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Overview
This Natural Area is located on the west side of the Hill Country and is famous for the large isolated stand of Bigtooth Maples, which produce spectacular Fall colors. It is 2,174 acres in size and is located on the upper Sabinal River, 5 miles north of Vanderpool, in the Edwards Plateau of Texas.
Birds
Notable Species
Golden-cheeked Warbler, Black-capped Vireo, Green Kingfisher sometimes seen at the pond in the photo above right.
Rarities
"to do"
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
"to do"
Other Wildlife
Red and gray fox, coyote, white-tailed deer, raccoon, skunk, opossum, bobcat, rock squirrel, rabbit and javelina.
Site Information
History and Use
The 2.174 acres of land were acquired by purchase from private landowners, in 1973-1974, and the park was opened to the public in September 1979. The park has about 200,000 visitors annually. The Uvalde bigtooth maples which give the Natural Area its name, are thought to be relics – the remnants of a larger population growing here in the wetter and cooler times of the last glacial period during the Pleistocene period. The present distribution of the maples is controlled by microclimate and soils.
Areas of Interest
Nearby Garner State Park is also worth a visit.
Access and Facilities
- Daily entrance fee $6; children 12 and under free
- Headquarters and Interpretive Center, with rest rooms
- 5 trails ranging in round-trip distance from 0.8 miles to 4.9 miles and varying in difficulty from easy to challenging
- Bird viewing blind at beginning of East Trail parking lot
- Interpretive tours provided by park staff and volunteers
- Bird-watching, nature study, fishing, hiking, camping, photography
- October-November Fall foliage viewing and March-April are the park's busiest times of year
Contact Details
Lost Maples SNA
37221 FM 187
Vanderpool, TX 78885
Tel: 830-966-3413
