, but there are a lot of rocks and not exactly a smooth path, so watch your step. Especially if you decide to visit the waterfall as those rocks to get down can be slippery and difficult to get up and down. Just hang on to the ropes they have set up. But overall, a very well worth trip down as you can see the water and has a pitstop to sit down if you need rest. I plan to go back again in the future and enjoy more of the swimming areas. Definitely recommend anyone to explore.

Colorado Bend is very much worth the two hour drive from Austin. I've done it twice, and we also do a one-night backpacking trip here with UT. We did the Tie Slide Trail to the river overlook then connected to the Gorman Falls Trail. The waterfall is very pretty there and definitely the highlight of the park. After a lunch break, we hiked back to the parking lot and drove down to the Spicewood Springs, which was a short hike in to the swimming hole. There's one big one and a couple of smaller ones. The Bend General Store is a nice place to stop for dinner afterwards. It has fun country vibes with chickens walking around. There are only pit toilets and no running water. The potable water they had tastes very bad. We went to the headquarters expecting a visitor center, but there was no visitor center. Every state park I've been to has a visitor center, and I'ce been to a lot. Instead, there was one incredibly awkward park ranger who informed us that all their payment systems had been down for a while, so they were cash only. He was extremely awkward with us.

It was nice trekking but not really a hike - we only did the Gorman Trail so we didn't really see most of the trail. Wish had more time to do it. Love to see the cows and bulls. Follow me on instagram: @roadtwoadventure

Don't take for "granite" Colorado Bend State Park. My pals and I came out for a great hike and that is just what us city students got. We opted for one of the more difficult trails that included waterfalls and a canyon. The water is super clear and the canyons were breathtaking. Along the trip we saw 3 armadillos, super cool! Hands down one of the best places to hike in Texas. It definitely created some amazing memories for us.

Located not too far from Ft. Hood. The trails: I recommend the Tie Slide Trail. It's right at 2.2 miles - not a lot of elevation changes, but very rocky and jagged for novice hikers - it's rated at "moderate. You'll get spectacular views of the Colorado River at one point. This trail is about 70% shaded. Gorman Falls Trail - 70% of it in the sun. This trail is 1.5 miles in and 1.5 miles out. It's rated as challenging as it has a very steep descent when you get closer to the falls, but it's well worth it. The rocks are very slippery, even when conditions are dry. But there are guide cables to help you on your way. This is THE best trail out here. Gorman Springs trail - very lush, green, and pretty, but overgrown if you are wearing shorts. Can get itchy for a bit, so wear long pants. It's very shaded, but not very exciting. I'd skip this one and choose another trail. It's about .5 miles in and .5 miles out. Tubing - cool off after your hike with some tubing. The best place to put in is near the boat ramp area. Very little current in the portion of the Colorado river, so you will drift slowly along side the Spicewood Canyon trail for a little more than half a mile and then have to hike back from where you started. The current in this part of the river is very slow, so you can probably just paddle to keep yourself in place, or tie off to a tree along the banks. Or you can even just keep paddling to keep yourself near where you parked. Not a lot of shade on this stretch of the river though. Porta Potties near the boat ramp. Real bathrooms are about 100 yards away from the visitor center. Very low key park and not overwhelmed by people. A+

Colorado Bend State Park is in the Hill Country outside of Lampasas, TX. There are many trails throughout the park, but this trip I only took 3 trails (and still did about 10 miles of hiking!). Today's hike was: The Gorman Falls Trail (1.5 miles one way) with a pretty steep hike down on slick rocks as approaching the falls; Spicewood Springs Trail (1.3 miles) which follows the river with a number of spots crisscrossing over the creeks and water holes to swim in; and finally Spicewood Canyon Trail (3 miles) we took it back toward the river and it wasn't too challenging. Bring water! I can't stress this enough and the park too urges people to bring 1 Liter (Nalgene size) of water for every hour, and it was needed as it was a hot one today! There is a place to fill up water bottles right by headquarters. The hike to Gorman Falls has almost no shade until you get to the falls. Sadly, you can't hike underneath Gorman Falls as it is a protected environment but still beautiful to look at! Go outside and visit Colorado Bend State Park!

Loved it! So pretty, good hike options. Not too crowded. I accidentally went a mile and a half further than I intended, but it wasn't a hard hike just long lol

Beautiful, breathtaking park. My friend and I traveled here to do some hiking. Upon arrival the toll both was closed so I called and was told to continue on the road and I would eventually come across the main office. The main office seems far from the entrance but it's because of the speed limit that respects the wildlife that lives there. (Please don't speed.) The office is located by the camping sites and has a breathtaking view of the river. Definitely a beautiful scenic walk. My cell signal was a hit and miss kind of deal. I was okay with disconnecting from the modern world and enjoying my escape in the natural setting around me. We did the Gorman Falls trail that was about two miles from where we parked. The trail itself is a bit challenging with the rocky terrain. The end of the trail had a river side view and waterfall. I would caution those hiking this trail to wear some good shoes. The trail has a steep slope that has some super slippery rocks. There is a wired handrail and I took full advantage of this feature. If not, I would fear I would have landed ugly at the bottom. They do have a lot of wildlife roaming around so just be cautious of your surroundings. The park also posts weather advisory notices, and guidelines for hikers. I definitely want to come back and do some more of their trails and do their primitive campsites. Waking up to that beautiful view must be a wonderful feeling. If you like being out in nature and unwinding from a stressful week this place is for you. I felt recharged at the end of my hike. I'll say this again: absolutely breathtaking!!

My wife, myself, and kids drove from East Texas to experience some fall hiking and colors here in November. We drove four hours all the way to the main gate where we learned the "State Public Park" was closed for Bambi hunting. None of the park signs all the way back to Lampassas gave any hint that it would not be open so you can imagine how angry my family was sitting there staring in disbelief at the locked gate. IF they really need to reduce the park herd, why not bait and capture the excess, take them to an open field and let the few hunters execute them outside the "public park" instead of depriving families a chance to see Gorman Falls while the water is flowing as opposed to the summer when it is not. At the very least, the web site should have a bold notification clearly visible (not embedded in a tiny link) declaring the "public park" closed for the privileged few hunters to get their free meat. Some signs along the way would not hurt either.

It's cold and rainy today, so we really only had the energy for one walk. We opted for the Gorman falls trail and was not disappointed. Trails are well kept and we mostly had the place to ourselves for the hike down. The park is all booked up today so we expected a lot more crowds, but showing up early was a good idea I guess. The bottom of the falls is a steep hike, so you'll have to rely on the cables to steady yourself. Otherwise, it's a breeze. We took the detour tie slide trail to the river overlook, which is a short easy jaunt out to a scenic spot. Definitely worth the extra 30 minutes or so. We had a little picnic at one of the tables down near the campgrounds at the end of the road, and their facilities look very good. Wish weather was a little better and we could stick it out for more walks, but we'll have to save something for next time!

This review is for the Spicewood Spring trail. 7/2020 Wow! What an amazing place. We are traveling here from WA we're blown away. First, you MUST reserve a pass to enter the park. Whether it's a day pass or camping, you have to have a pass. 90% of the time it is reserved in advance and you won't be able to buy one at the rangers station. I'm not sure if it's a post covid thing or how it's always done. The staff was amazing! We went straight to Spicewood trail which is at the opposite of the entrance. We stopped by headquarters where they had a bathroom and a place to get water. I've heard that there isn't any other place to get water. The hike from the parking lot to the spring is about ... a mile? Ish? It's flat and my family of 11 (5 adults & 5 children & 1 infant) had no issues with it. There are 5 springs total but the first one is the biggest and best! We spent 4 hours there. Today was perfect day too, overcast with sun breaks. I can imagine that it gets HOT because there isn't a lot of tree coverage. There is a spot that is perfect for sitting with an infant. And lots of area for people to swim in! We has a blast there. BEAWARE that they rocks are sooooo slippery ! So wear nice traction shoes or be cautious... we just had bare feet. The water was the perfect temp, so clear. We didn't venture off to the other springs since you had to kinda climb the slippery rocks and we didn't want to take the baby (but we did see kids as young as 5 years old cross it just fine) Next time we're back in Texas, we will be back and check out the other trails. ** they are not doing any kayak or boat rentals due to covid

Didn't know they had some ific time limits to get in the park. They have 9a.m. to 2p.m. Then 2p.m. to 10p.m. Must buy there pass online at texasstateparks.reserveamerica.com Then drive all the way to the back of the park and check in at the headquarters and get your parking pass. Once you get your parking pass, you can go do what you wanted to. We, my mom and I were there to go see Gorman Falls. The paper says its 1.5 miles to the falls. Its actually almost 2 if not more. The trail is very rocky with shaded areas but nowhere to sit and rest on your journey. Except for 2 benches in the sun. I didn't get that. Then the last part you g through to get down to the falls is extremely step. They have put ropes in to hold onto to help. I dont get why they just haven't notched out some steps into the rock. Then once your at the falls, it is very pretty and peaceful. Cant get into the falls though. They do that keep it's natural purity. The walk back seemed longer than walking back. Make sure to take 2 liters of water per person, especially during the summer. Lots of sunscreen, and I recommend a portable fan. It helped move the air around when there was no wind. If your a big adventurous person, its worth the adventure down to it.

I had camped here a few years back and had a wonderful time under the clear night skies (except for getting walking pneumonia from the 40 degree temp dip into the upper 30s that night and being molested by an armadillo), but because I fell ill, I was unable to enjoy the springs and hike to Gorman Falls. I came back specifically for the Falls hike as with all the rain we'd been having the Falls were supposed to be spectacular! They did not disappoint! Though a bit off the beaten path (you will wonder just exactly where you are at a few points to drive there), it is worth the 90mins-2hr drive out. When we arrived the park seemed almost abandoned as there was not a fee station as with other parks and the Gorman Falls trail head is about a half mile drive in past the park entrance. The trailhead parking is well marked and has a pretty decent bathroom facility as far as compost standards go. The trail itself is rated as "challenging", but honestly, if you are in relative decent physical shape, can do a 5k at a moderate pace, and do not have knee problems, you should be fine. The only thing to keep in mind is that hiking under the pounding glare of the mid-day sun was not the best laid plans. When we started our hike around 11am, it was actually not that terribly hot and we had a nice breeze. However, due to lack of shade along the trail and literally being out in the middle of nowhere, the hike back was draining and I am glad I decided to bring extra water as I sweated about half my body weight and the temperature seemed to have increased to 1000 degrees within the 2hrs between. The trail itself is pretty simple and unextraordinary except for some random vistas here and there. When you approach the Falls and can hear the running water, that's when the trail gets exciting! Warning though, use the ropes along the very steep part of the last 100yrds or so to the Falls. The grade is no joke and the rocks are surprisingly slippery! I am honestly not sure how people made it down other than on their butts before the leads were put in! Once down in the Falls area it is like being transported to some Fern Gully-esque place you might find in the middle of the Amazon instead of the Texas hill country! The Falls were spectacular and running fairly well! Adding to the mystical charm we were greeted by a couple of butterflies as they fluttered in and out of the mist and one landed on a leaf right off the side of one of the falls. Between the different hues of green, the various falls and their orchestrated symphony of flowing waters, it is an incredible peace of personal heaven, especially as we had it all to ourselves. I could not see this place being enjoyable on a weekend or during the peak season when it is teeming w/other people. All in all a fantastic adventure and discovery that was well worth the mileage, both by car and foot! I will definitely be back to try some other trails leading to the various Springs.

Gorgeous place! We walked the Gorman falls trail it's just under a 1 1/2 mile walk to get there and then another 1 1/2 to get back. It took us about 2 1/2 hours total I guess this just depends on how long you check out the waterfall area. Most of the trail is unshaded so bring a hat! And make sure to take some comfy shoes for the hike i made the mistake of bringing converse and I regret that decision. It's very rocky and uneven. Overall the trail is easy the only tricky part is the decent right before you get to the waterfall. The rocks are slippery and there is a cable to hold onto for support which helps a lot to go down and to get back up. It's definitely worth the trip once you get there truly beautiful!!

Absolutely beautiful and breathtaking. So many options as to how you would like to day hike or camp or pack in camping. This place is one of my favorites

I visited on a very hot Sunday and this park is great for hiking. Some basic common sense since it is very isolated, have a full tank of gas, bring lots of water ( I had 64 ounces and pretty much drank it all), sunscreen, bug spray, bathing suit and comfortable shoes for hiking. Here is my 6 hour itinerary: First of all, get there early. I believe that I was the first day visitor (I arrived around 7:45am) and was able to hike to Gorman Falls and enjoy it all alone. On the drive to the park I saw dozens of deer including more than a few fawns. At the entrance there were at least dozen deer that welcomed me in. It costs $5 per person and your best bet is to bring cash and it is an honor system where you put it into an envelope. Don't gyp this place, $5 is so cheap for this wonderful park. The signs show rattlesnakes and have warnings about cougars. Unfortunately I didn't see any. Maybe next time. #disappointed I first took the .75 mile hike to Gorman Falls which is the highlight of the place. It is rocky and surrounded by prickly pear. Don't touch them, trust me, they have hair like thistle that are hard to get out of your thumbs :) When you get close enough, you will hear the waterfall and the final descent is rocky and steep but has poles and wires that you can onto. As I mentioned earlier since I was early I enjoyed it by myself for 15 minutes before anyone else showed up. I sat on the bench and just enjoyed the view and the sound of it. Another benefit of getting there early is that the sun shines down through it onto the rocks making great pictures. I was fortunate that it was cloudy on the hike back as there is not much shade and it was getting hot. It was 10am by the time that I made it to the parking lot and it was now full and I passed many groups that were heading out to look at it. Next I drove 5 miles to the other end of the park by the camping and hiked the Spicewood Springs Trail all the way to the Spicewood Canyon Trail and came back. Before starting I changed into my bathing suit, which is a must. The first part of this hike is just walking along the Colorado River where there are some huge trees as opposed to the short, shrubby ones in most of the park. Then when you get to the springs it turns into a difficult, rocky trail that crosses back and forth over the creek. You will need to remove your shoes at time or get wet. There are some spots where you can swim that are fun and probably a dozen small 1-5 foot waterfalls. Once I got past the pools and waterfalls the hike was fairly challenging for awhile and then changed into an easy trail through the woods. The giant evergreen trees that look like they are dead on the bottom made this a bit eery. The whole rest of the hike I did not see a single person so it was very peaceful and quiet. I would recommend the Spicewood Springs Trail, but not the Canyon Trali for scenery. The Canyon part was just walking through the woods with only two viewpoints very close to the end of the trail by the river, not worth it unless you are looking for solitude and exercise. I really liked the Springs trail and swimming in the river was refreshing! On the way out I stopped at the Rangers station and got a much needed $1 ice cream bar. They also rent kayaks but it was too late in the day and I was too tired to try them.

State parks might be the most underrated places to visit. As someone smarter than me said, "Wilderness is more than a natural place, more than a place for recreation. It is a place for inspiration." Colorado Bend State Park, and especially Gorman falls, is definitely a beautiful place to feel inspired and take in some of the magic that our earth has to offer. We went on two different trails while at the park, 5 miles might have been a bit much for such a hot day, but I wouldn't change a thing! The trail to Gorman Falls is a little over a mile. It is considered a difficult trail, and parts are pretty difficult, but pretty much anyone can handle the rugged terrain. We saw a dad carrying a two year old kid the entire way so we figured if he could do it, than surely we could do it. It was challenging, but made the Gorman Falls all that much more incredible. Gorman Falls is an amazing waterfall It is the definition of peacefulness and serenity. It's one of those things that you could just sit and stare/listen to for hours. It is truly that remarkable! We really wanted to jump in, but sadly you are not allowed to as that would destroy this magnificent, growing treasure. We took tons of pics and just stared in complete happiness. Our second trail was the Scenic View trail. This was a pretty easy trail, and had some nice scenery. We even saw a little deer having himself a snack. The trail led to a high view of the Colorado River. It was a nice view, but was getting hot so we didn't stay too long. I would love to go back and try some other trails. There are a lot to choose from, and at a price of only $5 to get in, what could make for a better day! The only negative was that on the trail map they put a huge picture of a rattlesnake. I spent a lot of hiking time freaking out and listening for rattles but never saw any snakes at all. Wish they would take this picture off. Great day at a state park! You need to check it out!

This review is only for the Gorman Falls hike. The trailhead is near the entrance of the park. At the trailhead there is a decent sized parking lot available with restrooms. The hike is out and back along the same trail (i.e., not a loop), 1.4 miles each way. It's good to estimate the hike taking 2 1/2 to 3 hours total, depending on how much time you want to spend hanging out at the waterfall. We were able to hike each way at about 50 minutes, without trying too hard. So if you are in a huge rush, you could do the entire hike and be back at the parking lot in 2 hours, but you will not have much time to spend at the waterfall. The hike is largely unshaded, so you will be in the sun. I do not recommend doing this hike in the heat of summer. November was much better and we were still sweaty. He sure to bring water. Also bring a snack or lunch or some food to eat while you are at the waterfall. Overall, the hike is not difficult, but the dissent and a cent right at the waterfall has some slippery smooth rocks, so you will have to hold onto some cable hand rails that are provided. I do not recommend this hike for pregnant women because of this reason. Gorman Falls is nice, but overall I do not think it is alone worth a 4 hour drive from Houston. However, if you're passing near the area or driving from somewhere closer such as Austin, it is a nice little hike to do with a nice reward at the end.

Hands down one of my favorite state parks I've been to in Texas! Beautiful scenery, well marked trails, great camping, and easy to get to.

Left Dallas at 8am yesterday, 2/18/2017, and drove almost 4 hours just to come to this park and they stopped us at the gate because they closed the park once the parking lot reached capacity. WTF kind of state park has a tiny little parking lot and then no alternatives once that lot is full?? I felt so bad for the poor lady park ranger that had to stay at the gate and tell all the people to turn around and leave, they can't visit the park. So many angry and disappointed people she had to deal with. State needs to figure out out, at least for that poor ranger's sake.

What a fun spot! I only came here for Gorman Falls but I didn't realize it was such a large park! It's pretty easy to get to as there are several signs pointing you in the right direction. The trail itself was nice and easy to maneuver. The falls at the end were very cool to see in person! I'd make sure you have bug spray on as well as plenty of sunscreen since there are a ton of annoying gnats and limited shade during the hike. Be aware, there is ZERO cell service at the park and a couple of miles leading up to the park.

This is one of the beautiful spots in the great State of Texas, worthy visiting. The park has numerous trails for hiking and as beautiful scenes including rocks, vegetation, water (river, streams and small ponds). There are camping as well as parking areas all over the park area. There are directions and labels of trails everywhere especially at the junction points. I was here with friends and our adventurous hiking was awesome. The roads to the park and inside the park are in good conditions. There are small shops at certain spots where one can buy snacks and water/other beverages too on the way to the park. There are park area security patrolling in the park and guiding visitors. The staffs at the ticket office are very helpful.

Had just an awesome time at this State Park last weekend. It is hugely off the beaten path. From the time you think you are entering the park, you have another 20 minute drive. Make sure you do drive slow because all of the sudden you will hit some serious rough roads or bridges. We came in late and checked in the next morning. The park office is the smallest of any SP I've been to. It is only geared to checking folks in and that goes very fast. They do a phenomenal job. We stayed at a group campsite and it hit our needs and was clean/well kept. The staff here do a great job and at one point went well out of their way to help us out. The trails are well marked if a bit overgrown due to all the rain recently. I'm sure in most years it wouldn't be a problem. We went in a very HOT day in September, so make sure you bring water as there is little on the trails. The river was huge due to the rains, but it was a very nice swim with deep water. Full transparency, for some crazy reason I've been to this SP about 4 times and each time I find out more about the place and enjoy it even more.

How Awesome!!! Found this by accident and was happy to drive an hour to swim in the Colorado River! How cool! Paid $5 a person to come into the park. Several deer were eating at the entrance. Park had a few cars but not a lot. Nice drive in, map is super helpful about trails, lengths, degree of difficulty. Beautiful park, very clean and well-maintained. Lots & lots of animals & birds. The park was pretty quiet, could hear the river. Trail I chose was smooth & even. Hiked to swimming pools and waterfall. It was worth the hike! Great outing!

Amazing State Park to visit in Texas, miles and miles of hiking trails, a water fall, cave adventures and swimming. You can boat or kayak in the river. Keep in mind that is definitely hot here in Texas! So be prepared for the sun. It's a good idea to do more than one day because there's so much to see, but its also a good day trip.

I come from California and I HAD to come here for the experience! My friend and I arrived here around 12 pm to hike it. Although the hike is labeled as strenuous, there is nothing strenuous about it especially if you are a fit person. When you reach the falls, get ready for the excitement! This place immediately takes your breath away! Walk around, check it out, and if you want. You can take a swim in the creek. I actually don't recommend doing that because my friend and I found baby leeches in the water, especially near where the water falls onto the floor. It was terrible and frightening. Also, don't cross onto the falls. Violations can be up to a $200 ticket! Also, be careful of hiking in anything other than shoes. Ultimately, this is a wonderful experience and only a 2 mile hike. Definitely recommended. Also, there is an entrance fee per person, so don't forget!

So, I love this park. It has no amenties and you NEED to bring your own water, but it's lovely and wild. WHATEVER YOU DO; IF YOU SEEK SOLITUDE; DO NOT GO TO PRIMITIVE CAMPSITE ONE! It is a secret fishing ground for both animals and humans; so during the day and night, you will get absolutely no peace at this spot. I recommend all of the other primitive sites however. I stayed for 3 days, and had mountain lion tracks outside of my tent pointed out to me by a fisherman. I could hear a heron and something else fishing ALL NIGHT; i wonder if it was the mountain lion.

Highlights: Gorman Falls and Spicewood Springs Trail Tips: There is ZERO cell phone service if you have AT&T, come prepared. Fill your gas tank before coming because the road to the park is extremely long and it's better to be safe than sorry. Bring at least a case of water per day for 2 people. Know the office closing hours so you can buy more and more ice because without a Yeti, your ice will definitely melt! If it's past 6 pm, you will have to drive 20 miles to get ice. Also, bring at least $20 cash because that's the only way to buy ice. There is almost always a burn ban, so to cook you must have a propane stovetop- no fires or charcoal grills allowed at all. Lastly, if you are doing something against the rules, the staff will most likely catch you. We saw it happen numerous times during our stay. ------------------------------------------- Due to the 16 different trails, the river, springs, and waterfalls, this is now one of my favorite Texas state parks after we spent this past weekend (July 24-26) there. However, it did not start out well at all. We had reserved a primitive campsite, which I would not recommend unless all of your camping gear fits on your back. We were told that the hike-in site would be .8 miles, which we considered easy... until we got there and our pedometer tracked the one-way hike as 1.2 miles until the first primitive area... and 2 miles before an open campsite. It was now 8 pm and we still had at least 2 more trips until we were unpacked and were drenched in sweat. We trekked back and decided to ask for a drive-in or walk-in site, because there were 15+ empty. They said they were sold out. After much questioning and frustration, we headed back down the LONG windy road to Sulphur Springs Camp for the night (I will never go back, doesn't even come close to CBSP). Luckily Saturday we were able to nab drive-in site #40 which had a tree providing ample shade, a path straight to the Colorado River, and the same covered picnic table as all the other drive-in sites. We spent 3 hours roundtrip sizzling in the sun and carefully stepping over jagged rocks for the gorgeous Gorman Falls experience (a must go!!!!). Fair-skinned people should wear sunscreen and a hat because there is seldom shade on this trail. It's a lush, almost tropical, area with numerous waterfalls as high as 65 feet. Although breathtaking, the sensitive environment does not allow for swimming or climbing at all. My boyfriend, dog, and I drank a total of 6 bottles of water from 8:30-11:30 am- so definitely bring more than you think is necessary. Later in the day we swam in the brown Colorado River (eh) and had an easy loop hike down the Windmill Trail, Dry Brush Creek Trail, and Lively Loop. Sunday morning we really enjoyed the crystal clear water and little waterfalls of the Spicewood Springs Trail. If I had known about the area beforehand, we definitely would have swam there and not even bothered with the dirty river. We continued to the dry and rocky Spicewood Canyon Trail, although there wasn't much to see and it was god-awful hot. Many other hikers we passed were sunburned and miserable. In total we drank 8 bottles of water in 3 hours due to the scorching heat.

This is a very beautiful park! Went today with a friend. Unfortunately the falls were non-existent but there was water below and it felt amazing! TIPS: To go in just for a day you nees to bring cash or check. $5 per person. No credit cards! Also do not go during the hottest point of the day. Staff was great about changing the water and very informative but do not attempt it if you aren't a seasoned hiker. The slopes can get steep and the water points are only towards the beginning of the trail. And close to the end of the trail for gorman falls, the rocks are steep and very slippery!

We loved this park as far as the park itself goes! The trails were great, and seeing the Gorman Falls was amazing! FYI: there are no showers at this park!! Only public rise stations. As far as the staff: this place was terrible. I reserved 2 nights online, and was charged $30, $15/per night. My family (my husband & i , with our 4 children- 11,7,6,&4) arrived late Thursday night and set up our camp and went to sleep. The next day when we went to "check-in" we informed the staff at the desk that we would be leaving Friday afternoon instead of staying Friday night and leaving Saturday. I was then charged $43 more. Bc i was in a hurry i just paid it. Later i realized that seemed to be too much since i had already paid $30 for the reservation. We realized that she had charged us for 6 adults plus a convenience charge of $10 for cancelling our last night. We called to ask for our money back since our 4 children are all under 12, and are supposed to get in free. We were told that there was no way we could be helped, that the system can't be edited, and that if we were going to be rude they weren't going to speak with us, and then they hung up. We were not being rude, we were explaining to an i competent person that wouldn't listen long enough to understand that we were charged for 4 people that were supposed to be free.

This park is absolutely beautiful! Gorman falls was incredible. It was a tough hike at times, but worth it! Will definitely recommend it to others!

Wow, such a beautiful place! The only problem is that it is so big that I wasn't able to explo more. My husband and I visited and went to see Gorman Falls. It's quite a hike to get there, and just be nimble to get down to the falls at the end, but it is well worth it. The green is unreal and the falls are calming. Make sure you bring your bug repellent though, as we were eaten alive by mosquitos!

My husband, dog and myself spent 2 nights in walk-in site number 25, and I'll admit that we got lucky, because it appeared to the best campsite in the park. The picnic table and fire pit was situated on a flat grassy area with a hill flanking one side (parking being at the top of this hill), and woods and the Colorado River flanking the other sides. We could hear the sound of water trickling over the rocks and could glimpse families of deer crossing the river in the evenings. The site itself was large and gave us plenty of area to spread out. Though not technically allowed, we even had our dog off leash/chain most of the time as she didn't stray far from our site, and the road was on top of the hill and out of sight. Also just up the hill from our site was a vault toilet which I really have no use for. There were no showers that I found other than an open-air outdoor shower. There was a fish cleaning station where you could wash dishes or clothes or get potable water. The lack of bathrooms and tent pads makes the campground more "primitive" than other parks. This park is more desert-like and not as thickly wooded as you might expect, so in the heat of the summer, you will get scorched. Early fall was a lovely time for a visit despite one night of heavy rain. We hiked to Gorman Falls and it was beautiful. There were HUNDREDS of monarch butterflies flitting around in the spray from the falls. The Gorman Falls trail was pretty easy until the last couple hundred feet -- its pretty much a cliff and you've gotta fumble your way down. Fortunately, in the trickier spots, there are hand rails installed. The part of the park we enjoyed the most was the Spicewood Springs section. To get to the main swimming hole, follow the trail from the Spicewood day use parking area and continue on the Spicewood Springs trail. This is an easy hike with the river to your left just beyond some tall grass and trees. We saw deer and a harmless grass snake on this trail. After about a half mile walk, you'll turn a corner, pass between 2 boulders and emerge at a beautiful spring-fed crystal clear swimming hole filled with fishes that'll give you a free pedicure. Keep following the trail (which loosely follows the springs) up the hill and you'll find more secret swimming spots. The drive from Houston is about 4 hours and a great pit-stop is the Blue Bell Creamery in Brenham. This is another Texas State Park I'd be happy to return to.

Colorado Bend State Park is one of the most beautiful parks I have been to in the Hill Country. I absolutely loved the drive out there. It was scenic and peaceful. Originally, our plan was to camp here. However, being Spring time in Texas, we should have thought ahead. All of the campsites were full, ALL of them!! So we opted for a day trip instead. If you are just going to see Gorman Falls, you don't need to drive all the way down to the ranger station and check in. You can park at Gorman Falls and pay at map station before you start the hike, we did not realize that and drove the whole 6 miles down to the station, which was still beautiful. I loved the hike to Gorman Falls, it was very different terrain than I expected. Make sure you take tons of water because it's hot and not shaded very often. There is also a part right before you get down to the falls where the rocks are very slippery. There is a post with wire to hold onto while you scale down, I highly suggest using it! If you are planning on going with kids, just know that it's a fun hike but be careful and don't go too late. I saw some parents heading out there with no water and no flashlights around 7pm and I was super worried about them! Anyhow, once you reach Gorman Falls and the river, it is one of the most peaceful places I can think of. The breeze is light and fresh, the sound of the falls is relaxing, and there is plenty of shade as a nice reprieve from all the sun on the hike there.

Saw ostriches on journey. Made it a great time. Also saw cows- double the great time. The falls were very pretty and made for great photos. Plus, the rock in which we sat upon to eat lunch was comfortable.

The good: a beautiful waterfall The not so good: kind of a haul from Austin, even far northwest Austin. The road into the park is quite long and unimproved, so its a dirty, bumpy ride. They charge you to visit the waterfall ($5 for adults) but really don't provide much in terms of guidance other than to stay on the trail and don't go near the falls. We got the kids up early on a Saturday - they were of course thrilled - and drove the almost 2 hours to the park, arriving just in time for the morning hike to the falls. You can only take the hike to the falls with a guide from the park, and they charge for it. The hikes are either at 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. The hike itself was unremarkable except for the idiotic way its managed. First you drive a very bumpy road 7 miles to a park ranger station. Then you wait in a car line until its time to take the hike, at which point you drive BACK over the same 7 miles to where you originally came from and park near the trailhead. It seems logical to me to just build a small station at the beginning of the road and let people just park there rather than waste gas and tear up their cars going 14 miles on that "road", but hey, what do I know? The hike is short and steep. It's only 1.5 miles roundtrip, so it doesn't take long, but the steepness and condition of the trail would make it hard for those with mobility issues - seniors, etc. Our family being relatively young and healthy had no issues, and soon we were facing a scene which blew me away. I'm a photography nerd, so I started snapping away - I have attached one of my photos here so you can see the impressive sight of Gorman Falls. 65' feet high, surrounded by lush greenery, falling onto misty rocks below. Beautiful. Wrapping up, its a long drive to a frustrating process once in the park, but after actually seeing the falls, it was worth it for sure.

Great camping experience. It is a bit of a drive from Austin, but it's well worth it. If you are opposed to driving over two hours for your destination, just extend your trip so the time dims in comparison. We had the group campsite, so we were spoiled by it's size and privacy, but mostly by the enormous oak tree in the middle that provided shade, a place to hide Easter eggs, climbing extravaganzas, and a drying line for my many sets of wet clothes. The sites are mostly flat and right on the banks of the Colorado. The scene is just beautiful. Across from the river are large hills with flat rock faces staring at you. Bathrooms are relatively close to the sites but plan on your swimming excursions being your shower because there aren't any there. You wouldn't really be roughing it if you didn't smell like my left shoe, though. The river is perfect for kayaking, slow and wide, with little nooks to pull up and take a swig or hike a bit and check out the other side. The park rents kayaks or bring your own. I can't tell you how nice it is to put in right from the site. No lugging! No lugging! There was a burn ban when we went Easter weekend, which meant, not only no grills or fire pits, but also no stoves. It was tough to hide that stove, man, but we would have gouged each others eyes out without coffee and something other than pickles and chips to fill our bellies. It seemed a bit odd that it was even in place because the grass was green, rain was impending, shrubs were dewey. I do love it when the rangers come to warn you a storm is coming, though. Very nice heads up. Very nice. There are great hiking trails in and along the creek and many small waterfalls to enhance the scenery. They also have, but we did not partake, larger falls called Gorman Falls, which you can only see by guided tour. You also have to drive back down the park's insane dirt road expanse to get there. Speaking of, be aware when driving out there that you have to go through a long stretch of easement roads to get to the entrance. They are not improved roads. Wear a sports bra and strap in. Also, there is only one store in Bend. They do not have gas and they do not sell beer. It is a dry county. Be sure to stock up before you get to Lampasas. They do tell you that you can drive into San Saba (just a jaunt of one hour, evidently) to get wine. Apparently, it is against the law to prohibit Texas commerce, so you can buy Texas wine in a dry county. If you aren't into roughing it, they also have cabins for rent in the area. The river views and serenity are worth it. There's plenty of shade and sun and quiet and fun to be had by all. I will be back.

Loved this park, and appreciated the ability to practice social distancing while still getting outside. The water was cool, and the views were incredible!

This park is absolutely breath-taking. I highly recommend to anyone who loves camping in a more primitive manor! Heads up: it states primitive for a reason! There are no showers or any bathrooms with stalls, only compost toilets. Which are really not that bad, to be honest! The river behind the campsite was beautiful and definitely recommend a site closest to it. The campsites are HUGE and so much space between each site it's a plus. Loved it here and plan on going back soon for sure.

I had some mixed feelings about this place. First off: their gift shop is quite lacking. For such a big park they have a really small shop and really uncomfortable material on their not-so-impressive t-shirts. Staff inside was pretty nice, warned us about the snakes. We did a 10 mile hike and ran out of water, luckily I had a filter and there was plenty of water on most of the second half of the trail. There isn't too much to see out there, so not too many photo ops. It was a challenge though, and I do wanna take on that challenge again.

I will never forget this place in my memories. I went in the evening when it was cooler and the sun was beginning to set. Was a very different kind of magical and was not expecting it to be as beautiful as I thought. From moving state to state, this place is exactly what Texas is.

Definitely off a beaten path! I wanted to check out Colorado Bend State Park because I saw an article on Gorman Falls - who would've known you get this type of scenery in central TX? And who would've known there was a waterfall even midway through this hike?! There is not a ranger station and you have to drive through some private property to get the the state park, which was a little weird. But once in, there is a post and some maps you can take. This is definitely on an honor system cause you pay in the box and write a ticket for yourself to place on your car. The map and roads were clearly marked to the trailhead, so you know this place is very well maintained. I wish I had time to explore some of the other trails but this was a day trip and we had a long drive back to Houston afterwards. The Gorman Falls hike was marked as 1.5 miles round trip, it definitely felt longer than that, especially when the sun is high and beats down on you. Literally you are in a field with a ton of rocks and cactus so it gets hot! There are lots of rocks you navigate through but the trail is easy to hike. The end is definitely a little tough because you have to go down these slippery rocks BUT there is a cable.. and if your shoes are tacky and have grip, you should be ok. The climb up these rocks was definitely easier. Gorman Falls was a small area with the waterfall and the moss covered rocks and was beautiful. Green and luscious and full of color! It was very serene but there could be lots of people on a given day. You can also view the river from this location and we tried doing a little climb on the rocks back up to the path. Good little hike - you definitely work up a sweat in the heat - but doable and enjoyable. There are also mountain bike trails in the park you can utilize! Beautiful! Haven't seen anything in TX yet like it.. might have to go out to North Bend now and see what it has to offer. Apparently some other trails in Colorado Bend have caves you can explore as well!

Went back again a few days ago to try some of the other trails. We really wanted to try the Tinaja trail and since it was listed as very challenging we started that one first. Unfortunately we started at about 11 am and the heat index was probably well over 100! It is not really that technical or challenging for someone who is used to hiking, but it does have some crazy steep inclines, and fatigue definitely got me.. Park at the Cedar Chopper parking lot as the fastest route to get to the Tinaja bowl. You will feel like you've walked miles and miles and just when you feel like you cannot take another .4 of a mile...all of a sudden you look up and there it is! Lol.. it pops up on you! There is absolutely NO shade in this area in this place except for some areas that are very overgrown or too dangerous to access. If you're lucky, There's one tree which can provide shade, but if you are sharing the trail, be prepared for someone else to have claimed it! We feel the reward was not worth the effort, but maybe because it was just so hot and we couldn't stop to sit and enjoy? You can continue waking along the trail or turn back (we made our way back to car). Our next stop was the Springs! We didn't get a chance to do any of the water stuff last time so after making our way back, we took a little break and then drove all the way down to the Spicewood canyon trail which will intersect with the Spicewood springs! If you're going to the springs, go ahead and just take your bathing suit, it's a mostly flat walk to the Springs and you'll walk right up to it. The main swimming source is about 8 ft? If that's too deep, head on carefully over the rocks (very slippery.. need shoes with traction) and behind you'll find some much smaller watering holes, that are about waist deep to 4ft deep. Or.. continue up along the left side to do the rest of the Spicewood canyon trail to see breathtaking views above the Springs! We stopped to swim for awhile and then did a small portion of the canyon trail. Once again we ran out of time. Love the park! I'm sure I'll be back again

Finally made it back to Colorado Bend! (Had to check out a bunch of other state parks first.) This time, we hiked 3.1 miles' worth of Lemons Ridge Pass, a portion of the River Trail, and the Spicewood Springs Trail. Quick note: Google Maps says that Colorado Bend opens at 6:00 AM; the ranger I checked in with this morning let me know the office doesn't open until 8:30 AM. No big deal, as we were only a few minutes early. Lemons Ridge Pass and the River Trail were as gorgeous as always. Spicewood Springs was better than I expected (and I wish we'd had time to go swimming!), though the actual trail is slightly challenging to follow as you make your way through the springs area. To be fair, I prefer lots of direction--this wouldn't bug someone more laissez-faire about hiking. I expect we'll be back again. :)

We spent a Sunday and Monday at the park at site 35. Site 35 is situated between two group sites, and since no groups were there, we had a lot of privacy! The ground was reasonably flat, if a little tilted. Our site backed up to a tall gray cliff and was under a huge shade tree. The shade was super welcome in the afternoon, the sun can really beat down. This park is a bit "desert-y" + the meandering Colorado river (the lesser haha). We did the River Trail hike that connects to the Gorman Falls hike. It was about 9 miles round trip and took us about 4.5 hours. We left at 10am from our campsite and the weather was super pleasant up till the last hour or so. The home stretch of the hike goes across some prairie land lined with tall, tall grasses and hundreds of prickly pear cacti. You're totally exposed to the sun. Put sunshine on, even if you don't need it at the start of the hike. Gorman Falls was absolutely stunning; it looked like something from the Lord of the Rings- it's magically with the soft moss "rock" formations and the crystal clear mist drifting up through the tree shadows. There's plenty of places along the River Trail to duck off the path and get down to the river. Our Labrador had a blast splashing all around and we enjoyed getting to sit on the cool rocks and have a snack. Bring as much water as you can! We brought a big camelback to share that held 128 oz and we almost finished it in 4.5 hours. We're glad we remembered to bring water for the dog. There aren't many amenities here, if any. There's compost toilets set up at the very far end of the site (luckily close to our spot) but they didn't have sinks or a water tap. In the two days we were there the hand sanitizer station was never refilled, though we did see ranger trucks come to clean the bathrooms every night/morning we wee there. There's also ZERO cell service, so be prepared to be disconnected from the world. Also, we're lucky we checked ahead- there was a burn ban, so no use of the ground fire grill. We brought a portable gas stove, and that was allowed. Keep that in mind when coordinating food, there really aren't stores or restaurants around for at least half an hour. We saw tons of wildlife; primarily deer & armadillos. They're all pretty tame, or at least used to people. They wander up pretty close to the campsites, so make sure to lock trash in your car or hike to the campsite dumpster every night. Colorado Bend is beautiful at the right time of year, and if you play ahead to deal with the primitiveness (like no showers!) it's a blast.

Awesome trails and waterfalls. Very popular so be sure to reserve camping way in advance. Kayaks available to rent. Trail map defines difficulty of bike trails for you. Only down side was that the river can be a bit shallow and stagnant downstream from camp area.