Pedernales Falls State Park: Hiking to Potholes & More

One of the unique features in Pedernales Falls State Park is the potholes. There are plenty of them, and you can hike to where they are located in the park.

What are potholes?

Potholes are cylindrical holes in the rocky bed of a river, which form naturally as a result of erosion.

Potholes form when fragments of stones and pebbles carried by the river whirl around, drilling circular depressions into the river bed. The flowing water keeps them in motion, constantly wearing away the sides of the depressions. These gradually become deeper and wider, and potholes form.

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At Pedernales Falls State Park, you will see them not just in round or oval shapes. We even found one that looks like a heart. Or Hershey’s Kisses? Anyway, they make Pedernales Falls State Park exceptional.

Hiking to Potholes at Pedernales Falls State Park

The one place you will see unique potholes in the park is on a rocky bed by the Pedernales Falls area. After you leave the Park Headquarters, drive to the end of the road. You will see a sign to the beach and campsites area on the right, but keep going.

From the parking, you will go on the Pedernales Falls Trail System. Follow the trail until you get to Pedernales Falls Overlook. You will see a set of stairs going down to the river, but don’t take them. Turn left and keep going on the trail. Then you will find many offshoot trails on the right that will take you to the rocky bed.

Once you are on the rocky bed, walk towards the river, and you will start seeing the potholes. Big, small, round, oval, and find the one that looks like a heart.

Some of them were filled with water, and some were dried. It depends on the rain volume before your visit.

When we visited during Spring Break, most of the potholes were filled with water.

Most of them were dry when we came back during Thanksgiving Break.

Pedernales Falls State Park is a pet-friendly park. You can take your dog on trails, including to the potholes area. If you have a medium to large-sized dog, you might try several offshoot trails until your dog is comfortable jumping onto the rocky bed. Our dog Snoopy glued his paws on the ground on the first two offshoot trails we tried. You know your dog’s capability.

Enjoy your time around the potholes. Explore the area carefully as it is slippery in some spots. You will see how dramatic the rock formation is around the river.

You will be tempted to jump and swim in this part of the river, too. Unfortunately, it is prohibited. If you look closely, the bottom of the river is full of rocks of all sizes. So, it is not safe. We did see four teenagers swimming here, though. 🙁

Children will love exploring this area. It’s like a giant playground. At least that’s what my son said on our first visit here when he was 8 years old. We were visiting from Fort Worth when we visited Texas State Parks in the Hill Country for Spring Break.

The Pedernales Falls itself is beautiful. The water flows over and around huge slabs of limestone. Again, when we visited around Thanksgiving, there were no waterfalls formed as seen in the picture below. The one in the picture was taken during Spring Break.

Remember! No swimming in the Pedernales Falls area, either you and your dog, but you definitely can do sunbathing.

More Hiking at the Pedernales

1. Hackenburg Loop: 1.2 mi., moderate, about 1 hr. This rugged trail takes you along the river to places where flash floods have had a serious impact. It’s good to take with children who are ready for more than a flat, easy trail while learning about nature. It is named after one family that owned a property here in the 1800s. Our dog Snoopy enjoyed his first nature trail here when he was six months old.

2. Twin Falls Nature Trail: 0.5 mi. round-trip, moderate, about 30 min. It’s a fun and short hike that is supposed to take you to one of the most beautiful natural spots in the Hill Country. Unfortunately, there weren’t waterfalls by the time we got to the overlook, just stagnant water full of algae. We visited during Thanksgiving Break. Maybe it’s different in the Spring when the area receives plenty of rain. However, the trees, rocks, and falling trees were fun findings while we were there. Personally, it’s an easy trail.

3. 5.5-Mile Loop Trail: 5.5 mi. loop, moderate, about 3 hr. Be prepared to get your feet wet as you cross the river through Trammell’s Crossing. Stop at the Loop Overlook and enjoy one of the most beautiful views in the park. You will see cypress trees by the river that turn incredible in the Fall. According to an article in Backpacker magazine, the cypress around the river was one of the best places to see fall foliage. That’s where we went one Thanksgiving, hunting for fall foliage in the Hill Country.

4. Wolf Mountain Trail Loop: 5.8 mi. loop, moderate, about 3 hr. Got its name from the prairie wolf, a.k.a. coyote, who found their home here. When you reach the Beer Creek area, find a side path that veers off into a canyon. It’s not on the map, but it leads to a swimming hole fed by a series of cascades. I haven’t had a chance to do this trail, but I also got this information from an article in Backpacker magazine.

Go check the Pedernales Falls Trails Map here to get a picture of what the hiking will look like before you leave for the trip.

Other Things to Do at Pedernales

Beside hiking, here are the other things to do at Pedernales Falls State Park:

– mountain biking

– camping (click the following link for info on camping)

– geocaching

– bird watching

– horse riding

– swimming, wading, tubing, or fishing for water activities

– or visiting the butterfly garden (seasonal)

Location: 2585 Park Road 6026, Johnson City, TX 78636. Phone: (830) 868-7304.

Entrance fees: $6 daily for 13 years and older, FREE for children 12 years and under.

Hours: Open daily, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Distance from big cities:

• Austin: 42 mi. to the east.
• San Antonio: 75 mi. to the south.
• Dallas/Ft. Worth: 235 mi. to the north.
• Houston: 202 mi. to the east.

Tips:

– Spring, Summer, and Fall are their busiest time. Reserve day passes and campsites in advance.

– Make sure to call the park to find out about the water conditions.

– Bring plenty of water.

– Pack your picnic lunch and snacks.

– Your family will enjoy playing in the water for hours.

– Use your Texas State Park Pass.

The following are nearby State Parks, Historic Sites, and State Natural Areas:

• Blanco State Park
• Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
• Inks Lake State Park
• Guadalupe River State Park
• Longhorn Cavern State Park
• Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site

Have you been to Pedernales Falls State Park?