Which Texas state parks are the most popular? These were the most visited in 2025

If you're searching for the most popular parks to visit in the state of Texas, the parks department has released their numbers for total visitors in 2025. 

Texas state parks by visitors

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In total, state parks welcomed over 9.2 million visitors in 2025. About a third of those visits were made in a region of parks that ranges from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex to an area west of Houston. 

The most popular park last year was one just north of DFW, with nearly a million visitors on its own. The runner-up was one located near San Antonio, with breathtaking natural formations also landing in the top five.

See the full list below (note that Ray Roberts State Park is broken into its multiple facilities in this dataset):

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Texas state park regions

Texas Parks and Wildlife separates their parks into seven regions. The regions were ranked by 2025 visitors as follows:

1. Prairies & Lakes: 3,064,121
2. Hill Country: 2,149,861
3. Pineywoods: 1,012,287
4. Panhandle Plains: 1,009,920
5. Gulf Coast: 1,003,853
6. South Texas Plains: 500,742
7. Big Bend Country: 494,985

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Top 10 Texas state parks

10. Inks Lake State Park

Inks Lake State Park offers family fun on water and land. With its sparkling blue water, colorful rock outcrops, and striking sunsets, the park they call the "Hill Country gem" is about an hour from Austin.

9. Brazos Bend State Park

About 45 minutes from downtown Houston, TPWD calls this park a truly wild experience. Nature is the top attraction at Brazos Bend, with 37 miles of trails, fishing and even alligators common in the park. 

8. Dinosaur Valley State Park

Not far from Fort Worth, this "long trip to the past" has genuine dinosaur tracks to see in the bed of the Paulxy River. This historic park has hiking, camping, swimming and fishing as just some of its many attractions. 

7. Galveston Island State Park

About an hour from Houston, this park offers Texas beaches, coastal swimming, bird watching, swimming fishing and anything else a beachgoer could desire. 

6. McKinney Falls State Park

Just 13 miles from the state capitol, TPWD calls this park Austin's backyard. Camping, hiking, bouldering and picnicking are some of the draws to the park, along with the namesake falls in Onion Creek to enjoy. 

5. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area

Named for the massive pink granite dome at the center of the park, Enchanted Rock's summit has been a Central Texas highlight for thousands of years. Now, visitors can enjoy hiking trails, stargazing and rock climbing less than two hours from Austin.

4. Palo Duro Canyon State Park 

The second-largest canyon in the country, Palo Duro is often called the Grand Canyon of Texas. The park offers more than 30 miles of hiking trails, camping, mountain biking and stargazing in the Texas Panhandle. 

3. Cedar Hill State Park

Less than half an hour from Dallas, TPWD says this park still feels like you're a world away from the city. Enjoy boating, fishing swimming and hiking at the park on Joe Pool Lake. 

2. Garner State Park

With nearly three miles of the Frio River cutting through over 1,700 acres, this park is about an hour and a half west of San Antonio. Enjoy beautiful scenery, hiking, camping and swimming at this Hill Country park.

1. Ray Roberts State Park

Another park just an hour from the DFW Metroplex, this park has nine different units around Ray Roberts Lake. Hundreds of thousands of visitors enjoy camping, hiking, swimming and much more at this park every year. 

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