colorado bend state park

The walk-in camping area was great. Not quite as close to the water as I expected, but definitely preferable to the drive-up camping. Plenty of space for each section so it's not overly crowded. The hike to Gorman Falls, the park's primary attraction was an easy one. There are many more miles of hiking available, but I did not have an opportunity to explore those (yet!).

This state park is awesome. We've done a couple hikes and they were very nice. I recommend doing the Spicewood Canyon Trail and then looping back on the Spicewood Springs Trail. You've got to go all the way in to the park and you'll see the two trails at the southeast corner there - here's a link to a map of the place: (http://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/park_maps/pwd_mp_p4507_140.pdf)Anyway, the benefit of doing it this way is you get to go up along the canyon trail and look down into the little creek and then on your way back you walk along the river and it's nice to cool off and take frequent dips in the creek.

I have been going to Colorado Bend for 5 years now... After my first visit it became my favorite park in the Texas park system and I visit multiple times a year, especially after a good rain. There are drive in camp sites, short walk, and hike in camp sites. You cannot build a fire at the hike in sites, but the others have fire rings and picnic tables. If there has been good rain the falls are amazing and it's fun to kayak and fish. Even if the rain has been a little low, the spring fed swimming hole at spicewood is usually still flowing and full. The restrooms are primitive, compostable toilets with no running water. The only shower is an outdoor one to rinse off with, and there are a few potable water spigots around as well... But the primitiveness of this park is a large part of its appeal in my opinion.The hiking trails are great and there are several caves around the park that you can schedule a tour of... From easy to challenging. I have seen lots of deer, turkeys, raccoons, beavers, vultures, porcupines, armadillos, wild pigs, frogs, bats, and other wildlife here. Plan your trip during a new moon to see amazing stars at night. Call ahead to see if there is a burn ban or not (happens more during summer droughts).This is a magical place in the spring!

My family and our pup went here strictly to hike. We went with the intent to see Gorman Falls. There had been a couple of inches of rain a few days earlier so we were hopeful to see some running water. The hike was easy to moderately easy for us all (except the pup; we carried her 1/2 way so she wouldn't over heat). The last 100 yards or so are very steep. There are cables along the steps to hold on to as you climb down towards the falls. I would not recommend this area for an elderly person. Small children will probably have to be carried. Overall though there was just enough water for a waterfall. To hear it and see the mist reminded me of some larger ones in Hawaii. I loved seeing the vibrant color of the moss on the side of the cliff. A beautiful sight for sure. I just wish my pictures did the falls some justice. Lots of dogs on the trails and very pet friendly. We walked a very short distance from the falls to the river and took a few pictures. For a 70 degree day, the breeze off the water was a welcome. We then visited the store on the other side of the park and purchased a geocache pathtag. The clerks were helpful and provided us with the coordinates of the parks' caches, as internet reception was null. We then visited some picnic tables, had a quick lunch and found our way back to the Colorado River. We never saw any deer but did see a ton of tracks and poop :)Overall, it was a beautiful day trip. For those that complained there was little water coming down the falls when they visited, the park is not to blame. Obviously it all rests on Him above us so I'd recommend watching the weather and trying to go after a good rain.Remote location so make sure you pack snacks, water, sunscreen, etc.

Deep in the Hill Country and away from all civilazation is what makes this Texas State park a great place to stay. Cool river water, Gorman water falls, caving and hiking are the best in Texas.

My friend brought me camping here and I must say...when he said primitive I expected much less. It was surprising that there were restrooms! The ranger was very nice in helping us pick a campsite. The one we picked was right next to a babbling brook off the river. Where we were the river was hard to access, but we got to it nonetheless. Gorman Falls was absolutely gorgeous. This was my first camping experience and it surpassed my expectations. Amazing..

fully transparent water to swim in! multiple hiking spots and amazing riverside camping locations. i hiked two trails mid summer not such a great idea but bring lots of drinks and food.

Sydney M.Thank you for taking the time to let us know about your recent visit to Colorado Bend State Park.We are disappointed to hear that you did not enjoy your trip.The river is very low due to drought conditions, which makes it hard to view from the campsites. It sounds like you chose one of the Walk-In campsites. As you noticed, each site is placed in such a way to provide some privacy and shade. A picnic table, fire ring, and lantern holder are provided for each marked site. We also offer drive up sites which provide a different experience. And of course the backpack sites will provide even more solitude. Colorado Bend is a primitive park, which is one of its greatest appeals to most visitors. You do not get loud crowds. Sitting down in the evening at one the campsites provides a beautiful view of the sunset and the colors which dance upon the river canyon wall. None of our sites have electricity or water. And as you mentioned, we do not offered private showers.In our opinion, the pictures you see online do a disservice to the experience of the real thing. We hope that you come back in the future and allow us to help plan your stay. We can recommend the perfect campsite that suits your preference. We can also point you to the highlights of the park. I do believe that all of your concerns could have been nullified if you knew what to expect.Were you able to do any hiking? The true treasures of the park are not seen from the road or the campground.Thanks again for your feedback. Please let us know what we can do to make your next visit more memorable.Colorado Bend State Park

We are on a mission to see more of the great Texas scenery. This park is out of the way, but worth a visit. The hike to see Gorman falls is about 3 miles round trip, and the last 100 yards or so is steep and a little slippery, but they do have cables to hang on for support. It's fun. Wish we had been camping or had more time.

We camped at Colorado State Park and we were excited about the hike to see the waterfall. The hike wasn't too bad until right at the very end it got a little scary with my 9 year old having to hold on to cable railing to make it down safely. Once down at the bottom you can't really see the waterfall. The picture I uploaded is right in front of the falls and there is a big tree in the way. It is really neat you can see the moss and things but, I'm not sure how people are getting the pictures they are. I brought my large camera to make sure I could get a good shot and was disappointed. The area is sensitive so you are not supposed to go off the path and I didn't so maybe that is how people are getting better pictures. We did hike to the spring which to me was much better to look at and get pictures. The camping was more primitive than I am used to no sinks in the bathroom to wash your hands so make sure you bring some soap. The toilets are just holes in the ground too. There were quite a few deer grazing near our campsite which was nice. We were woken up by peoples dogs barking at 7:00am so I would suggest getting there early to get a more secluded campsite.

If you are up for a fairly rugged hike that is about 3 mile round trip, you will be rewarded with beautiful green oasis in hidden Bend, Texas. This waterfall is a pleasant surprise and I highly recommend it to hikers and photographers. I don't recommend this hike for people with mobility issues or small children as the return trip is uphill and fairly strenuous and rocky.

This place is amazing! There are so many trails to choose from and so many beautiful things to see. There are the spring fed pools that stay cool all summer, the 200 foot tourmaline waterfall, wildlife, and cave adventures. They also provide kayak rentals for the river, and I've been told that the fishing is pretty good too.

This place is beautiful and the deer are very tame so you can get a lot of good pictures, this part of Texas has more White tailed deer then any other part of the state, the people who run the place are very friendly and the bathrooms are very clean, we spent some time here on the way back from Fort Hood and did not have our kayaks with us but they do have some awesome sit on top kayaks for rent at the head quarters. We will be back this fall to do some paddling and camping. We saw many deer and a fox and some armadillos at the camp sites that over look the Colorado River, my brother spent a weekend here camping and kayaking and he loved it here too.

Perfect little swimming hole not a far walk from our camp site!! Plenty of space in between campsites. We camped right on the river so the sound of the river cascades was peaceful. That said, at our particular campsite we couldn't pull our car close to us so we had to walk up and down these steep stairs to get our equipment out of the car. The water faucet access and bathroom facilities were also up these steep steps! There was also no internet access, which isn't bad if you are looking for spending some time in nature.

This is a moderate 4 mile hike over mostly rocky and hilly terrain. The popular spring fed swimming hole will refresh you with its cool waters which one of the my hiking members says reaches at least 10 feet deep on the opposite side. There are numerous overlooks with awesome views of the river. We even saw evidence of beaver activity. I'd like to return for the Gorman Falls tour. Check in and get your permit at the entrance or at the Ranger station near the trailhead which takes at least 20+ minutes to drive to. Road construction is going on but it's still mostly gravel.