Garner State Park
Garner State Park
Swimming hole in Concan, Texas · River
Garner is Texas’s beloved summer camp of a state park: 2.9 miles of the cool, clear, spring-fed Frio River winding through 1,774 acres, with more than 300 campsites strung along the banks.
Typical season: Late spring to early autumn.
About Garner State Park
Garner is Texas’s beloved summer camp of a state park: 2.9 miles of the cool, clear, spring-fed Frio River winding through 1,774 acres, with more than 300 campsites strung along the banks. Days here run on river time — swimming, tubing and floating, renting a paddle boat or kayak, fishing, or hiking the 16 miles of trails up to Mount Old Baldy, the limestone summit that watches over it all.
Nights have their own tradition. The CCC-built dance pavilion has hosted nightly summer jukebox dances since the 1940s, and families plan whole vacations around them. With screened shelters, cabins, a park store, concession and miniature golf, Garner is built for staying a while — book ahead, because on summer weekends the gates close to day visitors once the park fills.
Key facts
Highlights
- 2.9 miles of the cool, clear, spring-fed Frio River through 1,774 acres
- Mount Old Baldy, the park’s signature limestone summit and overlook
- CCC-built dance pavilion — nightly summer jukebox dances held since the 1940s
Access & fees
Entry costs $8 per day for everyone 13 and older; children 12 and under are free, and a $70 Texas State Parks Pass covers entry for pass holders. River access is easy — the water runs right alongside the campgrounds and day-use areas, and the park is open 8 a.m.–10 p.m. Reserve your day pass or campsite ahead of time: Garner commonly fills and closes to day visitors on holidays and through the Memorial Day–Labor Day stretch, though campers with reservations are still admitted.
Stay safe
- There are no lifeguards — river swimming is entirely at your own risk
- River conditions change with the weather — check conditions and posted notices before swimming
- Supervise children closely in moving water, even in calm-looking stretches
- The park fills to capacity in summer — arrive with a reservation so a closure doesn’t end your trip at the gate
Map & location
FAQs
How much is entry to Garner State Park?
$8 per day for ages 13 and older; children 12 and under are free. A Texas State Parks Pass ($70/year) covers the entry fee.
Do I need a reservation?
It is strongly recommended. The park commonly closes to day visitors when full on holidays and from Memorial Day through Labor Day; campers with reservations still get in.
Can I camp at Garner?
Yes — there are more than 300 campsites, plus screened shelters and cabins. Camping is the surest way to enjoy the park at peak season.
Editorial review & methodology
Every listing is researched from official land-manager sources, including park, county and state pages, and each fact is re-checked against the named source before publication.
Each page shows its last-verified date, so you can see how recently the details were checked.
If you spot something out of date, corrections are welcomed via the contact page, and you can read more in how we verify.
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Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
Fee
$8 per day ages 13+; children 12 and under free
Nearest town
Concan
Best season
Late spring to early autumn
GPS
29.598464, -99.737396
Nearby spots
Jacob’s Well — ~101 miPedernales Falls State Park — ~101 miBlue Hole Regional Park — ~103 miSources & updates
Last verified: 29 October 2026
Source: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Researched by: Swim Hole Finder team