TX State ParksAn independent field guide

Abilene State Park

State park in Taylor County, in the Panhandle Plains region. Established 1933. 529 acres.

Buffalo Wallow, a spring-fed pond in Abilene State Park , Texas, United States is a popular spot for fishing, birding, and wildlife viewing.
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Abilene State Park sits on the shady banks of Elm Creek, 16 miles southwest of Abilene. The Civilian Conservation Corps built its historic swimming pool, red sandstone buildings and stone water tower in the early 1930s. The pool opens each summer. You can also fish Lake Abilene and Buffalo Wallow Pond, paddle the no-wake lake, and stay in yurts, screened shelters or campsites.

Things to do

Fish and paddle

Fish Lake Abilene or Buffalo Wallow Pond, a favorite with kids. Rent a canoe or kayak from the vending machine near the lake. It's a no-wake lake, so motors stay at idle.

Ride horses

More than five miles of horse trails are on the lake side of the highway. Check in at headquarters with proof of a negative Coggins test.

A male northern cardinal ( Cardinalis cardinalis ) at the bird viewing blind in Abilene State Park , in Taylor County, Texas, United States.
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
Lake Abilene from Abilene State Park in Taylor County, Texas, United States.
Photo: mr_t_77 from WV, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
Lake Abilene from Abilene State Park in Taylor County, Texas, United States.
Photo: mr_t_77 from WV, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0

Trails

Trails listed by TPWD, with its own distances and ratings.

TrailDistanceDifficulty
Abilene Dam Road3.5 miModerate
Bird Blind Trail0.3 miEasy
Legacy Trail0.2 miEasy
Buffalo Wallow Nature Trail0.2 miEasy
Connecting Trail0.1 miEasy
Eagle Trail0.2 miEasy (ADA Accessible)
Elm Creek Nature Trail0.9 miEasy
Oak Grove Trail0.2 miEasy

Source: TPWD trail list. TPWD doesn’t list trail surfaces. Printable trail map (PDF).

Camping

Choose tent or RV sites, screened shelters, a cabin, or yurts for four or six people.

Site typeSitesSleepsPer night
Full Hookup CampsitesFull hookup38$24
Campsites with Electricity (Brushy Trail or Oak Grove Area)Water and electric158$20
Campsites with Electricity (Pecan Grove Area)Water and electric208$15
Campsites with Electricity (Group Trailer Area)Group178$12
Campsites with Electricity (Tent Only)Water and electric28$15
Campsites with Water (Tents Only)Tent sites with water128$12
Screened SheltersScreened shelters48$18
Yurts (Four-person)Lodging64$50
Yurt (Six-person)Lodging16$75
CabinCabins14$75

Nightly rates are on top of the daily entrance fee. Book a site with Texas State Parks reservations, or call (512) 389-8900.

Visiting with dogs

Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than 6 feet. Like every Texas state park, they can't go into park buildings or designated swimming areas.

Swimming

The CCC-built pool is open each summer. You can also swim in the lake at your own risk. There are no lifeguards.

Best time to go

Busy season
March through November
January low
31°F
July high
95°F
Night sky
Bortle 4

TPWD lists March through November as the busy season and says the park often reaches capacity. The pool opens in summer, when the July average high is 95°F.

Averages and busy season from TPWD. The Bortle scale runs from 1 (darkest sky) to 9 (inner city).

Getting there

150 Park Road 32
Tuscola, TX 79562
(325) 572-3204

Open in OpenStreetMap (32.2407, -99.8791)

From the nearest cities in this guide
FromApprox. driveStraight line
Midland2 hr 50 min132 mi
Lubbock3 hr 4 min148 mi
Fort Worth3 hr 7 min152 mi
Dallas3 hr 45 min185 mi
Waco3 hr 56 min165 mi
Austin4 hr 9 min184 mi
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Nearby parks

  1. Lake Brownwood State Park56 miles away. $5 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.
  2. Lake Colorado City State Park62 miles away. $4 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.
  3. San Angelo State Park65 miles away. $4 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.
  4. Palo Pinto Mountains State Park80 miles away. $7 per adult. Swimming allowed.
  5. Possum Kingdom State Park88 miles away. $4 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.

Straight-line distance. See every park in the Panhandle Plains.

Questions people ask

Does Abilene State Park have a swimming pool?

Yes. The historic pool, built by the CCC in the early 1930s, opens each summer.

Can you rent a yurt at Abilene State Park?

Yes. There are four-person yurts and one six-person yurt.

How far is Abilene State Park from Abilene?

About 16 miles southwest of the city.

Photo credits

Sources

Last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, hours and rules change; the official TPWD page for Abilene has current alerts and closures.

  1. TPWD: Abilene State Park, retrieved October 14, 2026
  2. TPWD state parks map (amenities, contact), retrieved October 14, 2026
  3. TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Public Areas, retrieved October 14, 2026
  4. TPWD: Bortle ratings by region, retrieved October 14, 2026
  5. TPWD: Abilene State Park campsites, retrieved October 14, 2026
  6. TPWD: Abilene State Park screened shelters, retrieved October 14, 2026
  7. TPWD: Abilene State Park cabins and lodging, retrieved October 14, 2026
  8. TPWD: Abilene State Park trails, retrieved October 14, 2026
  9. TPWD: Abilene State Park history, retrieved October 14, 2026
  10. TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), retrieved October 14, 2026
  11. Wikipedia: List of Texas state parks, retrieved October 14, 2026
  12. OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (approximate drive times), retrieved October 14, 2026
  13. Wikimedia Commons (photos), retrieved October 14, 2026