Mission Tejas State Park, State park in Houston County, Texas
Mission Tejas State Park is a 660-acre (270-hectare) park with natural springs, tall pine forests, and over 8 miles (13 kilometers) of hiking trails through eastern Texas woodland. The grounds include restored historic structures and multiple picnic and camping areas.
An early Spanish mission post was founded nearby around 1690 and served the Nabedache people before being abandoned after a few years. Later, the location became an important point along the major trade route connecting Mexico with northern Texas.
The site features early settler structures that visitors can enter and explore today. These buildings offer a direct sense of how people lived in this part of Texas.
The park offers over 17 camping sites with electricity and water, plus group areas near San Pedro Creek. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear on the trails and be prepared for seasonal weather shifts and insects, especially during warmer months.
A preserved segment of the historic overland route El Camino Real de los Tejas can be walked as part of the park visit. This trail connected Mexico City with Texas and was used by travelers for many generations.
Location: Houston County
Website: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/mission-tejas
GPS coordinates: 31.54840,-95.24040
Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:42
Texas combines landscapes that barely resemble each other. The west spreads out in deserts and sand dunes, while the east is marked by swamps and dense forests. Between these extremes lie limestone cliffs, natural springs, and waterfalls that bubble up from the ground. The size of the state allows for this variety. A traveler can hike through dry canyons one day and wade through marshland the next. The state preserves places from different chapters of history. Spanish missions built in the 18th century stand near Native American quarries used for thousands of years. Mining towns and military forts from the 1800s now sit empty, their wooden structures weathered by sun and wind. Plantation houses with wide porches remain from before the Civil War. Visitors can also find a Japanese garden in San Antonio, a replica of Stonehenge in the Hill Country, and underwater caves where divers explore submerged passages. The variety makes it possible to see ancient footprints, colonial architecture, and ghost towns in the same trip.
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