TX State ParksAn independent field guide

Pedernales Falls State Park

State park in Blanco County, in the Hill Country region. Established 1971. 5,212 acres.

Pedernales river flows over limestone and creates these cascading falls , located near Johnson City, Texas.
Photo: Aleksomber, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

At Pedernales Falls, the Pedernales River drops over wide steps of layered limestone, about 30 miles west of Austin. You can swim, wade, tube and fish in the river, but not at the falls. The river can rise from a placid stream to a raging torrent in minutes; if the water starts rising or turns muddy, get out of the river area.

Things to do

See the falls

The 0.5-mile Twin Falls Nature Trail has a scenic overlook above the falls.

Hike Wolf Mountain

The Wolf Mountain Trail wraps around Tobacco and Wolf mountains and runs along the small canyons of Mescal and Tobacco creeks. TPWD lists the loop at 3.2 miles, or 5.5 miles round trip.

Mountain bike Juniper Ridge

Juniper Ridge is about 10 miles of technical singletrack for advanced riders.

Paddle the river

Tube, canoe or kayak, putting in at the swimming area or at Trammell's Crossing. Put-ins and take-outs aren't allowed in the falls area.

Pedernales Falls State Park in 2022
Photo: Alexander Hatley, CC BY 2.0
Just the slightest of red starting to come through on these cypress trees in the middle of the Pedernales river in Pedernales Falls State Park, Texas.
Photo: Corey Leopold, CC BY 2.0
Pedernales Falls State Park in 2022
Photo: Alexander Hatley, CC BY 2.0

Trails

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

TrailDistanceDifficultyTime
Hackenburg Loop1.6 miModerate1 hr.
Twin Falls Nature Trail0.5 miModerate30 min.
Pedernales Falls Trail System0.3 - 1.6 mi.Moderate1 hr.
Cypress Mill Loop4.1 miModerate3.5 hrs.
Wolf Mountain Loop3.2 mi. (5.5 mi. round trip)Moderate3 hrs.
Jones Spring Trail2.6 miModerate1.5 hrs.
Juniper Ridge Trail9.7 miChallenging6 hrs.
Madrone Trail4.3 miModerate2.5 hrs.
Horse Trail - North2.5 miEasy1.5 hrs.
Horse Trail - South11.4 miModerate8 hrs.

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

Camping

Site typeSitesSleepsPer night
Campsites with ElectricityWater and electric698$20
Primitive Campsites (Hike-in)Primitive4$10
Group Camp (Equestrian)Group12$40

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

Swimming is allowed at the river swimming area, which you reach by a strenuous quarter-mile hike with steep rock stairs and no handrail. Swimming and wading aren't allowed in the Pedernales Falls area. There are no lifeguards.

Best time to go

Busy season
Spring, summer and fall
January low
32°F
July high
94°F
Night sky
Bortle 4

TPWD lists spring, summer and fall as the busy season. Flash floods are common in the Hill Country, and the wettest months here are May, August and September.

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

Getting there

2585 Park Road 6026
Johnson City, TX 78636
(830) 868-7304

Open in OpenStreetMap (30.3081, -98.2576)

From the nearest cities in this guide
FromApprox. driveStraight line
Austin56 min30 mi
San Antonio1 hr 33 min61 mi
Waco2 hr 48 min107 mi
Houston3 hr 48 min175 mi
The Woodlands3 hr 56 min164 mi
Fort Worth4 hr 17 min179 mi
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Nearby parks

  1. Blanco State Park18 miles away. $5 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.
  2. Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site23 miles away. Free entry. Swimming allowed.
  3. Longhorn Cavern State Park27 miles away.
  4. Inks Lake State Park31 miles away. $7 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.
  5. McKinney Falls State Park33 miles away. $6 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.

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

Questions people ask

Can you swim at Pedernales Falls?

Yes, at the river swimming area, a strenuous quarter-mile hike in. Swimming and wading are not allowed at the falls themselves.

How far is Pedernales Falls from Austin?

About 56 minutes by car, based on OpenStreetMap routing.

How much does Pedernales Falls State Park cost?

Day-use entry is $6 per adult, and kids 12 and under get in free.

Photo credits

Sources

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

  1. TPWD: Pedernales Falls 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: Pedernales Falls State Park campsites, retrieved October 14, 2026
  6. TPWD: Pedernales Falls State Park trails, retrieved October 14, 2026
  7. TPWD: Pedernales Falls State Park history, retrieved October 14, 2026
  8. TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), retrieved October 14, 2026
  9. Wikipedia: List of Texas state parks, retrieved October 14, 2026
  10. OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (approximate drive times), retrieved October 14, 2026
  11. Wikimedia Commons (photos), retrieved October 14, 2026