Garner State Park on the Frio near Concan has long been one of the most popular state parks in Texas — cold clear water for tubing, the short steep climb up Old Baldy, and a jukebox dance at the pavilion that has drawn crowds since the 1940s.
Garner sits in the canyons of the Frio River near Concan, on land first built out by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. Generations of Texas families have measured their summers by it — days on the river, the hike up Old Baldy, and evenings at the pavilion. It fills up, and for good reason.
Spring-fed and cypress-lined, the Frio runs cold even in August. Tube it, swim it, or just sit in it — tube rentals and outfitters line the road just outside the park.
The bald limestone dome above the river is a short, steep climb with one of the best overlooks in the Hill Country waiting at the top — the whole Frio valley laid out below.
Summer nights bring the jukebox dance at the CCC-built pavilion — a Garner tradition that has run for generations. For a lot of Texans it is the first place they ever danced.
Garner fills up fast in summer — many families stay just outside the park on the Frio and drive in. Here is how it fits the rest of the Hill Country.
Backroads Hill Country has represented Frio and Hill Country rentals since 2001 — river cabins and homes near the park. Backroads ↗
Concan sits right on the river at the park’s door; Leakey is just upriver, and Bandera is the eastern anchor about an hour east.
Pair Garner with a Frio float and a fall run to Lost Maples. Plan the route across the HillCountry.ai network.
Garner is one of the most-booked parks in the state — summer sites and day-use can fill months out. Check availability and fees on the official site before you load up.