There are quite a few epic National Parks near Austin, Texas! The Lone Star State is packed full of epic national park sites. From National Parks to National Monuments and Historic Sites there is something for everyone. You can get away from it all in Big Bend National Park or spend the day learning more about President Lyndon B Johnson.
National Parks near Austin, TX
Each of these National Park Service sites is within 350 miles from Austin. There is a list of parks at the bottom of this article that are farther away but still easily drivable.
The parks are listed from closest to Austin by miles to farther away. You can easily spend a day at one of these parks or make it a longer trip.
Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.
$80.00 - For the America the Beautiful/National Park Pass. The pass covers entrance fees to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites for an entire year and covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and up to 4 adults for per-person sites.
Buy your pass at this link, and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.
National Park Free Entrance Days -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.
Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park
Distance from Austin - 61 miles
Top Attractions - Texas White House, LBJ Ranch
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park tells the story of the 36th President of the United States. The park shares both presidential history and family history.
The LBJ Ranch is still a working ranch with Hereford cattle that are bloodline descendants of President Johnson's herd.
Lodging - There is no lodging in the park.
Camping- There is no camping in the park.
Park Address -100 Ladybird Lane, Johnson City, TX 78636
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
Distance from Austin - 84 miles
Top Attractions - hike and bike trail, urban park, visitor center
San Antonio Missions NHP is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. The park includes touring historic churches and mission grounds, visitor centers, a park movie, and ranger programs.
These 18th century missions were vital to Spain's New World settlement. Spain built five missions along the San Antonio River in 1718. The goal was converting native people to Catholicism and making them Spanish citizens.
Each mission had a church, living quarters storerooms, and other outbuildings along with defensive walls.
Lodging - There is no lodging within the park.
Camping- There is no camping within the park.
Park Address - Visitor Center at Mission San José, 6701 San Jose Drive, San Antonio, TX 78214
Waco Mammoth National Monument
Distance from Austin - 110 miles
Top Attractions - Columbian Mammoths
Visitors can take a tour of the nation's first and only recorded evidence of a nursery herd of ice age Columbian mammoths.
In order to see the mammoth bones, you do need to be on a tour of the dig site. Tours can be arranged at the parks visitor center.
Lodging - There is no lodging within the park
Camping- There is no camping within the park
Park Address - 6220 Steinbeck Bend Drive, Waco, TX 76708
Big Thicket National Preserve
Distance from Austin - 237 miles
Top Attractions - hiking, wildlife, paddling
You can take a 1-mile loop trail through a Pitcher Plant bog to see a large number of carnivorous plants in one area.
There are nine different eco-systems within the preserve.
Lodging - There is no lodging within the park.
Camping- Backcountry camping is allowed in the park.
Park Address -6102 FM 420, Kountze, TX 77625
Padre Island National Seashore
Distance from Austin - 246 miles
Top Attractions - beach, beach, and more beach!
Padre Island National Seashore has an amazing beach, one of a few hypersaline lagoons in the world, over 380 bird species, and wildlife.
Visitors can drive on the beach including 60 miles of 4-wheel drive opportunities. Keep an eye out for Crested CaraCaras while exploring the park.
Lodging - There is no lodging within the park.
Camping- Malaquite Campground and Bird Island Basin Campground along with primitive camping on the beach.
Park Address - Malquite Visitor Center, 20420 Park Rd 22, Corpus Christi, TX 78418
Amistad National Recreation Area
Distance from Austin - 247 miles
Top Attractions - water-based recreation, camping, hiking
Amistad National Recreation Area is the US portion of the international Amistad Reservoir. The park offers the opportunity to enjoy a day out on the water, epic hiking, and historical sites.
Lodging - There is no lodging within the park.
Camping- There are both front country and backcountry camping opportunities within the park.
Park Address -10477 Highway 90 West, Del Rio, TX 78840
Chickasaw National Recreation Area
Distance from Austin - 328 miles
Top Attractions - Travertine Nature Center, swimming, hiking, bison, Lake of the Arbuckles
Chickasaw National Recreation Area was originally part of Platt National Park the 7th National Park created in the United States. The park was created to protect the federal Sulphur Sprigs Reservation that was established in 1902 to protect mineral and freshwater springs.
Visitors can explore the Travertine Nature Center, watch bison, enjoy 20 miles of trails, camp, and swim.
Lodging - There is no lodging within the park.
Camping- There are six campgrounds with over 400 campsites in the park.
Park Address -901 W. 1st Street, Sulphur, OK 73086
Cane River Creole National Historical Park
Distance from Austin - 340 miles
Top Attractions - Historical buildings and tours
Cane River Creole NHP encompasses the grounds of Oakland and Magnolia 18th century plantations. The park explains the working and legacy of the plantation system, the crops that were grown, and the people that lived there including the landowners, enslaved workforce, and paid workers.
Lodging - There is no lodging within the park.
Camping- There is no camping within the park.
Park Address -4386 Highway 494, Natchez, LA 71456 (Oakland )
5549 Highway 119, Cloutierville, LA 71416 (Magnolia)
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park
Distance from Austin - 345 miles
Top Attractions - Visitor Center, walking historic battlefields.
Palo Alto Battlefield NHP preserves the site of the first battle of the US vs Mexico War. This battle initiated a two year war that ultimately forced Mexico to cede land to the United States.
The park preserves this site and interprets these events. Visitors can check out the visitor center, park movie, become a junior ranger, and walk the interpretive trails within the park.
Lodging - There is no lodging within the park.
Camping- There is no camping within the park.
Park Address - 7200 Paredes Line Road, Brownsville, TX 78526
National Parks near Austin, Texas - 350+ miles
Oklahoma City Memorial - 388 miles
President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site - 404 miles
Fort Davis National Historic Site - 426 miles
Washita Battlefield National Historic Site - 469 miles
Big Bend National Park - 475 miles
Guadalupe Mountains National Park - 485 miles
Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument - 546 miles
Lake Meredith National Recreation Area - 548 miles
Check out all the other great Texas National Parks and neighboring New Mexico National Parks, Louisiana National Parks, Arkansas National Parks, and National Parks in Oklahoma.
National Park Service Website
What is your favorite National Parks near Austin?
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