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The most-visited state park in Texas. Float the ice-cold Frio River by day, dance under the stars at night. Garner State Park reservations sell out the instant the booking window opens — see when 2026 dates open below, and find a cabin or vacation rental nearby if yours are taken.
Garner State Park reservations sell out the instant the 5-month window opens at 8 a.m. Central. Camp.land does not alert for Texas parks — if your dates are taken, check ReserveAmerica for cancellations or a cabin or vacation rental near Concan.
Garner State Park reservations open exactly 5 months (150 days) in advance at 8 a.m. Central Time on the Texas State Parks system. It’s the most-visited state park in Texas, and summer weekends sell out within minutes of the window opening.
Cabins go first. Garner’s 17 cabins open on the same 5-month window as campsites but are the first lodging to sell out, especially summer and fall weekends. After cabins, the Rio Frio water-and-electric loop — closest to the river and the nightly dance — is next to fill.
March, May, June, July, and August are marked high demand (see the month-by-month breakdown below) — book those the instant your window opens. January, February, November, and December are easy to book by comparison.
If your dates are already taken, don’t give up. Cancellations do happen at Garner as people’s plans change, especially 2–4 weeks before the date, so it’s worth checking ReserveAmerica directly. If nothing opens up in time, a cabin or vacation rental near Concan is bookable today as a backup.
Find a place to stay near Garner
If your dates are booked, cabins and vacation rentals near Concan are bookable today on Vrbo.
Availability alerts are offered for 64 recreation.gov campgrounds, including Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains. For Garner State Park, check cabins nearby:
Cabins near Concan →Want the full breakdown? Read the Garner State Park camping guide.
Texas state parks release campsites on a rolling 5-month window at 8 a.m. Central, and Garner State Park fills up fast for weekends and holidays. Popular dates can be gone within minutes of the window opening. If your dates are already taken, the surest way to lock in a place to stay is a cabin or vacation rental nearby.
Places to stay near Garner State Park
Riverfront cabins and mountain ranches await near the cool, crystal-clear water.
See cabins & rentals near Concan →We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Prefer to try for a state park site? Book direct on ReserveAmerica →
The summer dance, the Frio River, the multi-generational tradition — this park sells out fast. Here’s how to actually land a site.
Texas state parks open reservations exactly 5 months in advance at 8 a.m. Central Time. For a Fourth of July weekend, that means booking opens February 4 at 8 a.m.. For Memorial Day, book in late December. Mark your calendar — popular summer weekends at Garner sell out within minutes.
Log in to your Texas State Parks account before 8 a.m.. Have your preferred loop, site type, and payment info loaded. When the clock hits 8:00 a.m., start clicking immediately — the best sites go in seconds on peak summer weekends. Don't log on late — the window is 8 a.m. sharp.
For families: Rio Frio (sites 100–155) puts you closest to the river and the dance. For RVs: Pecan Bottom (sites 1–50) has full hookups. For privacy: Shady Ridge (215–260) is up the hill, quieter. For a roof and A/C: book one of the 17 cabins, or grab a screened shelter (electricity and a fire ring, no A/C) near the river.
Cancellations do happen at Garner as people's plans change, so it's worth checking ReserveAmerica directly for openings, especially 2–4 weeks before your date. If nothing opens up, a cabin or vacation rental near Concan is bookable today as a backup.
Garner sold out for your dates?
Check ReserveAmerica directly for cancellations, or grab a cabin or vacation rental near Concan you can book today.
See cabins near Concan →New to booking here? Read how to get a Garner State Park reservation.
Garner State Park fills up fast — lock in a cabin nearby
Grab a cabin or vacation rental near Garner State Park — privately-owned places around Concan on Vrbo, ready to book tonight.
See cabins & rentals near Garner State Park →We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Sites 1–50 · 50 sites · Water, Sewer, 30/50-amp
Best for RVs — larger pads, easy access
Sites 100–155 · 56 sites · Water, 20/30-amp
Closest to river and concession area
Sites 215–260 · 46 sites · Water, 20/30-amp
Quietest loop, shaded by oaks
Sites 156–214 · 59 sites · Water, 20/30-amp
Mid-park, versatile for tents and RVs
Sites 261–305 · 45 sites · Water only
Tent camping — budget option
Sites 306–320 · 15 sites · Water nearby
Short walk, closer to the river
Old & New Garner · 18 sites · Electricity, no A/C
Screened from bugs — bring a fan for summer
Cabins 1–17 · 17 sites · Kitchen, bath, central A/C
Sleeps 4 (max 6) · 2-night min · books first
+ $8/person entrance fee. Texas State Parks Pass ($70/yr) waives entrance fees.
If you’d rather sleep with a roof, air conditioning, and a real bed, Garner has 17 cabins — 13 with a fireplace and 4 without. Several are historic native-rock cabins dating to the park’s Civilian Conservation Corps era (the CCC developed Garner between 1935 and 1941), which makes them some of the most characterful — and most fought-over — lodging in the Texas state park system.
Every cabin has a full kitchen (refrigerator, microwave, stovetop, sink), a private bathroom with a shower, central heating and air conditioning, and two double beds. The base rate covers up to 4 people, with a maximum of 6 (about $10 per extra person, per night).
Cheaper than a cabin and a step up from a tent site, Garner’s 18 screened shelters (across Old and New Garner) each have electricity with an interior light and outlet, a picnic table, and an outdoor fire ring with a grill. They’re screened against bugs but not air conditioned — bring a fan for summer. You supply your own cot or sleeping setup, and each shelter holds up to 8 people. No pets.
Cabins booked solid for your dates?
If Garner’s cabins are full, cabins and vacation rentals near Concan are bookable today on Vrbo.
See cabins near Concan →The Frio River is the reason people drive 2+ hours from San Antonio and Austin to camp at Garner. It’s spring-fed, crystal clear, and stays around 68–72°F year-round — ice cold even in July, which is exactly the point.
The swimming areas are directly accessible from most campsites. You can float the river on tubes (rentals available), kayak, or paddleboard. The limestone bottom and clear water make it feel more like a Caribbean snorkel spot than a Texas river.
Water temp
68–72°F year-round (bring water shoes)
Activities
Swimming, tubing, kayaking, paddleboarding
Watch out
River runs low in drought years — check before going
Crowd levels, temperatures, and booking difficulty by month.
40–65°F
Very quiet. Mild hiking weather. River still cold.
45–70°F
Easy to book. Good for couples. No dance yet.
55–80°F
Spring break rush. Books solid months out.
65–85°F
Wildflowers. Pleasant temps. Getting busier.
70–90°F
Memorial Day weekend = instant sellout.
78–95°F
Summer dance starts. River season in full swing.
82–98°F
Hottest month. Peak bookings. Dance every night.
80–97°F
Still peak. River may run low in drought years.
72–90°F
Crowds thin. Dance ends after Labor Day.
60–82°F
Fall color starts. Great weather returns.
48–72°F
Very peaceful. Good for hiking. Easy to book.
40–62°F
Winter rates sometimes available. Tranquil.
Yes — day-use entry to Garner is $8 per person per day (free for kids 12 and under), and a $70 Texas State Parks Pass covers everyone in your vehicle for a year. You don't need a reservation for day use most of the year, but on busy summer weekends Garner caps day-use entry and closes the gate once the park fills — arrive early, or reserve a day-use permit ahead of time on the Texas Parks & Wildlife site.
Garner is open for day use from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and registered overnight campers have 24-hour access to their sites. Hours and gate closures can shift seasonally and when the park hits capacity, so confirm current hours with Texas Parks & Wildlife before you head out.
No — Garner is a Texas state park near Concan in the Hill Country, managed by Texas Parks & Wildlife, not the National Park System. Reservations go through the Texas state park system (opening 5 months in advance), not recreation.gov.
The Garner nightly dance is a Texas tradition dating back to the 1940s. Every summer evening, campers gather at the park's outdoor pavilion near the concession building for music and dancing. It's free, family-friendly, and genuinely fun — not a staged tourist event. It runs from roughly Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
Yes — Garner is one of the most RV-friendly state parks in Texas. The Pecan Bottom loop (sites 1–50) has 50 full hookup sites with water, sewer, and 30/50-amp electric. The Rio Frio, Shady Ridge, and Live Oak loops also have water and electric and can accommodate most RVs.
The Frio River is spring-fed and maintains about 68–72°F year-round. On a 100-degree July afternoon, that feels absolutely freezing. Water shoes are essential — the bottom is rocky limestone. The river can run low during drought years, so check conditions before your visit.
They're a cheap, bug-screened upgrade from a tent site — each of the 18 shelters has electricity, a picnic table, and a fire ring for around $50/night. Note they are not air conditioned, so summer nights stay hot; bring a fan and your own cot. If you want A/C and a real bed, book a cabin instead.
Rio Frio (sites 100–155) is the consensus best loop for families. It has water and electric hookups, the shortest walk to the river swimming areas, and direct access to the concession and nightly dance. Sites here are in high demand — book them first if available.
Yes — Garner has 17 cabins, including several historic native-rock cabins from the park's 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps era. Each has a full kitchen, a private bathroom, central air conditioning, and two double beds, and sleeps up to 6. There's a two-night minimum, no pets, and you bring your own bedding. Cabins open for reservations 5 months ahead and are the first lodging at Garner to sell out.
The cabins do — every Garner cabin has central heating and air conditioning. The 18 screened shelters do not; they have electricity, a picnic table, and a fire ring, but no A/C, so bring a fan in summer. If air conditioning matters to you, book a cabin.
Cabins open exactly 5 months in advance at 8 a.m. Central — the same window as campsites. With only 17 cabins and heavy demand, popular weekends are gone within minutes. If they're already booked, check ReserveAmerica directly for cancellations, since cabin plans change often, or consider a cabin or vacation rental nearby.
Not literally, but it feels that way in summer. Garner is the most-visited state park in Texas, and Memorial Day through Labor Day weekends sell out within minutes of the 5-month booking window opening. January, February, November, and December are easy to book — the park is nowhere close to full those months.
March, May, June, July, and August are Garner's busiest months — spring break in March, then Memorial Day through Labor Day. Book those months the instant your 5-month window opens. If they're full, check back for cancellations on ReserveAmerica, or look at a cabin or vacation rental near Concan.
Cancellations happen regularly at Garner, most often 1 to 3 weeks before the date, as people's plans change. It's worth checking ReserveAmerica directly for openings if your dates are booked.
Yes, through cancellations — check ReserveAmerica directly, since openings do happen as people's plans change. If nothing is available for your dates, a cabin or vacation rental near Concan is bookable today on Vrbo as a backup.
What each month is like, when reservations open, and how hard it is to book.
Privately-owned cabins and rentals around Concan are bookable today on Vrbo.
See cabins near Concan →Want the Texas booking playbook?