Blanco State Park, State park on Blanco River in Texas, US
Blanco State Park is a natural area along the Blanco River in Texas where clear water flows between limestone banks and rocky outcrops. The park covers several miles with natural swimming holes, shallow wading areas, and accessible riverside sections for visitors to explore.
Blanco State Park opened in 1934 on 104.6 acres along a mile of the Blanco River, managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Company 854 of the Civilian Conservation Corps built Park Road 23, bridges, culverts, retaining walls, dams, picnic tables, rock seats and the concession building, now the group pavilion, between 1933 and 1934. On 23–24 May 2015 the river rose thirty feet in a flood that uprooted trees; the park partially reopened on 1 August 2015 and fully on 24 October.
The concession building raised by Civilian Conservation Corps Company 854 in 1933–34 now serves as the park's group pavilion, and the stone picnic tables and rock seats the same crew built are still in use. The park's name comes from the Blanco River, from the Spanish word for white.
The park has camping areas with full amenities, picnic spots, and direct river access for swimming and fishing. Visitors do better arriving early, especially in warm months, since many spots fill up and the sun gets intense later in the day.
During winter months, the river receives stocking of rainbow trout, which is surprising for this part of Texas and creates fishing opportunities unusual for the area. This draws anglers who typically expect warm-water species in this region.
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