Garner State Park is a
state park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "Federated state, state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on accou ...
in the community of
Concan, Texas located in
Uvalde County,
Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. Garner State Park, in the
Texas Hill Country
The Texas Hill Country is a geographic region of Central and South Texas, forming the southeast part of the Edwards Plateau. Given its location, climate, terrain, and vegetation, the Hill Country can be considered the border between the Ame ...
, is the most popular state park in Texas for overnight
camping
Camping is a form of outdoor recreation or outdoor education involving overnight stays with a basic temporary shelter such as a tent. Camping can also include a recreational vehicle, sheltered cabins, a permanent tent, a shelter such as a Bivy bag ...
. It often fills by noon in peak parts of the season. The park is popular with campers and local residents for its activities on the
Frio River
The Frio River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas. The word ''frío'' is Spanish for ''cold'', a clear reference to the spring-fed coolness of the river.
Variant names
According to the Geographic Names Information System, it has also been ...
and the dances held nightly during the spring and summer.
History

In the early 1930s the park was built to save a portion of the hill country for the public, and to provide work for unemployed men during the economic depression. The land for Garner State Park was acquired in 1934 through 1936. In 1934, the Texas State Parks Board approved the location for a future state park, and the
Texas Legislature
The Texas State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. It is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The state legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin. It is a p ...
provided funding for state parks. The
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government unemployment, work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was ...
built the park’s original improvements, which included a large
pavilion
In architecture, ''pavilion'' has several meanings;
* It may be a subsidiary building that is either positioned separately or as an attachment to a main building. Often it is associated with pleasure. In palaces and traditional mansions of Asia ...
and a concessions building. The property was conveyed to the State Parks Board in 1936, and it opened as Garner State Park in 1941. The park was named for
John Nance Garner
John Nance Garner III (November 22, 1868 – November 7, 1967), known among his contemporaries as "Cactus Jack", was the 32nd vice president of the United States, serving from 1933 to 1941, under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. A member of the ...
, former
Vice-President of the United States
The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest ranking office in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. Th ...
who lived and practiced law in the Concan area. The park's size more than doubled when were added in 1976.
Another park named Garner State Park, later known as Stephenville State Park, began construction in 1932 in
Erath County, Texas, though the name was soon transferred to the Uvalde location. The city of
Stephenville, which operated the park, returned the land to the state in the 1940s. The property was returned to the local Collier family in 1953 and, after being sold in 1982, is now known as Garner Park Ranch.
Geology
The area came about in the
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 143.1 to 66 mya (unit), million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era (geology), Era, as well as the longest. At around 77.1 million years, it is the ...
age when the
Edwards Plateau
The Edwards Plateau is a geographic region forming the crossroads of Central, South and West Texas, United States. It is named in honor of Haden Edwards. It is bounded by the Balcones Fault to the south and east; the Llano Uplift and the Lla ...
was formed when a section of land was lifted 2000 feet along a curving fault. It is now located on the southwestern edge of the plateau in the sub-region Balcones Canyonlands. Today high mesas, limestone cliffs, deep canyons and clear streams fill the terrain.
Mount Old Baldy
Garner State Park is home to
Mount Old Baldy, which overlooks the Frio River. At its peak, the mountain sits at 1,849 feet above sea level.
Nature
Flora
The area has rich vegetation due to the canyons angles from southeast to southwest as well as prevailing winds which cool and moisten the area.
Bald cypress
The
bald cypress
''Taxodium distichum'' (baldcypress, bald-cypress, bald cypress, swamp cypress; ;
''cipre'' in Louisiana) is a deciduous conifer in the family Cupressaceae. It is native to the southeastern United States. Hardy and tough, this tree adapts to a w ...
trees line the Frio River, can grow to 120 feet, and live up to 600 years. Their name is derived from the length of time that they are leafless, since they shed leaves in the fall and don’t bloom until late spring. The bald cypress help the Frio River by slowing floodwaters, trapping sediment and pollutants. They also provide nesting sites, food and shelter for wildlife.
''Arbutus xalapensis''
The ''
Arbutus xalapensis'', also known as the Texas madrone, is a rare tree that grows to about 20 to 30 feet. The trunk has red inner bark and peels in thin sheets of orange and brown. White bell-shaped flowers bloom in spring, and produce red and orange berries.
Fauna
There is much wildlife in the park such as
white-tailed deer
The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known Common name, commonly as the whitetail and the Virginia deer, is a medium-sized species of deer native to North America, North, Central America, Central and South America. It is the ...
, squirrels,
raccoon
The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the North American, northern or common raccoon (also spelled racoon) to distinguish it from Procyonina, other species of raccoon, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest ...
s,
wild turkey
The wild turkey (''Meleagris gallopavo'') is an upland game bird native to North America, one of two extant species of Turkey (bird), turkey and the heaviest member of the order Galliformes. It is the ancestor to the domestic turkey (''M. g. dom ...
s,
striped skunk
The striped skunk (''Mephitis mephitis'') is a skunk of the genus ''Mephitis (genus), Mephitis'' that occurs across much of North America, including southern Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. It is currently listed as least concern ...
s and other animals. Two endangered species of bird nest in this park.
Golden-cheeked warbler
The
golden-cheeked warbler are birds that nest only in the mixed Ashe juniper and oak woodlands of Central Texas from March to July. They feed on insects and spiders from trees and use spider webs in building their nests. They are endangered due to loss of nesting habitat.
Black-capped vireo
The
black-capped vireo are small birds that nest in Texas in the spring but from April to July. They make their nests in low shrubs, and are endangered because of the destruction of their habitat by grazing, clearing and fire suppression.
Housing and facilities
Campsites
Visitors require a reservation made in advance due to the popularity of the park. Visitors may choose between a tent/RV site, a screened shelter or a cabin. Some cabins have fireplaces, all have kitchen facilities and indoor plumbing. If a campsite or screened shelter is chosen, there are public restrooms and showers available to all park guests.
Garner Grill
During the day, the Garner Grill adjacent to the big pavilion is open. There is even a new souvenir cup style every season that can be collected. The Grill is open daily during the summer but is closed during the off-season, typically October through February.
Gift shop
At the gift shop one can purchase souvenirs like jewelry, boots, toys and other items. Customized apparel featuring the park's name is available. There is also an online gift shop, updated regularly, providing merchandise as well.
Recreation
Activities at the park include hiking, nature study, picnicking, canoeing, fishing, paddle boat and kayak rentals (spring and summer), bicycling and miniature golf.
Day Use Visitors
Garner State Park is the most sought after park in the Texas State Parks system. Due to high demand, a Day Use reservation is highly recommended during the off-season months of October to February. During the high demand on-season months of March to September, Day Use reservations are required before visiting the park to guarantee entry.
Ranger programs
To learn more about the park, there are ranger instructional programs. In these programs, park rangers teach students about the nature, history, and traditions of the park and let campers participate in geology programs and can be led on nature hikes.
Volunteer opportunities
Volunteers can help by keeping the park clean by maintaining trails, renewing habitats, becoming a park host or leading educational programs.
Gallery
File:Frioriver2.jpg, The Frio River flowing through the Garner State Park
File:Garnerview3.jpg, The view of the Texas Hill Country from Garner State Park
File:Garner state park.jpg, The Frio River winds southward on east edge of Garner State Park (on the left)
File:Garner dance2.jpg, Dancing under the stars at the park's pavilion
File:Garnersp12.jpg, Bald cypress
''Taxodium distichum'' (baldcypress, bald-cypress, bald cypress, swamp cypress; ;
''cipre'' in Louisiana) is a deciduous conifer in the family Cupressaceae. It is native to the southeastern United States. Hardy and tough, this tree adapts to a w ...
trees along the Frio River
The Frio River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas. The word ''frío'' is Spanish for ''cold'', a clear reference to the spring-fed coolness of the river.
Variant names
According to the Geographic Names Information System, it has also been ...
in Garner State Park
References
External links
Texas Parks and Wildlife - Garner State Park*
Home movie of Garner State Park from the Peggy Shiman Collectionon the
Texas Archive of the Moving Image
The Texas Archive of the Moving Image (TAMI) is an independent 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2002 by film archivist and University of Texas at Austin professor Caroline Frick, PhD. TAMI's mission is to preserve, study, and exhibit Texas film ...
{{authority control
State parks of Texas
Protected areas of Uvalde County, Texas
Civilian Conservation Corps in Texas
Protected areas established in 1941
1941 establishments in Texas