Palmetto State Park Campground

Beautiful, small, quiet park that could stand some upgrades.

Site: The even numbered sites are very close to one another, and we would definitely reserve an odd number site next time. If you do reserve an odd numbered site, make sure you take the road to the right to the site - otherwise impossible to to back in. Not marked, and should be. Saw many having trouble, as did we until hubs pulled out and turned around. Water pressure, good.

The BBQ grills are deep, old and require lots of charcoal to get a good grilling temp. The round inground firepit we had is not as good as the square one available at most Texas state parks - some of the other sites did have them.

Trails: Lots of trails that are quiet and beautiful but could use some maintenance. Loved the history of the area. Don't miss stopping at the "overlook" as you come in. Would definitely stay there again!

If you need groceries, supplies ect. - definitely go to Gonzales vs Luling. Many more options.

Pro Tip: If you have a smaller RV and it is NOT summer, stay on the water only side. There is a great pond for fishing (no license required) or kayaking. There is a nice playground and it typically is not as crowded as the electric side. There is a paved trail that crosses the river between the two sides.

This was our second visit to this park and we plan to come again.

Check out our video of the park: https://youtu.be/Uan0zmBwFek

What a pretty park. Really enjoyed the hiking trails and cleanliness of the park. Ranger station and rangers very nice and helpful. Have a few items for sale. Firewood and kindling available to purchase. It was quite cold when we were there, low 30s. The bathhouses were clean and most surprisingly HEATED! That’s a 5 star rating in my book.

We stayed here for two nights in February, 2022 and really enjoyed our time here! The trails were great and there was a lot to see and do within the park. Sites were ok - not spaced super far apart or anything, and the ones at what I would consider at the bottom of the loop (furthest away from the bathrooms) weren't very level. Our site was fine, however we had to go counter-clockwise in order to back into our site as there was a tree that would have been a problem. Suggest to hover by the bathroom and walk to your site first.
Everything else was great - loved walking here, but what I don't like about Texas State Parks is that if you don't have the annual pass, they charge a day use fee per person on top of your campground fee... It adds to the costs. If we go back to Texas and know that we will be staying in the State Parks, will be the annual pass - something to look into if you go to Texas!
Am uploading a video on the park / campground too.

This is a small campground with only 19 sites, which keeps it quiet. Sites are mostly a good size and while there's no visual buffer from your neighbors, there is a decent amount of space between sites. Lots of trees around for shade, but they do interfere with enjoying the dark night sky. (You can't have everything! LOL) All sites are paved but some have odd slopes to them.

Water and 20/30/50 amp electric on each site is nice. They also have a central dump station. Firewood available from camp host, which is good because the HQ is quite a ways down the road.

Bathrooms seemed well-maintained and clean, showers worked well and had hot water.

Trails throughout the park are mostly short and easy but make for a nice morning walk since several come right past the campground for easy access.

Woke up to lots of birds chirping and a nice peaceful sunrise. There is some road noise but it's distant enough not to be bothersome.

T-Mobile coverage was OK, Verizon was a bit better. May need an antenna or booster to get a lot of work done.

This nature-obsessed family couldn’t ask for much more. Large, pretty campsites with gorgeous stargazing, owls calling, coyotes howling, armadillos scavenging, leaf cutter ants harvesting, dwarf palmetto fanning out all around. Tons of hiking within walking distance of our site, clean bathrooms, friendly park hosts. We can’t wait for our next visit!

This is a very nice, green, and shady park!

It offers camping, picnicking, hiking, biking, swimming, fishing, playgrounds, and boating. For boating, you can launch your own, or rent a kayak through Paddle EZ.

The park has many trails available for hikers and bikers. It also has structures that were built in the 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, and an informative and scenic interpretive trail.
There are a wide range of accommodations ranging from tent sites with water only, RV sites with water and electric, 1 full hookup RV site, and 1 mini-cabin. Some sites are very level, while others have a slope. Water and electric supplies are good, although the water does smell like sulfur. On the technology side, we received a few over-the-air TV stations, from Austin and San Antonio, but they were weak. Also got decent cell phone service from Verizon.

The park was quiet and peaceful, and it's sites are very shady to help keep you cool.

Palmetto State Park is a small and beautiful campground. We were surprised by how much we all liked the park. And yes I read the reviews, and yes everyone seems to really enjoy this park, but I was sure that with it being so small, that we'd likely run out of things to keep the kids (and myself) interested. Well, sure enough, the manicured trails, the diverse and prehistoric vibe of the flora, the river, the lake, the wildlife and the scenery kept everyone loving the park. We stayed for 4 nights and it was not nearly long enough. We are really looking forward to getting back to Palmetto SP in the future.

And as an FYI for the Mountain Bikers - this park didn't have anything technical or challenging. It's all beginner level trails. But they are beautiful, well maintained, and easy to ride. Not an MTB destination by any means, but still worth the trip. You'll be able to get several laps in without breaking a sweat, but you'll certainly have a smile on your face. Also, the Seguin MTB skills park is close enough, that you can stay at Palmetto SP and go visit the MTB skills park if you want to get your mtb fix in.

Clean, well kept. Great space for families. Trails are relatively short, but shaded and nicely kept. This isn’t a park you go to for wilderness experiences. It is a great space to relax, enjoy some easy nature walks, the river, and just get away. Firewood for sale in the campground. Sites are mostly level with good tree coverage, but unless you’re on the end of the loop (like me!) not very spaced out. Appreciated having a fire pit and stand up grill.