Stephen F. Austin State Park & San Felipe State Historic Site

This is beautiful park on the banks of Brazos River just under an hour west of Houston via I-10. We have a state park pass so entrance is included in the membership. We have visited this park twice, once in the summer and once in the winter, and both times the park was a great escape. It is a popular spot for campers so if you are hoping to disappear into the woods for a couple of hours, you won't be able to do that here. There are plenty of well maintained trails that are easy, especially if you have little kids, and you can still enjoy some good views of the Brazos river. There is a golf course next to the park as well and we saw plenty of deer roaming. Pictures were taken in the first week for February 2026.

Beautiful park. Had a wonderful time hiking with my dog. Well maintained and lots of wildlife.

I generally enjoyed this park on a day trip. Most of the trails were closed due to wind damage unfortunately but the park and trails were well maintained. The east side of the park is extremely adjacent to what appears to be a golf course or manicured yard; it runs along the east trail only 30-50 feet away and certainly ruins any feeling of remoteness. The other trails were not similarly affected. Despite how close it is to many road ways, no traffic could be heard within the park which is a great thing.

What a lovely park! We only had a chance to explore one area, and while we didn’t get up close to any water, there are definitely some nice water views and potentially spots to get closer within the park. We paid less than $10 for both my husband and me, which was a great deal! There are camping grounds available, which is fantastic. There’s an area for both tents and RVs, and I’m really looking forward to bringing our trailer one day. The little section we explored had some charming hidden gems. The park was surprisingly uncrowded, we only ran into a handful of people on the trail we chose. We can’t wait to come back!

This is a beautiful very well kept park. We hiked the trails and the scenery was beautiful. It was so peaceful, full of plenty of shade, and tons of turns and inclines. The staff is so nice and helpful. I recommend grabbing a map at the front office upon arrival. The ladies are so nice and will mark all the go to spots on the map for you. There are tons of benches on the trail to sit in rest, restrooms, bike trails, and camping grounds. The park doesn’t open until 8am, getting there early is better for beating the crowds. Your day pass is $5 you can purchase it online or at the office. I purchased ours online. I highly recommend visiting this park. It is an amazing experience and brings you peace walking through nature. Just beautiful!