Are you ready to hear about the best-kept secret in Austin? Read on to learn all about the great time we had swimming and hiking at Tejas Camp in Liberty Hill.
We wanted to hike someplace along the water, preferably somewhere we could go for a swim, too. I had heard of Tejas Camp before, and it came highly recommended, so we drove up to Liberty Hill to check it out. The trail starts right next to the bathrooms before you go through the actual campsites.
We saw a family trying to get going in their canoes when we first approached the water. The is plenty of space here, so we weren’t worried about social distancing at all. We waded through the shallow water for a while, spotting a turtle and lots of minnows.
When the water started to get a little deeper, my husband and I took our toddler back up to the hiking path, while we let our older boys wade/swim more in the water below us.
We got to a flatter area that’s perfect for setting out a picnic blanket and putting your things down while you swim for a bit. There wasn’t any shade, so if you go on a hot day, keep that in mind! An umbrella would have been nice, or even just some hats! It was quite hot already at 10:30 a.m., but that made the water feel even more refreshing and enjoyable.
The big boys swam for a long time while I helped my toddler chase minnows in the shallower, flatter section. Keep in mind, things were pretty slippery on the rocks and I had to hold his hand most of the time. When the big boys got out, we had our lunch and they helped try to catch a minnow for our toddler. No one succeeded at this—a little toy net would be great for next time!
After our lunch, we waded farther down the water for a while until we found a great spot to stop again. This time, we built rock towers and skipped stones.
After a while, we decided to head back home (it was hot and the baby needed a nap). We found a path heading up the hill along the river bank, which led us to the hiking trail. As we hiked the trail back to the car, we caught glimpses of the campground. It looks like many spots are situated right along the trail, and those spots had little paths heading down the hill straight to the water. It would be so much fun to camp here and have water access like this!
Austin Active Kids Opinion
This place is amazing! It’s less crowded than most of the other popular watering holes in Austin, and it is big enough to not be concerned about social distancing. We will definitely be back!
Outing Time
We were only there for a couple of hours, but if you wanted to, you could definitely spend even longer here.
Reminders
Don’t forget to bring your sunscreen, hats, coolers for food and drinks, water, floats, fishing poles, chairs, canoes, rafts, and kayaks. Hiking here is free, and you can camp for a fee. Restrooms are right next to the parking area at the beginning of the hike down to the water.
What else should I know?
The rocks are slippery in some spots, so a good water/hiking shoe is recommended. Also, shade is nonexistent, so bring an umbrella, a canopy, or even a sun hat if you come on a hot day! Bring a little net if you have kids who like to catch bugs/minnows.
Hours
Gates open at 7 a.m. and close at 10 p.m.
Location
4560 Co Rd 258, Liberty Hill
