Five miles south of Junction, Texas sits the South Llano River State Park. With 50 multi-use campsites and additional hike-in campsites, all with plenty of shade, there is always a place to pitch your tent or park the RV.
The park has many activities that range from hiking or mountain biking the park’s four miles of trails or utilizing the neighboring Walter Buck Wildlife Management area for an additional 16 miles of trails. The wildlife management area is a 2,155-acre parcel of pure wilderness. This is the best place to view wildlife in the area, except for the turkeys.
The bottom lands of the park are some of the oldest roosting areas for the Rio Grande Turkey. The state has built observation blinds for the public to view these awesome birds. A word of warning though: Much of the park is closed during roosting season (October through March) and the turkeys know where the blinds are! They are often very illusive to the public.
The South Llano River runs adjacent to the park. It is a very popular place to put in a canoe, kayak, raft or inner-tube. This section of the river is much calmer than the North Llano River. The park rents inner-tubes that can be used to float on the river. Equipment such as kayaks and canoes can be rented from one of several guide services within Junction. These guide services can also provide guided rafting trips and shuttle services. If you float the entire two miles within park boundaries, it is a one-mile hike back to camp if you do not arrange a shuttle ride.
If you are looking for a few extra amenities in a campground, try the Junction KOA campground. With a swimming pool, laundry room, playground, free Wi-Fi and cable television, the KOA is a step up in luxury!
The small town of Junction has plenty of support for campers and adventures. The best Texas barbeque in town is either Cooper’s Bar-B-Q Grill or Lums. You can’t go wrong with either!
Resources
Walter Buck Wildlife Management Area
Junction/North Llano River KOA Campground
Official Guide to Texas State Parks and Historic Sites
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