6 Summer Staycation Ideas in Dallas and Surroundings
Beaches, waterfalls, drive-thru safaris and more near Dallas. Discover 6 superb ways to spend a hot summer day in and around DFW!
Category: Staycation
14 Texas State Parks near Dallas Fort Worth
Stunning nature preserves up to 1h30 from DFW to enjoy the outdoors
Discover the closest Texas State Parks to Dallas for hiking, camping and everything in between!
“I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees.”
― Henry David Thoreau
Texas State Parks: the best places for a nature fix in the Lone Star State
Texas is home to over 80 State Parks!
Amazing natural preserves with unique landscapes and features, perfect to enjoy the outdoors and contemplate nature and wildlife.
Texas State Parks are protected areas managed by the government, with controlled access, and feel safe, clean, and well-maintained. They are my first choice whenever I feel like getting a breath of fresh air and using my hiking boots!
At Texas State Parks you can hike, camp, stargaze, fish, swim. And engage in more specific activities, such as rock climbing, paddling, cycling and even horseback riding.
Each Texas State Park offers a distinctive set of activities, and the best way to discover your favorite ones is by simply start exploring them!
Texas State Parks around Dallas
No need to travel far to enjoy Texas nature. The Dallas surroundings are home to 14 of the Texas State Parks, only a short drive away from the city.
Here I share with you all the State Parks within a 1h30 driving distance from Dallas. I’ve included the relative location to Dallas, as well as the driving distance, so you can find the ones closest to you and start exploring from there.
While each Texas State Park near Dallas has its own beauty and offers something different, I do have my favorites! So, if you’re looking for specific recommendations on the best State Parks in Dallas and surroundings, look for the ones marked with 
throughout this article. Or check the recommended ones (and the reasons why) at the end of it.
I’ve also included some insider tips below, so you can make the most of your visits and hopefully avoid some headaches – such as being turned away by lack of reservations 
, yep, you need them.
Read this post, click on the links to see what each State Park near Dallas offers, choose your favorites, and go enjoy the outdoors!
More outdoor things to do in and around Dallas?
Check this post, with 60 fun outdoor activities in Dallas and surroundings!
Texas State Parks up to 1h30 from Dallas
State Parks North of Dallas
Ray Roberts Lake State Park (1h00)Eisenhower State Park (1h15) Bonham State Park (1h15)
State Parks South of Dallas
📍Cedar Hill State Park (0h25)
📍Purtis Creek State Park (1h00)
📍Cleburne State Park (1h10)
📍Lake Whitney State Park (1h15)
📍Dinosaur Valley State Park (1h20)
📍Fort Parker State Park (1h25)
📍Fairfield Lake State Park (1h25)
State Parks West of Dallas
Lake Mineral Wells State Park (1h15) Fort Richardson State Park (1h30)
State Parks East of Dallas
Lake Tawakoni State Park (1h00)Tyler State Park (1h30)
Insider Tips
Make online reservations
Reservations to visit the Texas State Parks are required and should be made in advance through their online reservation system.
Plan ahead
For the most sought-after State Parks in Texas, reservations need to be made weeks in advance for day passes. And months in advance for camping spots.
Score last minute reservations
Getting last-minute reservations to visit Texas State Parks can be trick but is not impossible. Leave the “location” field blank in the Texas State Parks reservation system and search to see all State Parks with available passes for the date you wish to visit.
While you probably won’t find spots available in the most popular parks this way, you can end up scoring a last-minute reservation in a hidden gem soon to become your favorite camping or hiking spot in Texas! (I discovered some of my favorite State Parks around this way).
Check for current conditions before hitting the road
Trails, swimming areas and other State Parks facilities can close unexpectedly due to weather increment, water levels or other reasons. Other more specific limitations can be found – dinosaur footprints are not always visible at Dinosaur Valley, for example (it depends on the water levels).
It’s always a clever idea to check on current conditions before hitting the road to avoid disappointments. Along this post you find the links to each State Park website. Click on it and check the alerts in effect (at the top of the page) prior to your visit.
Get a Texas State Park Pass
If you are planning to visit State Parks frequently, getting a Texas State Park Pass just makes sense.
For USD 70.00 you (and whoever is in the car with you) gets free entrance in all Texas State Parks for one year. And you also get camping and State Park stores discounts.
Summing Up
Looking for the best places to camp, hike, and paddle around Dallas?
Try Texas State Parks!
You have 14 options to choose from up to 1h30 driving from Dallas. Each one of them with its own set of features and activities, and special in their own way.
Here we listed all of them, with the distances from the city and relative location to DFW. Use the links along to post to check what each of these amazing Texas State Parks offer and start exploring!
My favorite Texas State Parks near Dallas
Yes, they are all very cool and worth the drive. But I do have my favorite State Parks near Dallas lol! They are marked with starts along the post, but for a quick glimpse these are the ones I would highly recommend you visit and why:
Eisenhower State Park
Has a stunning lake beach (really, impressive) and an amazing camping area overlooking lake Texoma.
Dinosaur Valley State Park
Real dinosaur footprints along the riverbed! Oh, and a gorgeous crystal-clear river framed by sandy beaches. And a great trail system as well.
Lake Whitney State Park
Crystal-clear lake, with beautiful beach areas. The lake bottom is made of limestone, what prevents it from being muddy as other lakes – under the right weather conditions, of course.
Lake Mineral Wells State Parks
Top-rated trails, rock climbing and unique Penitentiary Hollow rock formation.
Tyler State Park
Tall pine trees! It’s a landscape you wouldn’t expect to find in Texas, specially so close to Dallas. The fall foliage reflecting in the lake there is beautiful. Shady trails and water activities, such as swimming and paddling, make Tyler a local favorite under the Texas heat as well.
Go enjoy the outdoors!
Enjoy nature to the fullest without going too far! In this post you discovered the 14 best places in the Dallas surroundings to do that.
Now go check them out and get back here to let me know how it was.
Have you been to any of these State Parks before? Has any of them surprised you? What are your favorite places to go for hiking, camping, swimming and other outdoor activities near Dallas?
Leave a comment below.
