Colorado Bend State Park

A few weeks ago we took the two hour drive north up 183 and through Lampasas to Colorado Bend State Park. The namesake of this park is a beautiful portion of the Colorado River as it cuts through canyons in the Hill Country. It's the river's last free flowing stretch before it heads into the Texas Highland Lakes. Colorado Bend State Park is kind of like a time capsule, a freeze frame of what the river looked like before those dams and lakes were constructed.

The park land, located on what used to be the Gorman and Lemons ranches above Lake Buchanan, was purchased by Texas Parks and Wildlife in 1984 and 1987. Colorado Bend State Park was opened to the public in 1987.

A wide and varying display of Texas Hill Country geography can be found at Colorado Bend. The camping areas are at the base of the limestone canyons that the river cuts through. Pristine, untouched Hill Country flora crown the top levels of the park. Creeks and waterfalls dot the landscape. Fishing is popular here -- striped bass, crappie, catfish, and a springtime white bass run.

Overall, the park was a little bit more primitive than some of the other parks we've visited so far. While they were spread out, the campsites weren't as private as those found in Buescher or Bastrop, and few had shade. The bathrooms were composting bathrooms, which is to say they didn't have running water. I don't think the park had shower facilities available. There was a park store near the campgrounds that sold camping essentials, firewood, ice, and souvenirs.

Setting Up Camp

We got to Colorado Bend a little after noon. Our camping spot was a great little patch nestled in the shade of a huge tree. There was ample space for the two tents that our party brought, and the tree's thick, sturdy branches gave us the perfect spot to hang up a triangle of hammocks. The campsite also had a picnic table, a hanging hook for our trash bag, and a fire pit.

This camping trip was a special one. Not only was it my birthday weekend but we also invited Chris and Natalie, a couple friends that we hadn't seen in over a year because of the pandemic lockdown. Now with vaccines going around and the occasion being an outdoor trip with lots of room to spread out, it felt safe, or at least like a gathering with a manageable level of risk. Those two are awesome camping partners. They have two fantastic dogs (Fox and Ludo), a ton of gear, and they appreciate time spent outside as much as we do. This trip was as much a weekend getaway as an awesome opportunity to catch up with friends that we had felt isolated from across the gulf of this difficult year.

After setting up our tent, Tessa and I walked around the campground area, checking out the river, the large birds on the cliffs, and the layouts of other campsites. The weather was beautiful -- sunny in the low 70s. After goofing off by the river we came back to camp and had sandwiches for lunch. Chris and Natalie got to the park sometime around 5:00. We helped them load in, and then after they set up we hung out, chatted, and made charcuterie and dinner around the fire -- hot dogs heated over the coals and salad with goat cheese and sun dried tomatoes.

Gorman Falls Hike

The next morning was my birthday. We made breakfast at camp (potato and egg tacos), then set out to hike to Gorman Falls. This is the park's most popular hike, and with good reason. The falls are pretty and lush, but the hike there and back is fairly challenging. It was over three miles on a rocky path that wound through dense patches of prickly pear cactus with little shade. The last stretch of the trail heading into the waterfall viewing area is down a steep, rocky descent. The path here is worn very smooth. Even on a dry day it was difficult at times to climb down, I couldn't imagine if there had been any rain or drizzle.

But the waterfall was super pretty! Lots of moss and greenery. It's impressive that something like this is tucked away in such an isolated spot.

It got to be pretty hot after we finished the hike that morning, so we soon all packed up and headed back to Austin. I can't wait to go back to Colorado Bend State Park. It seems there are a lot of little trails we didn't get to hike this time, as well as swimming, and even some caves to explore.

But this weekend was really nice. From getting out into nature, cooking some delicious food over a campfire, hanging out with a couple friends and their awesome dogs, doing a beautiful and challenging hike, and continuing to build these memories with my awesome partner, I simply couldn't have asked for a better birthday.