TX State ParksAn independent field guide

Albert & Bessie Kronkosky State Natural Area

State natural area in Bandera County, in the Hill Country region. 3,794 acres.

Future entrance to the Albert and Bessie Kronkosky State Natural Area in Bandera County, Texas, United States.
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Albert & Bessie Kronkosky State Natural Area is a 3,794-acre former ranch in the Hill Country near Pipe Creek. It isn't open to the public yet. The Kronkoskys willed the land to the state to protect it from development, and TPWD accepted it in 2011. When it opens, TPWD plans camping, backpacking, hiking and limited mountain biking.

Things to do

What lives here

Rare or endangered species on the property include the golden-cheeked warbler, alligator lizard, sycamore-leaf snowbell, bigtooth maple, Boerne bean and Texas spring salamander.

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

TPWD doesn't list swimming for this park.

Getting there

7754 State Highway 46
Pipe Creek, TX 78063
(830) 535-4896

Open in OpenStreetMap (29.7403, -98.8381)

From the nearest cities in this guide
FromApprox. driveStraight line
San Antonio47 min27 mi
Austin2 hr 7 min75 mi
Corpus Christi3 hr 52 min170 mi
Waco3 hr 55 min159 mi
Houston4 hr 15 min207 mi
The Woodlands4 hr 35 min201 mi
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Nearby parks

  1. Government Canyon State Natural Area14 miles away. $6 per adult, kids 12 and under free.
  2. Honey Creek State Natural Area20 miles away. $2 per adult, kids 12 and under free.
  3. Guadalupe River State Park21 miles away. $7 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.
  4. Hill Country State Natural Area22 miles away. $6 per adult, kids 12 and under free.
  5. Old Tunnel State Park25 miles away. Free entry.

Straight-line distance. See every park in the Hill Country.

Questions people ask

Is Kronkosky State Natural Area open?

Not yet. TPWD is still developing the site.

Photo credits

Sources

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

  1. TPWD: Albert & Bessie Kronkosky State Natural Area, 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 GIS Lab: Regional Divisions for Travel and Tourism Planning, retrieved October 14, 2026
  5. TPWD: Albert & Bessie Kronkosky State Natural Area history, retrieved October 14, 2026
  6. TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), retrieved October 14, 2026
  7. OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (approximate drive times), retrieved October 14, 2026
  8. Wikimedia Commons (photos), retrieved October 14, 2026