Stephen F. Austin State Park

Stephen F. Austin State Park sits on the Brazos River in San Felipe, in Austin County, about an hour west of Houston off Interstate 10. It’s best for an easy camping trip close to the city, with RV sites, tent sites, screened shelters and 5 miles of flat, shaded trails. Trails close often after rain, so check the park’s alerts before driving out.

On This Page

• Hiking and Biking Trails
• The Brazos River
• Camping
• Birds and Wildlife
• Ranger Programs and Events
• History and San Felipe de Austin
• Best Time to Visit
• What Visitors Say
• Getting There
• Know Before You Go
• Nearby Parks
• FAQ
• Sources and Official Links

Hiking and Biking Trails

Stephen F. Austin State Park has about 5 miles of trails, and Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD) rates every one of them easy. The trails wind through bottomland forest and meadows, and several lead down to overlooks on the Brazos River.

Trails are open to hikers and bikers unless marked; the short Nature Trail is hiking only. Most visitors link two or three trails into one walk.

Miles as TPWD’s trail page lists them; the 2026 park map gives slightly different lengths, and neither says whether a length is one way.

Trail Tips

A few things make the trails at Stephen F. Austin easier to plan.

• Closures after rain: TPWD closes trails when they are muddy, and storm damage has closed trails several times since late 2024. The low river trails (Copperhead, Brazos Bottom, Opossum and Sycamore) usually close first
• Popular loops: visitors pair the Ironwood and Pileated trails for a shady walk under 2 miles, or add the Cottonwood and Barred Owl trails for river views
• Biking: the trails suit beginners and families; there is no technical mountain bike terrain. The paved park roads are popular for kids on bikes
• Trail races: races fill the trails on some weekends, including the BigTex Backyard Ultra on Nov. 7, 2026
• Cattle: the TPWD trails map warns to watch for grazing cattle and give them space

The Brazos River

The Brazos River forms the edge of Stephen F. Austin State Park, but the park is a place to look at the river, not get in it. TPWD advises against swimming because of the swift current and changing water levels, and the park has no pool, boat ramp or rentals.

• Overlooks: the Barred Owl Trail has several river views, and the Opossum Loop takes stairs down to the old riverbank
• Old river channels: a marker where the Cottonwood and Copperhead trails meet shows where the Brazos ran in 1930
• Bottomland forest: cottonwood, sycamore and green ash line the low ground; an ash swamp covers the west third of the park
• Fishing: TPWD’s current park pages don’t describe fishing spots. Visitors report steep, fading paths to the bank that make the river hard to fish

Floods

The park sits in the Brazos floodplain, and big floods have closed it for months. The Memorial Day flood of 2016 left almost 7 feet of water in the park, which stayed closed until March 1, 2017. Hurricane Harvey closed it again in August 2017, and it reopened in spring 2018.

Smaller storms close trails or leave standing water in campsites a few times a year. The National Weather Service gauge for the Brazos River above San Felipe shows current river levels.

Camping

Camping is the main draw at Stephen F. Austin State Park. It has about 100 campsites in shaded loops, plus 19 screened shelters and one cabin, all a short drive from Houston.

Campsite Types

Prices are TPWD’s nightly rates, plus the daily entry fee.

• Full hookup (38 sites, $30): pull-through RV sites with water, sewer and 30-amp electric only. RVs and pop-ups, plus up to two tents
• Water-only tent sites (39 sites, $20): back-in tent sites with water and restrooms nearby. No RVs or pop-ups
• Walk-in primitive (25 sites, $15): tent sites a short walk from parking, with a fire ring and water nearby. The restrooms here have no showers
• Screened shelters (19, $35): 12 by 18 feet, with lights, a picnic table and a 20-amp outlet inside. Up to 8 people
• Cabin (1, $75): one air-conditioned room with a microwave, mini-fridge, a bunk bed and a double bed. No bathroom or kitchen

The reservation site lists slightly fewer units (33 full hookup sites, 38 water sites and 18 shelters). No campsite sits in view of the river, and generators aren’t allowed anywhere in the park.

Screened Shelters and the Cabin

Screened shelters are roofed buildings with screen walls, a step up from a tent without the cost of a cabin. Visitors like the keypad locks and the outlet for a fan, and some say to bring a broom for spider egg sacs.

• Water, a fire ring and a grill sit outside each shelter; trailers 14 feet or shorter may park there, with no hookups
• The cabin has a $200 refundable deposit and a two-night weekend minimum. Bring linens and pillows
• Pets are not allowed inside a shelter or the cabin

Groups: a recreation hall, a lodge for 24, a group screened shelter and a group camp for 60 ($100 to $300 a night) book by phone at (512) 389-8920.

Reservations and Camp Rules

Weekend sites go first in spring and fall; weeknights are much quieter.

• Most sites open for booking 5 months ahead at 8 a.m., online or at (512) 389-8900
• Check-in is 2 p.m. and check-out is noon
• Up to 8 people per site; quiet hours run 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• Arriving after 10 p.m.: call headquarters before 1 p.m. and self-register at the kiosk
• TPWD lists no accessible campsites, though many are level. The cabin and two shower restrooms are accessible
• The Friends group sells firewood and ice; gathering firewood is not allowed

RV campers like the spacious, shaded pull-throughs, but several note the 30-amp limit and low branches, and one 40-foot fifth-wheel owner found only two sites that fit. Some tent sites have water at a nearby spigot rather than at the site, so check the listing before booking.

Birds and Wildlife

TPWD counts more than 200 bird species at Stephen F. Austin State Park, including nesting pileated woodpeckers, barred owls, Mississippi kites and northern parulas. White-tailed deer are easy to see, especially at dusk.

• Wildlife viewing station: a blind on a wide, level path with viewing slots at several heights, set up for woodpeckers, deer and armadillos
• Mammals TPWD lists: white-tailed deer, raccoons, opossums, armadillos, rabbits, fox squirrels and bobcats
• Fireflies: they light up the park at dusk in May and early June
• What visitors report: armadillos around camp, owls calling at night and, in November 2025, a ranger pointing out a pair of nesting bald eagles
• Snakes and poison ivy: visitors report venomous snakes on the trails and plenty of poison ivy. Stay on the path and use a light at night

Ranger Programs and Events

Stephen F. Austin State Park runs a steady calendar of family programs, most included with entry. Check the park events page for current dates.

• Discovery Walk Sundays: a ranger-led family hike from 10 to 11 a.m., meeting at the amphitheater (scheduled through November 2026)
• Other fall 2026 programs: a night hike (registration required), archery and the “Second Saturdays with Steve” history talk
• Trail of Terror: an annual Halloween trail event in October. It closes the walk-in sites, group camp, lodge and dining hall that day
• For kids: a small hands-on Nature Center (weekend afternoons), Junior Ranger journals and a summer camp for ages 8 to 11

History and San Felipe de Austin

The park takes its name from Stephen F. Austin, whose colony was run from the town of San Felipe de Austin from 1824 to 1836. The San Felipe de Austin Corporation deeded the land to the state in 1940, and the park opened that year near an old Brazos ferry crossing.

The San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site, run by the Texas Historical Commission, sits about a mile from the park entrance in the center of San Felipe. Its museum covers the colony and the town’s burning in 1836.

• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Tickets: $10 adults, $5 ages 6 to 17, $22 for a family. The Texas State Parks Pass does not cover it
• Address: 220 2nd St., San Felipe

Best Time to Visit

Spring and fall are the best seasons at Stephen F. Austin State Park, and TPWD names March to May and October to November as its busy season. Summer is hot and buggy, and the park closes on set winter dates for hunts.

• Spring (March to May): mild hiking weather and migrating birds. Rain closes trails often, and mosquitoes and chiggers come out after it
• Summer (June to August): July averages a high of 94°F. Fireflies light up early June evenings; hike early and bring bug spray
• Fall (October to November): cooler camping weather and the Trail of Terror in October. Weekends fill with scout troops and groups
• Winter (December to February): January averages a low of 43°F, with quiet weekdays. The park closes for hunts in early December and early January

What Visitors Say

Stephen F. Austin State Park averages 4.75 stars across 368 Google reviews from October 2024 to October 2026, and 4.6 stars across 1,676 reviews overall. Most visitors call it a small, well-kept park that’s easy to reach from Houston and Katy.

• Close to the city: the most common praise. Locals call it their home park, 20 to 40 minutes from Katy and west Houston
• Trails: wide, level and well marked, with benches. Experienced hikers find them short
• Trail closures: the most repeated complaint. Visitors arrived after rain or wind damage to find most trails closed at least 10 times in two years
• Restrooms: mostly clean, with hot showers. The old restroom in the walk-in area has no showers or hot water
• Bugs: mosquitoes, chiggers and fire ants come up often, especially after rain
• Noise: busy fall weekends bring scout groups and loud campers, and one September 2026 trail race played music until 2 a.m.
• Staff: praised in dozens of reviews as friendly and helpful with trail and wildlife tips
• Golf course: a private golf course borders the park, and one trail runs close to it

Getting There

Stephen F. Austin State Park is about 50 miles west of downtown Houston. Take Interstate 10 west to Exit 723 (San Felipe/Frydek), turn north on FM 1458 for about 2 miles, then turn left on Park Road 38 to the entrance.

Drive times to park headquarters:

• Houston: about 1 hour 5 minutes
• Austin: about 2 hours 15 minutes, via TX 71 and I-10
• San Antonio: about 2 hours 40 minutes
• Dallas: about 4 hours 40 minutes, via Waco and Bellville

A few things to know before driving out:

• Supplies: TPWD points visitors to Sealy and Bellville for groceries, fuel and restaurants
• RVs at the gate: there’s no pull-off at the entry station, and odd and even signs point RVs the right way around the full hookup loop
• Floods: heavy rain on the Brazos can close the park. Check the alerts page before leaving

Know Before You Go

Rain, bugs and hunts can change a trip to Stephen F. Austin State Park. These fees, rules and tips matter most.

• Fees and passes: $5 a day for adults 13 and older; children 12 and under get in free. The Texas State Parks Pass covers entry, and camping fees are extra. Confirm current fees on the TPWD fees page
• Booking: TPWD says the park often reaches capacity and recommends reserving day passes, up to one month ahead. Campsites open 5 months ahead
• Hours: the gate is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Headquarters is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., until 7 p.m. on Fridays, with a self-pay station when it is closed
• Hunt closures: the whole park closes for permitted hunts from noon Nov. 29 to 8 a.m. Dec. 4, 2026, and from noon Jan. 3 to 8 a.m. Jan. 8, 2027
• Dogs: allowed on a leash of 6 feet or shorter, never unattended, and not in any building, shelter or the cabin. Visitors note water spigots along the trails
• Alcohol: public drinking or display of alcohol is against park rules
• Fires: burn bans happen in dry spells (the park banned wood and charcoal fires in October 2025). Check before bringing charcoal
• Wildlife: raccoons raid coolers, so lock food in a vehicle. Watch for snakes and poison ivy on the trails
• What to bring: bug spray, long pants for chiggers and poison ivy, a flashlight, and cash for firewood and ice

Nearby Parks

Four other TrekTexas guides are within about 90 minutes of Stephen F. Austin State Park.

• Brazos Bend State Park: about 56 miles southeast, for alligators, birding and the George Observatory
• Lake Somerville State Park: about 61 miles north, for lake swimming, fishing, paddling and a 13-mile trailway
• Buescher State Park: about 79 miles west, for wooded trails and a 30-acre fishing lake
• Bastrop State Park: about 89 miles west, for the Lost Pines and historic cabins
• More parks within reach of Houston: Parks Near Houston

FAQ

Is Stephen F. Austin State Park the same as SFA in Nacogdoches?

No. Stephen F. Austin State Park is in San Felipe, west of Houston. Stephen F. Austin State University is in Nacogdoches, in East Texas.

Does Stephen F. Austin State Park have cabins?

It has one cabin, $75 a night, with air conditioning but no bathroom or kitchen. The 19 screened shelters are the other option with a roof and power.

Do the screened shelters have electricity?

Yes. Each shelter has lights and a 20-amp outlet inside, with water outside.

Can big RVs camp at Stephen F. Austin State Park?

The 38 full hookup sites are pull-throughs with 30-amp power only. TPWD posts no length limit, and owners of 40-foot rigs report that only a few sites fit, so call the park before booking.

Are the trails open after rain?

Often not. TPWD closes muddy trails, and the river trails stay closed longest. Call (979) 885-3613 or check the alerts page the day of the visit.

Sources and Official Links

Facts in this guide were last checked in October 2026 against these sources.

• Stephen F. Austin State Park (TPWD)
• Entrance fees, campsites, screened shelters, cabin and group facilities (TPWD)
• Trails and park map (PDF) (TPWD)
• Park alerts and events (TPWD)
• Nature and history (TPWD)
• Texas State Parks reservations
• Brazos River above San Felipe gauge (National Weather Service)
• San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site (Texas Historical Commission)

Featured photo: Roy Luck, Flickr (CC BY 2.0)