Lost Maples Natural Park is located about 5 miles north of Vanderpool, Texas and 71 miles west of San Antonio. The park is along the Sabine River in western Bandera County and far eastern Real County. This natural park has several species of bigtooth maples and a variety of other endangered trees and plants. The Texas red oak gives an impressive autumn display almost every year that is why this park is most crowded when the fall colors peak in November.

The lost maples State Natural Park has many natural features and attractions. So, now let us discuss about them in detail.

Activities and Attractions

1. The 2,174-acre park contains 11 miles of hiking trails, 30 campsites, and 8 primitive camping areas, some of which have outhouses. In the center of the park are the ponds, two small lakes along Can Creek.
2. Lost Maples appeal is their year around outdoor recreational opportunities, which include hiking, birding, fishing, paddle sports, photography, bird watching, backpacking, sightseeing, camping and mountain climbing, but Lost Maples’ biggest draw is the changing of the leaves each fall.
3. The park is rather tame and gentle, with easy, mostly level paths through pretty, sheltered glades filled with shadows and much greenery. The peaceful atmosphere is only occasionally disturbed by violent flash floods that sometimes rush down the canyons.
4. The nearest places with hotels close to Lost Maples State Natural Area are Fredericksburg, Junction, Kerrville, Segovia and Uvalde.
5. Water-and-electric campsites are at a premium at Lost Maples SNA. The 30 campsites, which also feature in-ground barbecue pits and shaded picnic tables.
6. Lost Maples State Natural Area also includes the tour to the Lone Star Motorcycle Museum. Here you can enjoy scenic FM 337 drives between Vanderpool and Medina.
7. You can also stop at Bandera County’s which has more than 20 wildlife viewing sites along the western branch of the Heart of Texas Wildlife Trail and you can also visit the Love Creek Cider Mill Store in Medina.
8. Nearby attractions include Garner State Park, Hill Country State Natural Area, Kerrville-Schreiner Park, Camp Verde, Lake Medina, and the towns of Utopia and Bandera.

Natural Features

1. The park is an outstanding example of Edwards Plateau flora and fauna. It is a combination of steep, rugged limestone canyons, springs, plateau grasslands, wooded slopes, and clear streams.
2. The endangered Black-capped vireo and Golden-cheeked warbler nest and feed in the park in spring and early summer. Wild animals include gray fox, white-tailed deer, armadillo, raccoon, bobcat, rock squirrel, and javelina.
3. This park has diversity of habitat that includes grasslands and scrublands; mixed evergreen and deciduous escarpment woodlands; and streamside woodlands.
4. Because of the canyonlands’ microclimate effect, the park contains numerous species of plants and animals from rare species, endemic to the Balcones Escarpment. Here you will find the unusual Texas madrone tree, three kinds of buckeye, witch hazel, six different kinds of oaks, Texas mock orange and sycamore-leaf snowbell.

These are most beautiful attractions and natural features of the Lost Maples Natural State Park.

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