Spring Lake Preserve, TX

Spring Lake Natural Area is a little-known 251-acre park that sits just above Spring Lake, the headwaters of the San Marcos River. It offers many miles of natural surface trails and is open to the public for hiking, biking, birding, and photography, and is a perfect companion to a visit to The Meadows Center.


Spring Lake Natural Area contains the typical meadows and woodlands found in the Edwards Plateau, with a wide variety of flora and fauna, ranging from Mexican buckeye to deer and other large mammals. The geology includes layers of the Eagle-Ford, Georgetown, Del Rio clay, and Edwards limestone. The endangered golden-cheeked warbler breeds only in central Texas and nests in the ash juniper and oak found here. To protect these rare birds certain trails in Spring Lake Natural Area will be closed from March 1-May 31 annually.

2022-12-07 HAZ_Hikebot