Lost Maples State Natural Area is a public use recreation area

Lost Maples State Natural Area is a scenic area in Bandera and Real Counties approximately 5 miles north of Vanderpool and 71 miles from San Antonia. The park is over 2,000 acres of land purchased by the State of Texas from private owners in 1973 and 1974 for public use such as camping, backpacking, hiking, fishing, swimming and nature study. The park was made a national natural landmark in 1980 by the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service.

Archaeological studies have been carried out of the area and it has been shown that the area has been used by prehistoric people such as Spanish exploration and Apache, Lipan Apache and Comanche Indians occupied the land and posed a threat to settlement in the 19th Century.

Visitors to the park are able to hike on designated trails that have been created to preserve the maples as they have a shallow root system and compaction of the soil can damage the trees. Visitors are asked not to climb rocks or hillsides.

Facilities provided in the area include showers, picnic areas, primitive camping sites, campsites with water and electricity, comfort station and a trailer dump station. There is 1/2 mile of nature trails, 11 miles of hiking trails and a Texas State Park Store.

Attractions near the area are Garner State park, Hill Country State Natural Area, Lake Medina and Camp Verde.

Natural features of the park include Edwards Plateau flora and fauna, steep limestone canyons, springs, plateau grasslands and clear streams. The large uncommon and isolated Uvalde Bigtooth Maple which spectacular fall foliage stands in the natural area. The best time of the year to see the foliage is late October and early November.

There are many rare species of bird in the area such as Green Kingfisher, the endangered Black-capped vireo and Golden-cheeked warbler next. Wild animals in the park are the gray fox, white tailed deer, armadillo and rock squirrel.

The park is very popular during the fall and car parking is limited to 250 cars and it is recommended that visitors arrive early or during peak time's visit on a weekday. The park is opened seven days a week year round apart from public hunting times. The winter low is an average of 31 degrees and the summer high average is 94 degrees.

Evidence has shown that they maples of the park are relicts - remnants of a larger population the flourished during cooler and wetter climate within the last ice age. The soil and microclimate of today control their distribution. The trees that are in the park include American Sycamore, Black Walnut, Pecan, Black Willow, Lacey Oak, Juniper and Florida Basswood. The Texas Red oak has an amazing autumn display every year during the autumn.