South Llano River State Park

1927 Park Road 73
Junction TX 76849-9502
325/446-3994
Park locator map

History: South Llano River State Park adjoins Walter Buck Wildlife Management Area, south of Junction in Kimble County. The 524.07-acre site, adjacent to the South Llano River, was donated to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in 1977 and was opened to the public in 1990.

Because of his love and respect for the land, Mr. Walter Buck donated his ranch to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Activities: Activities include camping, picnicking, canoeing, tubing, swimming, fishing, hiking, mountain bike riding, and bird and nature study.

Area Attractions: Nearby attractions include Kerrville-Schreiner Park; Fort McKavett State Historic Site; Admiral Nimitz Museum State Historic Site - National Museum of the Pacific War; Enchanted Rock State Natural Area; and the City of Junction, with historic markers and buildings; Schreiner Park; Texas Tech Center; and the O. C. Fisher Museum and Library.

Facilities: Facilities include multi-use campsites with water and electricity at each site and a dump station and restrooms with showers in the area; walk-in campsites with picnic tables and fire rings (30 - 70-yard walk from where the car is parked - drinking water is available to every 4 sites. No vehicle camping is allowed at the walk-in sites and capacity is 4 people per site), composting toilets in the area; a picnic and day-use area near the river with picnic tables, waist-high grills, and composting toilets; oxbow lakes; 4 miles of hiking/mountain biking/nature study trails in the Turkey Roost area; and hunting blinds available for wildlife photography. Be sure to stop by the Texas State Park Store.

Park & Facility Fees
Facility & Trail Map (PDF 112.9 KB)

Note: Six months of each year, beginning October 1 through and including March 31, a large portion of the park is closed to protect a turkey roosting habitat. Hiking and biking trails in this area will be closed during this time. Campgrounds remain open and 16 + acres of the river at the low-water crossing bridge are accessible during the closed dates. For more information, contact the park.

Flora/Fauna: The park has two miles of river frontage, a large pecan bottom, and typical Hill Country areas. The 523-acre, wooded bottom land is home to white-tailed deer and the Rio Grande Turkey. The bottomland represents one of the most substantial and oldest winter turkey roosts in the central portion of the state. The roosting area is closed to park visitors from October through March. Observation blinds are provided to offer visitors a glimpse of the Turkey moving to and from the roost. Other animals include wood duck, white-tailed deer, squirrel, jackrabbit, javelina, fox, beaver, bobcat, cottontail, and armadillo. Several exotic species such as Axis Deer, Black Buck Antelope, and Fallow Deer are often spotted in the park.

More information on the wildlife mentioned here:

Texas Wildlife Factsheets.

Elevation: 1710 ft.
Weather: July average high is 94; January average low is 32; first/last freeze: November 3/April 3; May, August, and September are wettest months.

National Weather Service forecast for this area.

Schedule: Open: 7 days a week year-round except when wildlife management activities dictate closure of part of the park (call or check the Calendar for Access Restrictions.) The park may be closed during heavy flooding. Busy Season: March through October.

Directions: To reach the park, travel Interstate 10 to Junction, then go south on US Highway 377 for 5 miles to Park Road 73.

Current conditions including, fire bans & water levels, can vary from day to day. For more details, contact the park.