Lockhart State Park

Lockhart State Park sits on Clear Fork Creek about 3 miles southwest of Lockhart, in Caldwell County, about 45 minutes south of Austin. It’s best known for its 9-hole golf course, the last one left in a Texas state park, plus a summer swimming pool, short shaded trails and 20 hookup campsites. The park often fills on spring and summer weekends, so reserve a day pass before driving out.

On This Page

• Golf Course
• Hiking and Biking Trails
• Swimming Pool
• Fishing and Wildlife on Clear Fork Creek
• CCC History and the Recreation Hall
• Camping
• Best Time to Visit
• What Visitors Say
• Getting There
• Know Before You Go
• Nearby Parks
• FAQ
• Sources and Official Links

Golf Course

Lockhart State Park runs a 9-hole, par-35 golf course of about 3,000 yards. Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD) calls it the last remaining golf course in Texas State Parks. It’s open daily except Wednesdays, from 7:30 a.m. to dark.

Green Fees and Tee Times

Golfers book a tee time and pay park entry on top of the green fee.

• Green fee: $10 (TPWD lists it for 18 holes), plus the daily entry fee. A yearly green-fee pass costs $250
• Rentals: golf carts $15 for 9 holes or $20 for 18, first come, first served at the park office. Pull carts are free, and club rental is $7. Personal carts need a cart tag
• Tee times: every 15 minutes from 7:30 a.m. until headquarters closes (7 p.m. March to September, 5 p.m. October to February). Book online up to 30 days ahead, or same day by phone, and check in at headquarters 15 minutes early
• Closures: every Wednesday for maintenance, plus Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026 for a special event
• Rules: no glass or alcohol on the course, and no refunds or rainchecks

Course History and Conditions

Works Progress Administration (WPA) crews and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built the course, finished in 1938 with what was then the highest tee box in Texas. The layout changed in the 1970s, and the old No. 1 tee box is now a stop along the trails.

Golfers call it cheap and fun and book weekend tee times early. Reviewers in early 2026 found bare dirt in the fairways and bumpy greens, and feral hogs sometimes dig up the course. Non-golfers can’t walk on the course.

Hiking and Biking Trails

Lockhart State Park has 11 short trails that add up to about 3.7 miles, by TPWD’s list. None is longer than 0.7 mile, so hikers link several into one loop. All trails are open to hikers and mountain bikers.

Miles and ratings as TPWD lists them. TPWD notes the list may not include every trail. See the trails map (PDF).

Trail Tips

The trails are short, but a few details help.

• Longer hikes: combine trails. One reviewer logged about 3.5 miles with a dog by linking most of them
• History loop: the CCC Trail climbs old CCC concrete steps from the Recreation Hall patio. Reviewers suggest returning on the Caddy Trail
• Footing: most trails are shaded and well marked. A few have steep climbs and narrow paths along overlooks with no railings
• Snakes: TPWD lists rattlesnakes and coral snakes in the park. Watch the trail edges in warm months

Swimming Pool

Swimming at Lockhart State Park means the pool. It opens Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, and TPWD advises visitors not to swim in Clear Fork Creek. The pool is closed for the season until Memorial Day weekend 2027.

• Pool fees: free for ages 5 and under, $1 for ages 6 to 12 and $2 for 13 and older, plus park entry
• Tickets: sold only at headquarters on the day of the visit, until 6 p.m. Campers buy tickets too, and space can run out
• 2026 hours: 11:30 a.m. (noon on weekends) to 6:30 p.m., closed Wednesdays. The park map lists Tuesdays as the closed day, so check before going. From mid-August, weekday hours depend on staffing
• Lifeguards: on duty, with a safety break from 3 to 3:20 p.m. Children under 15 need an adult 18 or older
• Setup: a deep end, a baby pool and a chair lift. Life jackets and noodles are free to borrow
• Rules: no pets, alcohol, smoking or glass. Food and coolers stay on the grass

Families call it a rare treat in a state park, “basic but clean.” One September 2026 review reported algae in the water, and a few visitors found the lifeguards strict.

Fishing and Wildlife on Clear Fork Creek

Fishing in Clear Fork Creek is allowed year-round, and no fishing license is needed inside the park. Anglers catch sunfish, catfish and bass, and the park lends fishing gear for free, first come, first served.

• Where to fish: the CCC check dams back up deep pools along the creek. Fishing is not allowed where the creek runs through the golf course
• Water level: visitors say the creek runs low in summer and flows best after rain
• Wildlife TPWD lists: deer, coyotes, bobcats, foxes, raccoons, armadillos, beavers, wild turkeys and rabbits
• What visitors report: deer on the trails around dusk, armadillos near the campground loop at sundown and good birding. TPWD publishes a bird checklist for the park

CCC History and the Recreation Hall

CCC Company 3803 built Lockhart State Park between 1935 and 1938, and much of its stonework still stands. The park opened to the public in 1948. The Battle of Plum Creek (1840) was fought a few miles north.

The CCC structures make the best photo stops in the park.

• Recreation Hall: the CCC hall on the hilltop, once the golf pro shop, with a stone patio overlooking the park
• Water tower: a sandstone tower with a picnic shelter, also on the hilltop
• Check dams: stone dams that step Clear Fork Creek down into small falls and pools
• Old pool: the walls of the original CCC creek pool, replaced by the current pool in 1974
• Other relics: stone drinking fountains and latrine ruins along the trails

The Recreation Hall (TPWD’s Group Hall) rents by the day for weddings and meetings: 75 people, a full kitchen and central air, $200 a day Monday to Thursday and $350 Friday to Sunday. Book at (512) 389-8920.

In April 2026 TPWD and The Nature Conservancy added 188 acres of creek and blackland prairie, bringing the park to about 453 acres. The new land isn’t open to the public yet; visitors can see it only on guided ranger walks listed on the park events page.

Camping

Camping at Lockhart State Park is all hookup camping: 20 sites in two loops, every one with water and electricity. TPWD lists no primitive sites (campsites with no water or electricity), no tent-only area and no cabins.

Campsite Types

Prices are TPWD’s per-night rates, plus the daily entry fee.

• Full hookup (10 sites, $24): the Fairway View loop, sites 1 to 10, beside the golf course. Water, sewer and 30/50-amp electric; RVs up to 40 feet. Covered picnic table, fire ring and upright grill
• Water and electric (10 sites, $20): the wooded Clear Fork Creek loop, sites 11 to 20. Water and 30-amp electric; the reservation site lists lengths of 20 to 35 feet. Picnic table, fire ring and upright grill

Restrooms with showers sit near both loops, and the park has a dump station. Reviewers with tents camp at the creekside water and electric sites.

Reservations and Camp Rules

Book early for spring and fall weekends.

• Campsites open for booking 5 months ahead, at 8 a.m. In October 2026 the reservation site listed 17 of the 20 sites online; call (512) 389-8900 for the rest
• Check-out is noon, up to 8 people per site, and quiet hours run 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• There’s no entrance gate. Late arrivals register at the self-pay station at headquarters
• A burn ban has been in place since Aug. 13, 2026: no wood or charcoal fires, but containerized fuel stoves are fine

Campers praise the shaded creek loop. The full-hookup loop, which reviewers call “the circle,” packs sites close together, and golf balls land in sites 4, 5 and 6, so ask for another site. Bathhouses are clean but small, with one shower per side.

Best Time to Visit

Spring and fall are the best seasons at Lockhart State Park, with mild weather for golf and hiking. TPWD names spring and summer as the busy season, when the park can reach capacity.

• Spring (March to May): mild golf and hiking weather and the best creek flow after rain. Weekends fill, so reserve ahead
• Summer (June to August): July averages a high of 93°F. The pool is open, but visitors call tent camping too hot. Golf and hike early
• Fall (October to November): cooler weather and ranger programs such as night hikes and golf clinics. Visitors also mention a fall festival with a native plant sale. The pool is closed
• Winter (December to February): January averages a low of 44°F. The park is quiet, and the golf course stays open except Wednesdays and Christmas Day

What Visitors Say

Lockhart State Park averages 4.6 stars across 214 Google reviews from late 2024 to October 2026, and 4.5 stars across about 1,220 reviews overall. Most visitors call it a small, quiet park, closer to a local recreation area than a wilderness trip.

• Size: “small” is the word reviewers use most. The trails suit families and dog walkers more than serious hikers
• Staff: rangers and office staff get frequent praise. A few visitors found the office closed early or the phone unanswered
• Campsites: level, paved RV sites, but low branches and tight turns slow big rigs
• Cell service: AT&T, T-Mobile and Google Fi users report little or no signal. Verizon users report better luck

Getting There

Lockhart State Park is about 33 miles south of Austin. From Lockhart, take US 183 south 1 mile to FM 20, go southwest 2 miles on FM 20 to Park Road 10, then 1 mile south to the park.

Drive times to park headquarters:

• Lockhart: about 6 minutes
• San Marcos: about 30 minutes
• Austin: about 45 minutes
• San Antonio: about 1 hour 15 minutes
• Houston: about 3 hours
• Dallas: about 4 hours

A few things to know before driving out:

• Floods: TPWD warns of flash flooding at creek crossings on the park road
• Construction: the reservation site notes bridge work in the park since September 2026, with some noise and traffic
• Supplies: Lockhart, which the Texas Legislature named the Barbecue Capital of Texas in 1999, has groceries, gas and barbecue a few minutes away

Know Before You Go

Lockhart State Park is close to town, but entry, pool tickets and tee times each work differently.

• Fees and passes: entry is $3 a day for adults 13 and older; children 12 and under get in free. The Texas State Parks Pass ($70 a year) covers entry. Pool tickets and green fees cost extra
• Booking: day passes aren’t required, but the park often fills, and only a reserved pass secures entry. Passes open 1 month ahead online or at (512) 389-8900. Campsites open 5 months ahead
• Hours: the park is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The office is open 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. from March to September (5 p.m. on Wednesdays) and 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. from October to February
• Dogs: allowed on a leash no longer than 6 feet and never left alone. Pets aren’t allowed in the pool area or any park building
• Alcohol and glass: public drinking or display of alcohol is against park rules. No glass at the pool or on the golf course
• Fires: burn ban in effect since Aug. 13, 2026. Containerized fuel stoves only
• Facilities: restrooms with showers, a park store with ice and firewood, a playground, a basketball court and picnic areas. A free all-terrain wheelchair can be reserved online
• What to bring: water for summer heat, a swimsuit in pool season and a downloaded trail map, since cell signal is weak

Nearby Parks

Four other TrekTexas guides are within an hour of Lockhart State Park.

• Palmetto State Park: about 25 miles south, with dwarf palmettos, swampy trails and paddling on the San Marcos River
• McKinney Falls State Park: about 25 miles north in Austin, with limestone falls on Onion Creek
• Bastrop State Park: about 39 miles northeast, with the Lost Pines forest and CCC cabins
• Buescher State Park: about 48 miles east near Smithville, with a small lake and the park road to Bastrop
• More parks within reach: Parks Near Austin and Parks Near San Antonio

FAQ

Is the pool at Lockhart State Park open?

Not right now. The pool opens Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day and is closed until Memorial Day weekend 2027.

Can visitors swim in Clear Fork Creek?

TPWD advises against it. The pool is the park’s only swimming area.

Does Lockhart State Park have cabins or lodging?

No. Overnight stays are at the 20 hookup campsites, and the Recreation Hall is for day rentals only.

Are dogs allowed at Lockhart State Park?

Yes, on a 6-foot leash on the trails, campsites and day-use areas. Dogs aren’t allowed in the pool area or buildings.

How big is Lockhart State Park?

About 453 acres since an April 2026 land purchase, though the 188 new acres are not open to the public yet.

Sources and Official Links

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

• Lockhart State Park (TPWD)
• Entrance fees (TPWD)
• Golf course, swimming pool and campsites (TPWD)
• Trail list, trails map (PDF) and park map (PDF) (TPWD)
• Group Hall rental and park history (TPWD)
• Park alerts (TPWD)
• April 2026 land purchase (TPWD news release)
• Texas State Parks reservations and tee times

Featured photo: Larry D. Moore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)