Lost Maples State Natural Area

You know that coworker who's always complaining about how the leaves in Texas never change color? Go ahead and tell him he’s wrong. Standing tall as the only maple forest in Texas, Lost Maples spans more than 2,000 rust, gold, and green-hued acres throughout Bandera and Real counties. Pristine hiking trails lined with steep limestones, glistening streams, and verdant grasslands await, and after an afternoon of sight-seeing, trekkers can unwind around the fire with some hearty grub at the park’s campground near Sabinal River, complete with 30 spacious sites. Prime time runs from mid-October through mid-November, when foliage is peaking.

Head two hours northwest of San Antonio, and you’ll enter the Lost Maples State Natural Area, with plenty of hikes, campsites, wildlife, and stargazing opportunities. In summer, Lost Maples is renowned for its wildflowers, but in fall, visitors flock to see the lush fall foliage. Bigtooth maples turn red and orange, providing a gorgeous backdrop for nature walks—there are 10 miles of trails, including a loop that ends in a prime vantage point above the park on a 2,200-foot cliff.
When to go: Halloween into the first few weeks of November