Has anyone been to Palmetto SP? (Austin: spring break, rent, house) - San Antonio - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

cheermomof4girls · 08-05-2008, 11:32 PM

I just got done watching the videio of this park on the TPWD website. It seems like it could be a nice place to go camping. Has a anyone camped there? Is it worth it?

Camper1 · 08-06-2008, 07:42 AM

That was the first place we ever went camping!! We stayed in the tent section the first two times( in November) then got our first trailer and now we stay over in the water and electric side. It's a beautiful place. (You have to go on the walk and see the wagon wheel!! Anyone that has been there knows about it.)

The park it self is beautifully kept up. It's more of a manicured park than say Guadalupe ( which we also love becasue of the "woodsy feel). The grounds are clean and so are the restrooms.

There is water is over by the tent section . You can rent a canoe or fish. We don't go in the summer much ( spent spring break there once) so not sure about the swimming over there. On the other side ( water and electric) there is a place where the water runs under the bridge ( if its low ) and a good place to play in the water. You can walk across the bridge and get to the other tent sites. They have a huge " group" section they rent out like for girl scouts or family reunions.

I think it's one of the smaller parks but one of the nicer ones. We try to go on the first weekend of November every year. To me, it's worth the miles.

The crows!! I love the sound of the crows!! I could go on and on....

Last thing, some people have to get use to the sulfur smell, but it doesn't take long and it's worth it.

cheermomof4girls · 08-06-2008, 10:59 AM

Thanks Camper! I had a feeling you would be the first responder.

I just got done going through my pop up. It's been over a year since we have used it (due to relocating down here) and there are some serious leaks now, so if we go, we may have to take our tent. Was the tent area pretty well shaded? My dad will be going in his trailer, but it's pretty small (22ft). But I guess if it was extremely hot, it will do.

Camper1 · 08-06-2008, 11:33 AM

Ha ha. I guess that's my reputation on this site!

Lysol, Lysol, Lysol for your pop up!!!!! That tape for repairing tents works well on the pop ups also. Depends on the size of the leak. I have also seen people put tarps over the beds. helps regulate the heat/cold thing and helps with the leaks.

The tent area is extremely shaded and beautiful. If your dad is going to take his trailer, why don't you stay on the electric side with him? You can put your tent on the tent site and he can back into the camper site and you can all be together on one site and I believe they will only charge you for one site ( up to 8 people but they don't really count. hide one or two if you have to ha ha.) that way you will also have electric so you can use a fan, or electric skillet, or coffee pot or, or, or..... you get the idea. Just make sure you take a long, good heavy outdoor extension cord!

I hope I am not coming across as a know it all, it's just that we use to go alot and we have learned something from someone from every trip. It's the campers code, pass on what you learn.

When are you going?????!!! Have fun!!!!

TXtrkgrl · 08-06-2008, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camper1

Ha ha. I guess that's my reputation on this site!

Lysol, Lysol, Lysol for your pop up!!!!! That tape for repairing tents works well on the pop ups also. Depends on the size of the leak. I have also seen people put tarps over the beds. helps regulate the heat/cold thing and helps with the leaks.

The tent area is extremely shaded and beautiful. If your dad is going to take his trailer, why don't you stay on the electric side with him? You can put your tent on the tent site and he can back into the camper site and you can all be together on one site and I believe they will only charge you for one site ( up to 8 people but they don't really count. hide one or two if you have to ha ha.) that way you will also have electric so you can use a fan, or electric skillet, or coffee pot or, or, or..... you get the idea. Just make sure you take a long, good heavy outdoor extension cord!

I hope I am not coming across as a know it all, it's just that we use to go alot and we have learned something from someone from every trip. It's the campers code, pass on what you learn.

When are you going?????!!! Have fun!!!!

Great advice!! I tried to rep you but I can't

chipsndip · 08-06-2008, 12:43 PM

It's a very shaded park. There are a lot of trees on the tent side as well. The only bad thing about that is that there's not much of a breeze - If you're going in August I do recommend staying on the electric side and bringing a fan...

The only downside to Palmetto is that there are not very many hiking trails - but if you aren't a hiker that's no problem.

cheermomof4girls · 08-06-2008, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camper1

Ha ha. I guess that's my reputation on this site!

Lysol, Lysol, Lysol for your pop up!!!!! That tape for repairing tents works well on the pop ups also. Depends on the size of the leak. I have also seen people put tarps over the beds. helps regulate the heat/cold thing and helps with the leaks.

The tent area is extremely shaded and beautiful. If your dad is going to take his trailer, why don't you stay on the electric side with him? You can put your tent on the tent site and he can back into the camper site and you can all be together on one site and I believe they will only charge you for one site ( up to 8 people but they don't really count. hide one or two if you have to ha ha.) that way you will also have electric so you can use a fan, or electric skillet, or coffee pot or, or, or..... you get the idea. Just make sure you take a long, good heavy outdoor extension cord!

I hope I am not coming across as a know it all, it's just that we use to go alot and we have learned something from someone from every trip. It's the campers code, pass on what you learn.

When are you going?????!!! Have fun!!!!

....or a tv. LOL I think I know quite a bit too, but with camping, you can never know enough, so I love reading lots of ideas. It is kinda an opposite thing in our family. I am the one who loads the PUP, put it on the hitch, haul it, set it up, etc. My dh actually broke the cables on the PUP our first time taking it out (he failed to un latch on latch), so I don't really let him touch it anymore.

Same with the fishing, I take my girls out fishing with or without my dh. They all know how to do their lines (except the 5 yr old, she is learning). My dh is worse than the girls, if he catches a fish, I or one of the girls have to go and take it off the line for him. He does not want to get his hands dirty. He uses lures for that same reason.

We will be there August 12-14. My dad said that it could be the gasket in the A/C that needs to be replaced. I am an only child and watched my dad do everything while we camped, so I think just picked things up from him. Hopefully the girls are paying attention to me. We used to go camping almost every weekend when we in Austin. Since we moved in, we have been too busy with the house being built, and then settling in. Hopefully now, we will start going a lot again.

cheermomof4girls · 08-06-2008, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chipsndip

It's a very shaded park. There are a lot of trees on the tent side as well. The only bad thing about that is that there's not much of a breeze - If you're going in August I do recommend staying on the electric side and bringing a fan...

The only downside to Palmetto is that there are not very many hiking trails - but if you aren't a hiker that's no problem.

I am not much of a hiker, I would rather be fishing. But, I think we will be hiking this park since it seems kinda lush. Plus, I have got to see what this wheel thing is.

Camper1 · 08-06-2008, 08:52 PM

It's more of a walk than a hike. When you get there get a guide book at the beginning of the trail. There are numbered tress for you to identify. The girls might enjoy it. If I remember correctly there a two trails. one is very short, maybe 30 minutes. The other is longer. maybe an hour. It's just thru the woods (kinda swamp like if there has been any rain) and takes you around the park but that time of year I would still take a water bottle for each person.

Enjoy and let us know how you liked it!!

Don't get to excited about the wagon wheel. ha ha But you have to " see" it. Just ask one of the rangers.

bigdaddyjp7983 · 08-06-2008, 09:11 PM

We have camped there before as well, and it is a really beautiful park. The River is really pretty, and there are lots of places for kids to run and play. I would second the comment that there are not a lot of things to "do" in the area, and that it can be pretty still, but I do recommend it as a quiet place to go and just relax.