State Park · Texas
Texas's most loved overnight park: the Frio River, Old Baldy, summer jukebox dances, and a reservation race that starts the day the window opens.
Field briefing
Garner State Park changes fast with season and elevation.
Before you go
Lock the reservation first, then plan around the Frio River, Old Baldy, and the evening dance.
The landmarks worth the trip. Tap any photo to enlarge.
Weather, crowds, and what the season changes about the trip.
Mild Hill Country weather, green hills, and a clear river before the rush.
Pack Layers for swingy temperatures, river shoes, and an early reservation.
Hot, with July highs near 97 and the cold Frio as the relief valve.
Pack Sun protection, river footwear, a tube or floatation plan, and hydration.
Cooler hiking weather and spectacular color along the river cypress.
Pack Warm evening layer and footwear for limestone trails.
Cool to cold and quiet, with January lows around 37.
Pack Insulation for camp and flexible plans around cold fronts.
The Frio River
2.9 miles of clear, cold river through the park: swim, tube, paddle, or fish (no license needed from shore inside the park).
Old Baldy
The short, steep scramble up the park's signature hill for the classic Frio Canyon view. Loose limestone makes footwear matter.
Summer jukebox dances
Since the 1940s, summer evenings end with a jukebox dance at the CCC-built pavilion. Arrive early; lots fill and gates can close by 8:30 p.m.
Put the access rule first: shuttle, parking, timed-entry, or reservation windows should decide the order of the day. For one day in Garner State Park, make The Frio River the non-negotiable, add Old Baldy only if the first stop runs clean, and keep Summer jukebox dances as the flexible finish.
Turn Garner's conditions into water, pack, and sleep-system decisions.
Build around conditions
Let season, elevation, and weather set the plan.
Plan your trip
4 quick tools, already seeded for Garner State Park. Tune the numbers around temperature swings, footing, layers, and how much margin the route needs.
Start with the gear decisions this park changes: footing, weather, camping, and water.
Kit Authority
Garner State Park packing list
0 of 22 packed. Check items as you pack, then take this list to the store, trailhead, or campsite.
Pack planning
Use this as a constraint check while you are still shaping the trip. The active checklist becomes useful once your route, dates, and sleep plan are set.
Checklist mode
22 items, grouped for the trip you are actually taking.
The buying guides that match what Garner asks of your kit, with our current top picks across budget and use case.
Inside the park, choose between campsites, screened shelters, and historic CCC cabins, all booked through Texas State Parks. Outside, Concan's river-cabin market sits minutes away, with Leakey and Uvalde adding motels. In-park is worth the reservation fight: day visitors can be turned away at capacity while campers are already inside.
Camping reservations
Texas Parks and Wildlife runs reservations on a rolling five-month window, and Garner is the state's most reserved overnight park. Summer weekends, spring break, and holidays go almost immediately.
Reviewed June 8, 2026
Booking window
Texas State Parks reservations open on a rolling window five months ahead. Book online through the Texas reservation system or by phone at (512) 389-8900, and reserve day-use passes too because the park often reaches capacity.
Where to book or verify
Official TPWD page with fees, hours, alerts, and facility links.
Official reservation path for camping, shelters, cabins, and day-use passes.
Check for federal campground, backcountry, tour, and permit inventory tied to this park.
Campgrounds to know
Build the arrival around the reservation.
Entry windows, permit pickups, and drive time should be checked before the itinerary gets crowded.
Getting there
Arrival note
Garner sits on the Frio River near Concan in the western Hill Country.
Fly in
San Antonio International is the practical airport, roughly an hour and a half east.
Car strategy
A car is required, and on summer days an early arrival or a pre-booked day pass is the difference between swimming and being turned away at the gate.
Pair this with lodging: choose the base that keeps the reservation or permit pickup from becoming the hardest part of the day.
Texas State Parks reservations open on a rolling window five months in advance. Garner is the most reserved park in the system, so summer weekends and holidays should be booked the morning the window opens.
Yes, regularly. TPWD says the park often reaches capacity and highly recommends reserving day passes online or by phone before visiting, especially Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Day entry is $8 per person for ages 13 and up, free for children 12 and under. Camping, shelters, and cabins carry separate nightly rates booked through the Texas reservation system.
A summer tradition dating to the 1940s: nightly jukebox dances at the CCC-built concession pavilion. Arrive early, because parking fills and gates can close as early as 8:30 p.m. on dance nights.