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BLANCO STATE PARK
Blanco, Texas

The Park that Nearly Wasn’t

Off U.S. 281 in Blanco

Blanco State Park Area Hotels:
Johnson City Hotels
Fredericksburg Hotels

Blanco River in Blanco State Park
Photo courtesy Sarah Reveley, 2006

Blanco State Park

"This is a small but very nice park, plenty of space for all kinds of activities, RVs or plain old day trippers. When you cross the river you drive up the hill into an RV area with lots of beautiful tree-filled campsites and excellent facilities, even some cabins for rent."

- Sarah Reveley, February 04, 2008

Blanco State Park Swimming Hole
Photo courtesy Sarah Reveley, 2006

"In the 1960s Blanco State Park was nearly taken off the rolls due to poor attendance. It my be a State Park to you and me, but it’s also a city park to Blanco, being a mere two blocks from the town square.

Built as a CCC project in 1934, most of the rock used in the two dams and pavilion were from rock walls built by pioneer families.

Besides swimming, fishing is popular here as well, with the Parks and Wildlife Department releasing rainbow trout each winter. Take a dip in the river, and explore the town."

From Swimming to Mexico by John Troesser

"The 110-acre state park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1934. The Blanco River cascades over small dams with grassy slopes on one side, while the other bank is rockier and wooded. The river bottom is limestone, hence the name Blanco (white), and makes the water very clear and pretty, like a man-made swimming pool. You can access the river via ladders on either side of the dam. Swimming and tubing are popular, and camping, picnicking, a children's play area, hiking and concessions are available. The river is swift and shallow, but perfect for distance swimmers with more than 1,000 feet of uninterrupted length. This is sort of a plain park with sloping banks lined with willow and oak trees, but is quite scenic. You can rent tubes, canoes and boats. The Town Creek Nature Trail connects the state park to a square downtown."

- Excerpted from Blanco River / "Splash Across Texas" by Chandra Beal

Fishing in Blanco State Park in Blanco
Photo courtesy Sarah Reveley, 2006

The Dam
Photo courtesy Sarah Reveley, 2006

Geese watching in Blanco State Park in Blanco
Photo courtesy Sarah Reveley, 2006
See Texas Birds

More geese
Photo courtesy Sarah Reveley, 2006

Blanco River in Blanco State Park
Photo courtesy Sarah Reveley, 2006

TX Blanco State Park tree roots by the river

Tree roots by the river
Photo courtesy Sarah Reveley, 2006

Blanco River in Blanco
Photo courtesy Sarah Reveley, 2006

Blanco River, Blanco State Park, Blanco Texas

Blanco River and Dam in Blanco
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2005

The CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp) stone arch bridge in Blanco
Downstream and across the Blanco River from Blanco State Park
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, December 2007
More Texas Bridges

Blanco State Park Information

830-833-4333
Park website:
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/blanco/

Blanco State Park Area Towns

Two blocks from Blanco town square
14 Miles S of Johnson City
33 miles SE of Fredericksburg
50 Miles SW of Austin

Blanco Area Hotels

Johnson City Hotels ›
Fredericksburg Hotels ›
Austin Hotels ›
More Hotels ›

A Trip to Blanco State Park

Swimming to Mexico - Blanco State Park is included in "Swimming to Mexico", our visitors's guide to Hill Country waterholes between Austin and Del Rio

More Texas State Parks | Texas Rivers

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