Celebrate the holidays outdoors at these events at Texas State Parks

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is kicking off holiday festivities at several state parks this week.

From holiday hikes to ornament making to stargazing, state parks across Texas are hosting free holiday festivities for campers who want to get away from the holiday stress.

See below for a list of holiday happenings at state parks in Central and South Texas. For a full list of holiday activities at Texas State Parks, click here.

Bastrop State Park, Bastrop

• Fa La La Through The Forest Scavenger Hunt, daily through Jan. 1. Visitors can follow the ornaments through the park to find the hidden cache.

Buescher State Park, Smithville

• Fa La La in the Forest Scavenger Hunt, daily through Jan. 1. Visitors can follow the ornaments through the park to find the hidden cache.

Colorado Bend State Park, Bend

• Santa Claus is Coming..., 10 a.m. Dec. 24. Santa Claus will be at the front porch of park headquarters.
• New Year’s Eve Day Hike, 10 a.m. Dec. 31. The hike will go through the Spicewood Canyon Trail.

Garner State Park, Concan

• Marching Towards Christmas, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 10. The Buffalo Soldiers program is hosting the event that includes painting, storytelling and other activities.

Goliad State Park and Historic Site, Goliad

• History in Lights, 6-10 p.m. nightly through Dec. 31. The light exhibit tells the story of the path that Native Americans and Spanish Franciscan priests took at the site.

Goose Island State Park, Rockport

• Christmas in the Park, 6 p.m. Dec. 17. Campsites and buildings will be illuminated for this holiday lights event. People who decorate their campsite can camp for free.
• Big Tree Ornament Making, 3 p.m. Dec. 23. People can create an ornament using a piece of the Big Tree.

Hill Country State Natural Area, Bandera

• Horses in History and Ornament Craft, 2:30 p.m. Dec. 22. Guests will learn about horses and paint a horse ornament to take home.

Inks Lake State Park, Burnet

• Holiday Festival of Lights, 6 p.m. Dec. 17. Campsites and buildings will be illuminated for this holiday lights event.

Lake Corpus Christi State Park, Mathis

• Holiday Light Drive-Thru, 6 p.m. Dec. 10. Campsites and buildings will be illuminated for this holiday lights event.

Lockhart State Park, Lockhart

• Dutch Oven Cooking Demo, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Dec. 10. This event teaches guests how to cook in a dutch oven.
• Holidays for the Birds, 2 p.m. Dec. 10; 10 a.m. Dec. 21. This class teaches people how to make bird feeders.
• Lockhart State Park Taffy Pull, 1 p.m. Dec. 17. This class teaches people how to make holiday taffy.
• Christmas Crafts, 3 p.m. Dec. 17. All materials will be provided for the all-ages craft-making event.

Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site, Stonewall

• 53rd Annual Tree Lighting, 5:30 p.m. Dec. 18. The event includes refreshments for the tree lighting.

McKinney Falls State Park, Austin

• Art in the Park: Watercolor Holiday Cards, 1 p.m. Dec. 10 and Dec. 31. Visitors can make their own watercolor holiday cards.

Palmetto State Park, Gonzales

• Christmas Crafts, 10 a.m. Dec. 10. All materials will be provided for the all-ages craft-making event.

Pedernales Falls State Park, Johnson City

• Santa’s Workshop, 2 p.m., Dec. 10 and Dec. 17. Visitors can build bird feeders to take home or give away.
• Christmastime Constellations, 6 p.m. Dec. 23. and Dec. 24. The event includes storytelling and stargazing.
• Last Day Hike, 4:30 p.m. Dec. 31. The hike is about 2.5 miles.

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