Lost Maples State Natural Area, Protected natural area with maple trees in Bandera County, United States.
Lost Maples is a protected natural area featuring steep limestone canyons and mixed forests across the Edwards Plateau in Texas. The Sabinal River winds through the landscape, creating varied terrain with different forest types and water-dependent habitats.
The land became a public natural area when the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department acquired it in the mid-1970s. Public access began in 1979, establishing it as a protected destination.
Indigenous peoples including the Apache and Comanche used this land for sustenance over many generations. The layered human history remains part of how visitors experience the place today.
The area offers hiking trails of varying difficulty along with campgrounds providing basic facilities for overnight stays. Check current conditions before visiting, as trails and facilities may have seasonal closures or changes.
The area shelters a rare population of bigtooth maple trees that have survived as a botanical remnant from the last ice age. These trees persist in conditions that echo the cooler climate of thousands of years ago.
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