This Is the Best Place to See Fall Foliage in Texas

So far as fall foliage locations go, Texas is not often the primary place that involves thoughts. However there’s one nook of the Lone Star State that is well-known for its gorgeous fall colours.

In case you’re the kind of traveler who plans fall journeys across the changing leaves—perhaps you even obsessively monitor the annual fall foliage map—you understand it’s vital to method the season with a recreation plan. The height of the autumn colours arrives and departs relatively shortly, and the precise timing will depend on a variety of elements. Whereas many locations expertise their peak sooner or later in October, you may prolong leaf-peeping season by discovering unimaginable fall foliage additional south. Lost Maples State Natural Area, for instance, usually doesn’t welcome its peak colours until mid to late November.

Situated simply north of Vanderpool, Texas, the park is thought for its Uvalde bigtooth maples, a species that’s commonly referred to as both simply the bigtooth maple or the canyon maple. For the reason that maple timber appear misplaced within the Hill Nation panorama—which is dominated by the common-or-garden ashe juniper—the park was named “Misplaced Maples.”

Nonetheless, the deciduous tree is definitely native to Texas, and measures as much as 50 toes tall. Bigtooth maples are often discovered close to water (both a river, stream, or seep) within the shaded canyons of the Hill Country, the mountains of the Trans-Pecos region, and the Edwards Plateau. Come fall, these leaves flip orange, red, and yellow, creating fairly a present for guests of Misplaced Maples State Pure Space.

This pure prevalence, unsurprisingly, attracts vacationers from close to and much. Fall weekends are notably busy, notes the official state website, so vacationers ought to plan on delays, visitors, and even capability closures. It’s additionally beneficial to reserve a day pass online forward of your go to, because the pure space closes when the parking tons turn into full. You can too make a reservation by calling the customer support middle.

It’s vital to notice that Misplaced Maples did expertise flooding throughout the devastating Texas storm in early July of this yr (it’s solely a few 40-minute drive from Kerrville, and once more on July 14. On July 22, the park’s Facebook page posted the next replace: “Misplaced Maples State Pure Space is now totally open … Trails have suffered erosion, so take care whereas traversing them. Water crossings are lacking their regular stone crossings, and you’ll most definitely get your toes moist. Please don’t add rocks into the waterways.”

Beginning in October, you may control the Misplaced Maple’s fall foliage report for the most recent updates on the tree colours and to time your go to excellent.