Ten minutes into my trail run at Palmetto State Park, I see something roughly beagle-sized lumbering down the path about 25 yards ahead of me. I know it’s not a dog. A raccoon? Probably. But maybe it’s a bobcat. Whatever it is, it makes a hasty escape into the underbrush, and I continue along the trail, which hugs a bluff above the San Marcos River.
When I’m looking for a place where I can camp and log a few trail running miles in the heat of a Texas summer, I head to Palmetto State Park, located 65 miles east of San Antonio between Luling and Gonzales. The trails are soft beneath the foot, generally flat, and mostly shaded. And I like the setup of three loops, each about a mile long, linked together so you can choose your own distance.
Palmetto state park
78 Park Rd. 11 South, Gonzales.
830-672-3266; tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/palmetto
But it’s the setting that keeps me coming back. Fan-shaped dwarf palmettos, which resemble bouquets of thin-bladed swords, grow in clusters along the trail. The plants, along with several small, ephemeral swamps, give the park a tropical vibe. I almost expect to see dinosaurs lurking in the greenery. In a few places, wooden boardwalks cross mucky sections. This morning, it’s humid and misty, creating a slightly eerie effect.
I opt for 3 miles, starting on the San Marcos River Trail. As I lope along, I catch a glimpse of green-gray water sliding past down below, then head into thickets of trees draped in Spanish moss. After a mile I merge onto the Mesquite Flats Trail, lined with the thorny trees, and in another mile, I’ll reach the Ottine Swamp Trail. Runners who want more mileage can repeat any of the loops.
I paid $18 to camp overnight in the park’s south campground, then arose early and tugged on my running shoes. I’ve seen exactly zero other people as I begin my second run on the trail. Instead of buzzing traffic, all I hear is a chorus of birdsong. Red-winged blackbirds, yellow-rumped warblers, and mockingbirds are commonly spotted here, along with red-bellied woodpeckers and ruby-throated hummingbirds. A rabbit stops to watch as I pass, and I brush a few glistening spiderwebs off my arms. Just pay attention to where you step—signs warn of snakes, and I’ve spotted one here in the past.
Before I merge onto the last leg of my run, I take a short detour down the Palmetto Interpretive Trail to see a water tower built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936. Pumps once moved water from the tower across the road to supply a picnic shelter. Today the water is used to feed the wetlands along the trail, which tend to dry up during summer months.
I backtrack onto the main trail, then tackle the last mile of my route. By now I’m hot and need to cool down. Which brings me to my favorite part of this outing: a dip in the San Marcos River, which cuts through the center of the park.
Usually, I don’t even bother to change into my swimsuit. I just walk into the river and plop down in the cool water, still wearing my running clothes.
No one is around to judge. And the racoons, I figure, just don’t care.
