TX State ParksAn independent field guide

Bear Creek State Park

State park in Uvalde County, in the Hill Country region. 1,727 acres by TPWD boundary data.

Enjoying the warm weather by playing at Bear Creek State Park on 2/12/2017. beach Bear Creek Lake State Park info: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/bear-
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Bear Creek State Park is one of Texas' newest state parks, in the Balcones Canyonlands near Concan. It isn't open yet. TPWD says the first public access, through public hunts, guided hikes or special events, is planned for fall 2026, so check the park's events page.

Things to do

What lives here

Endangered golden-cheeked warblers nest in the woodlands, and bobwhite and other grassland birds use the savannas.

Enjoying the warm weather by playing at Bear Creek State Park on 2/12/2017. beach Bear Creek Lake State Park info: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/bear-
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Bear Creek Lake State Park in April 2020
Photo: Crazyblocks, CC0

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

P.O. Box 30
Concan, TX 78838

Open in OpenStreetMap (29.5555, -99.6832)

From the nearest cities in this guide
FromApprox. driveStraight line
San Antonio2 hr 5 min70 mi
Austin3 hr 36 min126 mi
Corpus Christi4 hr 59 min197 mi
Waco5 hr 21 min203 mi
Houston5 hr 25 min258 mi
The Woodlands5 hr 45 min254 mi
Map of Texas showing where Bear Creek isAbilene State ParkAlbert & Bessie Kronkosky State Natural AreaAtlanta State ParkBalmorhea State ParkBarton Warnock Visitor CenterBastrop State ParkBear Creek State ParkBentsen-Rio Grande Valley State ParkBig Bend Ranch State ParkBig Spring State ParkBlanco State ParkBonham State ParkBrazos Bend State ParkBuescher State ParkCaddo Lake State ParkCaprock Canyons State Park & TrailwayCedar Hill State ParkChinati Mountains State Natural AreaChoke Canyon State ParkCleburne State ParkColorado Bend State ParkCooper State ParkCopper Breaks State ParkDaingerfield State ParkDavis Mountains State ParkDevil's Sinkhole State Natural AreaDevils River State Natural AreaDinosaur Valley State ParkEisenhower State ParkEnchanted Rock State Natural AreaEstero Llano Grande State ParkFalcon State ParkFort Boggy State ParkFort Leaton State Historic SiteFort Parker State ParkFort Richardson State Park, Historic Site & Lost Creek Reservoir State TrailwayFranklin Mountains State ParkGalveston Island State ParkGarner State ParkGoliad State Park & Historic SiteGoose Island State ParkGovernment Canyon State Natural AreaGuadalupe River State ParkHill Country State Natural AreaHoney Creek State Natural AreaHueco Tanks State Park & Historic SiteHuntsville State ParkIndian LodgeInks Lake State ParkKickapoo Cavern State ParkLake Arrowhead State ParkLake Bob Sandlin State ParkLake Brownwood State ParkLake Casa Blanca International State ParkLake Colorado City State ParkLake Corpus Christi State ParkLake Livingston State ParkLake Mineral Wells State Park & TrailwayLake Somerville State Park & TrailwayLake Tawakoni State ParkLake Whitney State ParkLockhart State ParkLonghorn Cavern State ParkLost Maples State Natural AreaLyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic SiteMartin Creek Lake State ParkMartin Dies, Jr. State ParkMcKinney Falls State ParkMeridian State ParkMission Tejas State ParkMonahans Sandhills State ParkMother Neff State ParkMustang Island State ParkOld Tunnel State ParkPalmetto State ParkPalo Duro Canyon State ParkPalo Pinto Mountains State ParkPedernales Falls State ParkPossum Kingdom State ParkPost Oak Ridge State ParkPowderhorn State ParkPurtis Creek State ParkRay Roberts Lake State ParkResaca de la Palma State ParkSan Angelo State ParkSea Rim State ParkSeminole Canyon State Park & Historic SiteSheldon Lake State Park & Environmental Learning CenterSouth Llano River State ParkStephen F. Austin State ParkTyler State ParkVillage Creek State ParkWyler Aerial Tramway

Nearby parks

  1. Garner State Park5 miles away. $8 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.
  2. Lost Maples State Natural Area19 miles away. $6 per adult, kids 12 and under free.
  3. Hill Country State Natural Area31 miles away. $6 per adult, kids 12 and under free.
  4. Devil's Sinkhole State Natural Area45 miles away.
  5. Kickapoo Cavern State Park46 miles away. $3 per adult, kids 12 and under free.

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

Questions people ask

When does Bear Creek State Park open?

TPWD plans first public access, through guided hikes, public hunts or special events, in fall 2026.

Photo credits

Sources

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

  1. TPWD: Bear Creek 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 GIS Lab: Regional Divisions for Travel and Tourism Planning, retrieved October 14, 2026
  5. TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), retrieved October 14, 2026
  6. TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Boundaries (area computed from boundary), 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