Palmetto State Park — Attraction in Luling

I arrived Friday evening and stayed through Sunday morning at campsite 29 in the tent camping section. I found the site easily and while setting up I noticed most, if not all the campsites were shaded, which was a blessing because it was almost 100 degrees this weekend. I liked that each campsite had a good amount of space because just about every space was reserved for the weekend. Friday I hiked around the lake on the Oxbow trail, which is about 3/4 mile and it was really pretty, easy to navigate, and easy to walk. On Saturday, I headed out to hike the other trails. It was really hot but thankfully the trails offered a lot of shade. When I got back from my hike I was drenched in sweat despite it being an easy hike and only about 3.2 miles. I was a bit confused about where to go swimming because I saw on the park signs to only swim in designated areas, but didn't see any signs that said designated swimming area so I was just hoping to see other people. Idk if the river was just really low at this time, but there wasn't really any spot to "swim" in the river as it was only about knee deep. None-the-less, I got in and laid down because it felt great. The water was clean and warm (but not too warm!). I brought a paddleboard, which I took up to the Oxbow lake by the campsite and got in the water there as well. There's not a clear area to put your board in or to walk in for swimming, you just kind of have to climb down the ladder on the dock and see if it's deep enough for swimming which was kind of odd. The lake though, was big enough for the people on it to be kayaking, paddle boarding, and swimming without being on top of one another. My biggest complaint of my visit was the restrooms/shower. The restrooms were run down, and unfortunately, the women's restroom looked like one of the toilets overflowed and there was still water and toilet paper all over the floor. The showers were only in the RV section of the park, which was a LONG walk from tent camping section, which doesn't make much sense to me as most RVers have shower options and tent campers do not so that was odd. There was also only 2 women's shower stall for the entire park and one was out of order. The shower stall didn't have a bench to set your things on while showering, it looked like there used to be one but it was broken, but the water pressure and water temperature were wonderful. Although I saw a lot of wildlife (2 armadillos, 1 white tailed deer, 1 snake, multiple squirrels & lizards), the trails were well maintained, and the palmettos were pretty, I'd probably put this near the bottom of my Texas state parks list. That being said, it's very family-friendly! If I had children, I think my opinion would change quite a bit because there is a great playground, plenty of space for kids to play and it had a very...

Very nice park with swimming and fishing and quiet tent camping. My family and I will definitely return, however if the guy that rides around on the golf cart with the dog could be a little less passive aggressive we would be much happier to return more often. He was the one hitch in our relaxing stay. Just be warned if you're tent camping they definitely cater to the RVs over you. If you want to read the story about what he did read below.

My daughter and I parked on the side of the road (out of the way) and walked across the low water bridge to the river access. I checked for no parking signs and there weren't any. He passed us on the low water crossing and didn't ask if that was our truck despite us being the only ones walking from there. We passed him again near the picnic tables, he still said nothing. We made our way down the steep hill and when we were finally at the bottom I heard him saying something about my truck to people who had nothing to do with anything. He wasn't asking if it was their truck he was complaining about the location of it. I finally asked him if we weren't allowed to park there. He snarkily asked if it looked like a parking spot. I responded that I was on the side out of the road and didn't see any signs saying not to park there. He apparently took offense at this and said, his voice more angry, it obviously isn't a parking spot. I asked if he would like us to move it. He said, "I'll tell you what since you won't be here long if you just move it back you'll be fine for a few minutes." Keep in mind it is a five minutes trek from where I parked with two steep hills and he chose not to approach us about it before we made it all the way over there. I told him, "I think you guys ought to put in no parking signs if you can't park there. " He said they weren't necessary you obviously can't park there. If someone were to bring a trailer down there it would be hard to get through. Everywhere else I've been you can pull off the side of the road and park if there aren't signs starting otherwise so no it isn't clear. Plus, there wasn't a single trailer going through during the time we were there or the duration of our stay. I told him I wasn't there to argue about it and left. That experience left a very bad reflection...

Out of Place...Out of Time.."Oxbow Lake Alone is worth the journey"..(Kapax)..It's the well maintained trails folks..and the lake has a secret I should not reveal..(Keep it secret...keep it safe. (Gandalf)..San Marcos River Trail..ancient trees..so high..so huge..Extinct Mud Boil Pots.. (went dry in 1974).simular to Yellowstone National Park..Palmetto Trail.. I am so grateful the CCC. Preserved this wondrous area in 1936.. I don't know how they even found it..or cared enough to preserve this strange area..Dwarf Palmetto everywhere. .amazing views of the river..and Lake Oxbow..?..slip into the water or jump into it off the dock..the top two feet are warm.. Then the temperature drops to 68 degrees. Nice and cold a hot day. Such a surprise if you're on a float, you won't feel it. Unless get vertical in the water. And stir up some of that cold and mix it with the surface. I hung on the edge of my float. In a vertical position feeling the cool. Artesian water That flows up from the bottom of this enclosed Lake. Which was once apart of the San Marcos River many years ago now it is enclosed and the water. Is rain and Artesian..pristine. . (And What's up with the weird old abandoned? Buildings that look like an old Cozumel Hotel That are across from the ranger headquarters.?? The story it's strange to be sure. But I will let you discover that one yourself)..Don't miss the story of the artesian wells on Lake Oxbow and the simulated mud boil pots that were created. Back in 1936 by designers very unusual. And don't miss the non-electric Artesian powered pump on the Palmetto Trail built once again in 1936 by engineers to provide water for the near by picnic area. It still works. And provides water for the i Palmetto's in the trail area. Amazing engineering.. there's a walkway behind the beautiful old CCC Rock building that goes down to the San Marcos River ..lots of folks swim on a little beach there. that's kind of in the middle of the river when it's not flowing High..One mile out of the Park your back in rural West Texas brush trees and mesquite. . so slow down here..look around and wonder what our Lord was thinking when he made this place..reservations required..only 18 RV sites..so dark at night..turn off your lights...